Morey on the Patent Water-Bwi'uer. l43 



use, the common tin plate answers well for making nearly 

 the whole of the lamps. A conical form is the most con- 

 venient. When used, it may be placed on a stove over a 

 cylinder of charcoal, or in any situation where the heat will 

 be sufficient to keep up a gentle distillation. The vapor 

 then may issue above. If intended to support its own evap- 

 oration, the vapor will issue from a tube, projecting from one 

 to two inches below the bottom, and about one back of the 

 front side, opening forward, so that if it inclines to boil too 

 fast, the flame will be pushed out so as to lose its healing ef- 

 fect in some measure, on the bottom, by which means it 

 will perfectly regulate itself. To insure a regular issue of 

 the vapor, we pass it one or more inches through a tube, one 

 fiftieth or one sixtieth of an inch bore, and which we also 

 fill with very fine wire, if a light is wanted not greater than 

 three or four candles. These tubes, when thus filled, ap- 

 pear to answer every purpose of the gasometer for gas lights, 

 as respects the regular issue of the vapor. The tempera- 

 ture of the vapor must be preserved until it issues and is in- 

 flamed. A half gill of common proof rum or whiskey, and 

 about one eighth of a gill of oil of turpentine, will burn, sup- 

 porting its own evaporation, four or five hours, giving the light 

 of a good candle. If we divide one of these lamps near the 

 middle, leaving a small hole at top in the partition, and in- 

 sert the tube to let out the vapor in the front part, and put 

 into the back part oil of turpentine, and into the front part, 

 equal parts of alcohol and water, and apply heat until the 

 water boils, the flame will be entirely blue and scarcely 

 visible ; but if we add water to the oil of turpentine in the' 

 back part, the flame will then be a very white pleasant one^ 

 that can scarcely be made to smoke. This shows, at leasts 

 I should think, that the water was convenient and useful. 

 If the temperature of water in a tumbler is raised to a little 

 above 200°, having a small ball of charcoal suspended in 

 it, there is no appearance of boiling ; but if a small quantity 

 of spirits turpentine is added to the water, the ball of coal 

 will in a few seconds commence, and continue sending up a 

 column of steam, nearly of its own bulk, while the bottom 

 of the vessel where the heat is applied, and balls of wood 

 and of metal suspended on each side of the ball of coal, fur- 

 nish none. Why is itso.^ The water's temperature is not 

 high enough to form steam until it comes in contact with 



