402 Dana on Flame. 



this flame, its brightness is much increased ; and when the 

 experiment is carefully performed, the smoke entirely dis- 

 appears. 



When the vapour of spirits of turpentine is made to issu* 

 from a small orifice, and inflamed, it burns, and throws off 

 large quantities of smoke ; but when a jet of steam is made to 

 unite with the vapour, the smoke entirely disappears. When 

 vapour of spirits of turpentine and of water are made to issue 

 together from the same orifice, and inflamed, no smoke ap- 

 pears. Hence its disappearing, in the above experiment, 

 cannot be supposed to depend on a current of atmospheric air. 



When a jet of steam is thrown into the flame of a spirit of 

 wine lamp, or into flames which evolve no smoke or carbona- 

 ceous matter, the same efiect is produced as by a current of 

 air. 



It appears, from these experiments, that in all flames which 

 evolve smoke, steam produces an increased brightness, and a 

 more perfect combustion. 



Now, with a very simple apparatus, steam might be in- 

 troduced into the flames of street lamps, and that kind of lamp 

 which is used in butchers' shops in London, and in all flames 

 which evolve much smoke. The advantage of such an ar- 

 rangement would be a more perfect combustion, and a greater 

 quantity of light from the same materials. The flame of the 

 lamps, to which steam is applied, might be made to keep the 

 water boiling which supplies the steam. 



I hope the above may not be altogether uninteresting and 

 useless to the readers of your Journal. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



J. F. DANA. 



