494 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



last war, the great caves of Kentucky and Tennessee were the 

 chief source from which we obtained our saltpetre. England, at 

 present, holds almost a monopoly of the saltpetre of the globe, 

 in consequence of the low price at which she obtains it from her 

 Eastern possessions. Saltpetre may be artificially made by tak- 

 ing plaster from old houses, carrying it into fields, covering it 

 with sheds, and continuously sprinkling it with nitrogenous 

 fluids, until the nitrate of lime is formed. It is next mixed with 

 wood ashes, thus converting the nitrate of lime into the nitrate 

 of potash. Nearly all the saltpetre used in Germany is made 

 from this source. 



Dr. Vanderweyde. — Dissolving phosphorus in bisulphide of 

 carbon, produces a liquid. Dipping a piece of paper in this, 

 the moment it becomes dr^^ it will ignite. (This was illus- 

 trated by experiment.) An Englishman has proposed to fill shells 

 with this compound. The plan has not been adopted in practice. 

 ^ JSTew subject. — Prof. Seely suggested for the next meeting, the 

 subject of " The application of Chemistry to the Military Art," 

 which was agreed to. 



Adjourned. 



American Institute, Polytechnic Association, 



January 23, 1862. 



Mr. Fisher in the chair. 



OFFERS FOR PREMIUMS. 



Messrs. Baker & Smith offered their " Low Pressure, Steam 

 Warming and Ventilating Apparatus." 



B. I. Burnett offered the " Eureka Refrigerator," and also the 

 " Eureka Ice-chamber," arranged for cooling and purifying air in 

 rooms of the sick, &c. 



Referred to the Section of Mechanics. 



AMERICAN GEOLOGY". 



Dr. Stevens. — To-night I shall call your attention to the Amer- 

 ican coals. 



It may be well to state in the first place how they came into 

 notice as generators of heat and gas. It is said that John 

 Schneider,* former Governor of Pennsylvania, had upon his 



• The discovery of the value of Anthracite coal was claimed for John Cist, Esq , Wilkes - 

 barre. He had explored and completed a map of the W joming coal formatiou as early as 

 1811.— J. K. 



