160 Observations on Combustion. 



through life if I did not succeed short of it, which made me perse- 

 vere for so great a length of time. This resolution was perhaps im- 

 prudent; it certainly would have been so had I not supposed I had the 

 means within my own reach. I have no doubt that I have tried 

 lamps, stoves, and machines in more than four thousand different 

 ' forms for effecting these purposes, and yet not many months have 

 elapsed since I have felt entirely satisfied. 



The experiments which I have made, have proved practically, that 

 an engine with a power equal to driving a boat four miles per hour, 

 and a rail road car twice that distance in the same time, with ten or 

 twelve passengers, may be made for one hundred dollars : and that 

 the engine with its preparing vessel, (a substitute for the boiler in the 

 steam engine) need not weigh one hundred pounds, — and the ex- 

 pense of working it will not exceed ten or twelve cents per hour. 

 There are certainly no difficulties to be removed; These facts have 

 been verified practically and repeatedly before hundreds of people. 



Some recent improvements in the mode of constructing lamps for 

 burning water to produce light and heat have perfected the operation 

 for these purposes. It now carries demonstration in every form. 

 For instance, when you putbut one-fourth of a gill of spirits of turpen- 

 tine into the lamp and as much water, and raise the temperature to 

 less than that of boiling water, the vapor that comes over will be in the 

 ratio of about equal parts of each ; if, in the combustion of those va- 

 pors, a due proportion of air is mixed and inflamed, it will in a few 

 minutes boil a two quart copper tea kettle. If small brass wire is 

 brought over and in contact with the flame, it instantly drops in pieces 

 — ^^small copper wire is readily melted — fine iron wire, if the propor- 

 tions be right, is instantly inflamed — and thin sheet copper with a small 

 piece of silver or silver solder on it with borax, being exposed to the 

 flame, the silver melts in a few seconds, and the copper very soon : 

 and this is done while the vapor is not concentrated in any way, and 

 issues only with a velocity about the same as that of gas in gas lights. 



This discovery gives every promise of supplying a much cheaper 

 fuel, (as a fuel,) exclusive of a clear saving of light, than any one 

 now in use. It is my intention to introduce my lamps, &c. into use 

 as soon as I conveniently can ; this must be postponed until I can 

 again leave home, which I trust will be early in the ensuing autumn. 



Oxford, April 14, 1833. 



Remark. — We have seen some of Mr. Morey's experiments, and can 

 testify to the correctness of his statements, as regards the great amount 



