9.1^ 



IGNITION BY C0MPRESSE3 AIR:. 



VL 



Question respecting the Ignition of Tinder hy compressed Air .> 

 In a Letter from a Correspondent. 



To ^%x. NICHOLSON. 



Sir, 



subTtances i^- -^ MONG the number of philosophical apparatus of mo- 

 nited by con- dern inve"htion, there are perhaps few which involve moie 

 ' interesting matter of inquiry, than a;) instrument lately con- 

 trived for setting 'fire to combustible substances by the 

 agency of compressed air. 

 in a svr'ngeof The little appaiatus, v^hich I have seen for this purpose, 

 was ill the possession of Mr. Acf^um, who showed n>e its 

 surprising e ects i j igniting cotiitoon tinder, and different 

 species of fungi. 'This singular mode of producing fire is 

 accomplished by the quick com^>ression of the small quan- 

 tity of air contained in a condensing syringe of small size. 

 It might peihaps be riiatterof considerable importance, in 

 a philosophical point of v(ew, co asceriain what change the 

 air undergoes during this operation; whether the effect 

 produced is to be ascribed to the mechanical action of the 

 air, or to a change oi capacity induced by the rapid con- 

 densation ? 



Your remarlis may tend to the elucidation of this very' 

 curious fact. 



I am. Sir, 



Yours respectfelly, 



Xinco/w'5jKn,J«/i/ 15th, 1803. T.CLIFTON. 



smull size. 



What is the 

 cause? 



BEPLY. 



Apparently This experiment, which is now of some standing, seems 



capacity. '^o depend on the diminution of capacity, produced by th^ 



• sudderi 



