Morey on Heat and Light. 121 
{fa given quantity of strongly compressed boiling water 
be suddenly discharged into about an equal quantity of oil 
or rosin, at or near the boiling point, they explode to every 
appearance as quickly and violently as gun powder, and 
would without doubt, be as fatal. In this case, an immense 
guantity of highly inflammable gas or vapor is formed in 
an instant, and apparently without any aid from caloriec.— 
[Except what is contained in the materials ?—£d.] 
When sulphuric acid is mixed with water, it is well 
known that much heat is given out. If after standing until 
the mixture becomes cold, iron filings are then added, much 
hydrogen gas will continue to be formed for a long time, and 
much sensible heat will be again given out. We must here 
look, certainly to some other cause, besides the caloric 
given out by the oxygen, in passing from a liquid to a sol- 
id state. If a small quantity of spirits of turpentine be add- 
ed, it burns with a very pleasant white flame, and without 
smoke. Here again it is very evident the greater part of the 
bulk of the flame is furnished from the water, which im this 
case, is again directly reprepared for combustion, without 
the least. expence of caloric. 
At present sir, I will not trouble you with an account of 
any more experiments in which I have thought that water 
was, and might be useful in producing light and heat; I will 
only add one or two more, in which it is not concerned. 
if to tallow or linseed oil a small quautity of salt-petre be 
added, and the temperature raised-to nearly that of the boil- 
ing point, the salt petre appears to be dissolved and held in 
solution by the oil; they will evaporate together, and the 
mixture, or the vapour, will burn, wholly excluded from the 
atmosphere. If science will. point out a mode of retaining 
the mixture when cold, I have thought perhaps it might be 
more extensively useful than the safety lamp. 
If the vapor of spirits of turpentine be made to pass 
through a tube, covered at the upper end with fine wire 
gauze, it burns with much smoke; if a quantity of atmos- 
pherie air be allowed to mix with it, the smoke ceases, but 
the fame continues white. If more still be added, the flame 
lessens and becomes partly blue. By adding still more and 
more, it will burn with a very small flame, entirely blue, 
and with a singular musical sound. If still more be added, 
the flame and every ray of light ceases, but that the gom- 
Vou. H.....No. 1. 16 
