stench. 



J 54, KAPT POR PRESERVlNe dHIPWRCCKCB PERSONS. 



and likewise etted hidrogeh dissolves the metal, and of course would 



from being dLs- it wherever the gas was transmitted. 



solved by tlie . •' » 



sulphuretted It will be understood, that the sulphur and phosphoru« 



hidrogen. ^^^ furnished probably by the «1ecomposition of sulphuric 

 and phosphoric acids, alwaj'S present itf all kinds of animal 



Sources of the matter. ' The hidrogen gas is furnished chiefly by the de- 

 gasses, j.Qjj^pQgjtjQ(j of ^l^g ^ater. The carbonic acid is compounded 

 by the union of the charcoal of the animal and vegetable 

 matter with the oxigen (principally) of the water. 



and of the The stink is now imputed to the mixture of sulphuretted 



and phosphuretted gasses with putrifying matter. If the 

 leathern bags of quicksilver had been kept dry, they would 

 not have putrefied, but probably would have retained the 

 metal, and the above effects would not have happened. 



VII. 



Scheme for preserving the Lives of Persons Shipwrecked, 

 jBy G. Cumberland, Esq, 



SIR, 



Hints for pre- JcLnCOUIIAGED by your ready insertion of such pa- 

 shipwrecked! P'^''^ ^5 I have addressed to you at my leisure moments, that 

 I thought may be of use to society; T take the liberty to 

 propose the publication of some crude reflections on a sub- 

 ject of very great national importance: arid although once 

 presented to the Admiralty * without producing even an ac- 

 knowledgment, I feel, that you vpill not think such an idea 

 fit to be totally rejected; as, if not irtimediately put into 

 |>Tactice, it may, by being riecorded, be the means of ulti- 

 mately producing, from better heads, some improved pro- 

 visions, that shall render naval services less dangerous to 

 those, who are the support, the defence, and the bulwark 

 of the nation. 



* My letter was addressed to Lord Melville, then first Lord of the 

 Admiralty. 



The 



