PHOSPHORUS. 9J 



until the Peace of 1802, when a public display of this light was 

 In rm 1 , in the illumination of Mr. Boulton's manufactory, 

 at So!u, upon that occasion. 



Since that p riod I have, und> r the sanction of Messrs. Doulton, 

 Watt, and Co., extended the apparatus at Soho foundry, so as 

 to give li^ht to all the principal shops, where it is in regular use, 

 to the exclusion of other artificial li^ht ; but I have preferred 

 giving the results from Messr*. Philips' and Lee's apparatus, both 

 on account of its greater extent, and the greater uniformity of the 

 lights, which rendered the comparison with candles less difficult. 



At the same time I commenced my experiments, I was certainly 

 unacquainted with the circumstance of the gass from coal having 

 been observed by others to be capable of combustion; but I am 

 since informed, that the current of gass escaping from Lord Dun. 

 donald's tar ovens had been frequently fired ; and I find that Dr. 

 Clayton, in a paper in volume xli., of the Transactions of the 

 Royal Society, so long ago as the year 1739, gave an account of 

 some observations and experiments made by him, which clearly 

 manifest his knowledge of the inflammable property of the gass, 

 which he denominates "the spirit of coals;" but the idea of 

 applying it as an economical substitute for oils and tallow, does 

 not appear to have occurred to this gentleman ; and I believe I 

 may, without presuming too much, claim both the first idea of 

 applying, and the first actual application of this gass to economical 

 purposes. [PAzV. Trans. 1808, 



CHAP. VI. 



PHOSPHORUS OF KUNCKEL *. 



Phosphoric Bottles and Matches. 



1 HOSPUORUS is well known to be a peculiar substance capable of 

 inflaming or emitting a luminous aura, when exposed to the air of 

 the atmosphere in a common temperature, and hence the basis 

 of those curious sticks, matches, and bottles, which have of late 



* For other kinds of phosphorus, see the ensuing ch. vii. 



