t 96 ] 



portions of brine between the plates may be eafily diftin- 

 guifhed. If this brine therefore is removed, the laminae of ice 

 when diflblved become fweet to the iafte, but, if thawed to- 

 gether with the brine intercepted between the laminae, the tafte 

 is fait, nor can the ice be considerably divefted of the brine, by 

 merely leaving it to drain. 



Having fatisfled myfelf thus far from the freezing fea-water 

 by the natural cold, and under the common circumftances of 

 expoiing it to the air in fmall china cups, I applied to Dr. 

 Higgins to profecute thefe trials with his more ample apparatus* 

 and knowledge of chemiftry ; who was immediately fo good as 

 to fuggeft and try the following experiments, which will throw 

 further light upon this fubjecl: s . 



"JANUARY 2d% 1776. A gallon, Winchefter meafure, 

 of fea-water, which I had frem imported from Mr. Owen in 

 Fleet-ftreet, was placed in a mallow dim of Welfh ware, glazed 

 yellow ; the depth of the water was three inches and a half in 

 this mallow dim, which I marked A. and placed on a brick wall 

 eight feet high above the ground behind my houfe. This 

 wall on the Eaftern fide faces the gardens belonging to five or 

 fix houfes in the fame ftreet with mine ; and on the Weftern fide 

 of it is the area between my houfe and the elaboratory; and 

 Weftward of my area is the garden of MefT. Wedgwood and 

 Bentley, which I believe is forty feet wide, bounded on the Weft 

 by high buildings." 



5 It would be great injuftice to Mr. LomonofofF, a Sweedifh chemift, 

 not to mention that he feems to "have tried experiments fimilar to thofe 

 which I have made myfelf, and found the refult to be as I have ftated 

 it. Collection Academique, Tom. XI. p. 5. & feq. 410. Paris, 1772. 

 See alfo the Probability of reaching the North Pole difcuffed, p. 37. 

 Note y. 



1 Mr. Nairne began his experiments at the latter end of this month. 



" At 



