and in the Condensation of Vapours. 417 



the present state of our knowledge does not admit of 

 our establishing with a rigorous precision the highest 

 temperature which it is possible to excite by means of 

 the combustion of inflammable bodies, the calculation 

 which I have submitted to the Class may nevertheless 

 serve to guide our conjectures on this interesting sub- 

 ject. They will at all events show what is wanting to 

 enable us duly to appreciate the subject. 



SECTION X. On the Quantity of Heat developed in the 

 Condensation of the Vapour of Water. 



Having filled the calorimeter and placed it on its 

 stand, a current of vapour was introduced into the 

 worm through a cork placed in the lower aperture of 

 the worm. This cork having been perforated with a 

 hole two lines in diameter, in the direction of its axis, 

 a small cork (two lines in diameter and two in height) 

 was fitted into it, and four other holes about a line in 

 diameter, pierced horizontally through the sides of the 

 large cork at two lines below its upper extremity, and 

 communicating with the hole two lines in diameter in 

 the axis of this cork, afforded a passage to the vapour, 

 to admit of its entering by four small channels horizon- 

 tally into the worm. 



As the apertures of these small channels were higher 

 than the level of the flat bottom of the worm, the water 

 which resulted from the condensation of this vapour 

 did not prevent the vapour from continuing to flow 

 through these passages. 



This vapour came from a long-necked matrass contain- 

 ing distilled water, which was put on a portable stove 

 placed in a chimney at some distance from the calorime- 



VOL. II. 27 



