114 



THE REV. MR. TURNER. 



CHAP. VII. 



hydrogen with atmospheric air in the receiver, and we 

 found by the experiments that when a current of the 

 most explosive mixture that we could make was forced 

 up a tube four-tenths of an inch in diameter, the neces- 

 sary current was nine inches in a second to prevent its 

 coming down that tube. These experiments were re- 

 peated several times. We had two or three blows up 

 in making the experiments, by the flame getting down 

 into the receiver, though we had a piece of very fine 

 wire-gauze put at the bottom of the pipe, between the 

 receiver and the pipe through which we were forcing 

 the current. In one of these experiments I was watch- 

 ing the flame in the tube, my son was taking the vibra- 

 tions of the pendulum of the clock, and Mr. Wood was 

 attending to give me the column of water as I called 

 for it, to keep the current up to a certain point. As I 

 saw the flame descending in the tube I called for more 

 water, and Wood unfortunately turned the cock the 

 wrong way; the current ceased, the flame went down 

 the tube, and all our implements were blown to pieces, 

 which at the time we were not very well able to 

 replace." 



The explosion of this glass receiver, which had been 

 borrowed from the stores of the Philosophical Society 

 at Newcastle for the purpose of making the experi- 

 ments, caused the greatest possible dismay among the 

 party, and they dreaded to inform Mr. Turner, the 

 Secretary, 1 of the calamity which had occurred. For- 



1 The early connexion of Robert 

 with the Philosophical and Literary 

 Society of Newcastle had brought him 

 into communication with the Rev. 

 William Turner, one of the secretaries 

 of the institution. That gentleman 

 was always ready to assist the in- 

 quirer after knowledge, and took an 

 early interest in the studious youth 

 from Killingworth, with whose father 

 he also became acquainted. Mr. 

 Turner cheerfully helped them in 

 their joint inquiries, and excited while 



he endeavoured to satisfy their thirst 

 for scientific information. Towards 

 the close of his life, Mr. Stephenson 

 often spoke of the gratitude and 

 esteem he felt towards his revered 

 instructor. " Mr. Turner," he said, 

 " was always ready to assist me with 

 books, with instruments, and with 

 counsel, gratuitously and cheerfully. 

 He gave me the most valuable assist- 

 ance and instruction, and to my dying 

 day I can never forget the obligations 

 which I owe to my venerable friend." 



Mr, 



