92 New Fire Apparatus for Heat and Light. 



It is presumed the steam was decomposed, and carburetted 

 hydrogen and carbonic oxide, or carbonic acid, produced as 

 the steam passed, very near the hot bottom of the vessel. 



Another apparatus was constructed, consisting of two vessels, 

 one within the other, having a cover common to both ; the 

 inner one to contain tar, (as a more convenient substance than 

 rosin ;) the outer vessel to contain water, which surrounds 

 the other, and lies under its bottom ; or, in other words, a 

 vessel of tar set into a vessel of boiling water. The boiler 

 has a lining of sheet copper, or tin, to promote the ebullition. 

 The tar vessel being riveted to the cover, holes are made 

 through its sides, near to the cover, to allow the steam to pass 

 in, and act on its surface. The cover being secured on, a safety 

 valve is provided for the steam vessel, and two cocks ; one 

 over the tar, the other over the water, are fixed contiguously ; 

 the first has a tube, or is elongated to reach nearly to the bot- 

 tom of the tar, which ascends, and is driven out by the pres- 

 sure of the steam on its surface. Both cocks conduct to a 

 pipe,^ wherein is placed a large wire, or metallic rod, which 

 about fills the tube, and is perforated obliquely, or zig zag, to 

 increase the length of the passage, and to mingle the tar and 

 steam more intimately. The gases, or vapours, issue from a 

 small orifice at the end of the pipe ; and, being ignited by a 

 little fire, into which it is directed, an intense and voluminous 

 blaze is produced, and continues as long as the materials 

 remain unexhausted, A hot brick, instead of the fire, answers 

 the same purpose. 



This apparatus contained but about one quart of tar, (which 

 must always be nicely strained,) and it lasted one and a half 

 hour, and the flame was sufficient to fill a common fireplace, if 

 not allowed to escape, by its violence, up the chimney. Its force 

 will be according to the elasticity of the steam. I regret being 

 unable, since, to make more exact and varied experiments, to 

 demonstrate the economy of this fuel This point, however^ 

 and the chemical facts, will be the subject of a future commu- 

 nication. And probably a form of a stove may be devised, 

 wherein it may be used for the purposes of warmth, light, and 

 cooking ; and-another apparatus to light streets. 



