WRITINGS OF JAMES SMITHSON. 79 



A loose ring of wick may in like manner be applied to 

 the argand lamp. This removes the necessity of the long 

 tube into which the wicks, now used, descend, and thus 

 greatly contracts this lamp in height. 



j Of Wax Lamps. — Oil is a disagreeable combustible for 

 small experimental purposes, and more especially when 

 lamps are to be carried in travelling. I have, therefore, 

 substituted wax for it. I experienced, however, at first, 

 some difficulty in accomplishing my object. 



The wicks of my lamps are a single cotton thread, waxed 

 by drawing through melted wax. This wick is placed in a 

 burner made of a bit of tinned iron sheet, cut like fig. 3, 

 and the two parts a a raised into fig. 4. 



This burner is placed in a china cup, about 1.65 inches in 

 diameter, and 0.6 in. deep. Fragments of wax are pressed 

 into this cup. But great care must be taken that each time 

 the lamp is lighted, bits of wax are heaped up in contact 

 with the wick, so that the flame shall immediately obtain 

 a supply of melted wax. This is the great secret on which 

 the burning of wax lamps depends. 



When the wick is consumed, the wax must be pierced 

 with a large pin down to the burner, and a fresh bit of 

 waxed cotton introduced. 



I employ a wax lamp for the blowpipe. This has, of 

 course, a much larger wick, and this wick has a detached 

 end to it, as above described. 



Extinguishing Lamps. — The best way of doing this is to 

 extinguish the ignited part of the wick by putting sound 

 wax on to it, and then blowing the flame out. This pre- 

 serves the wick entire for future lighting again. 



This mode applied to candles is much preferable to the 

 use of an extinguisher, or douters, to which there are many 

 objections. 



