338 Of the Use of Steam 



exertions of such men, who abound in no other coun- 

 try, we owe one of the proudest distinctions of our 

 national character, that of being an enlightened and an 

 enterprising people. 



In fitting up the great kitchen at the house of the 

 Royal Institution, I availed myself of that opportunity 

 to show, in a variety of different ways, how steam may 

 be usefully employed in heating liquids. 



On one side of the room, opposite to the fireplace, 

 and where there is no appearance of any chimney, I 

 fitted up a steam-boiler, of cast-iron, which, to confine 

 the heat, is so completely covered up by the brickwork 

 in which it is set, that no part of it is seen. This boiler 

 is supplied with water from a reservoir at a distance 

 (which is not seen), and by means of a cock, which is 

 regulated by an hollow floating ball of thin copper, the 

 water in the boiler always stands at the same height or 

 level. 



The steam from this boiler rises up perpendicularly 

 in a tin tube, which is concealed in a square wooden 

 tube, by the side of the wall of the room, and enters 

 an horizontal tin tube (concealed in the same manner) 

 which lies against the wall and just under the ceiling. 



From this horizontal steam-conductor three tubes de- 

 scend perpendicularly (concealed in three square wooden 

 tubes), and enter three different kitchen boilers (on a 

 level with their bottoms), which are set in brickwork 

 against the same side of the room where the steam- 



o 



boiler is situated. 



As each of these boilers has its separate fireplace, 

 properly furnished with a good double door and regis- 

 ter ash-pit door, and also with a canal, furnished with 

 a damper, for carrying off the smoke, either of these 



