144 Morey on the Patent Water-Burner. 



the ball of coal. Can that add any thing to its temperature, 

 as its own is raised solely by the water ? This experiment, 

 1 have thought, as well as very many others, looks much as 

 if there was some action between the water and oil, as well 

 as coal, independent in some measure of caloric. In the 

 practical use of the pitch pine for light, and light and heat,, 

 nothing more is necessary than to distil it by a gentle heat, 

 suffering the vapor to escape pretty freely through parallel 

 flattened tubes, surrounded by a quick current of hot air j 

 the light wiilbeas clear and white as Argand'slamp with oil. 

 If inflamed tar in a shallow pan is raised to a high tempera- 

 ture, and a very fine spray of water is thrown over it, for ev- 

 ery particle of water that falls into the tar, there will shoot 

 up a vivid white needle-like flame. The spray may be so 

 fine as to fall quietly into the tar; it then burns with innu- 

 merable white shooting flames, about one eighth of an inch 

 long, giving the surface of the tar a most beautiful appear- 

 ance. 



If we take a conical formed lump of moistened clay, and 

 immerge it in burning tar, nearly of the boiling point, and 

 suffer it to remain a few seconds, then raise it about three 

 fourths of an inch above the tar, beautiful white needle-likn 

 flames will continue for some time to issue from the clay, 

 and from the tar directly under it, giving sometimes such an 

 intense white light that the eye can scarcely bear it. The 

 flame too, appears to be pushed out in every direction, to 

 the exclusion of the atmospheric air. 



-4; As good and steady a fire, for light and heat, as pleasant 

 perhaps as any other, and cheaper and easier made, it is 

 thought, can be furnished from tar, by putting a quantity in- 

 to a metal vessel, three or four inches deep, and setting that 

 vessel in a„ pan of water. Drop on to the tar three or four 

 drops of spirits turpentine, apply a flame and your fire is 

 made, and will continue to burn with little (or not any) 

 smoke, if a strong draft, until the whole is consumed, leav- 

 ing very little residuum, and that apparently a good japan. 

 The water appears to preserve the tar at a low temperature, 

 prevents a possibility of its boiling over, causes the evapo- 

 ration to be much slower, thereby allowing the atmospheric 

 air to mix more freely with that of the tar, as well as the va- 

 por of the water, which certainly contributes much to the 

 consuming of the smoke. Sometimes the current of air 



