6 Mlfcellanea Curiofa. 



that the Current always fets in at the Mouth, of 

 the Streight s of Gibr alter , fhall immediately be 

 fhew'd .- But firft it is neceflary to advertife the 

 Reader, that in making the Experiment herein 

 mention'd, the Water ufed had been faked to 

 the fame degree as is the common Sea- water, by 

 the Solution of about a 40th part of Salt. 



HAving thus (hew'd by Experiment the Quan- 

 tity of Water railed in Vapour from the 

 Surface of the Sea in a Days time, which was fo 

 far approv'd of by fome Honourable Members of 

 ihis Society, that I receiv'd their Commands to 

 profecute thefe Enquiries \ and particularly, in 

 relation to the Method ufed by Nature, to re- 

 turn the faid Vapours again into the Sea ; which 

 is fb juftly perform'd, that in many hundred 

 of Years we are fufhciently affured that the Sea 

 has not fenfibly decreafed by the lofs in Vapour; 

 nor yet abounded by the immenfe Quantity of 

 freih it receives continually from the Rivers. 

 To demonftrate this Equilibre of Receipt and 

 Expence in the whole Sea, is a Task too hard 

 for me to undertake, yet in obedience to thofe 

 whom I have the Honour to ferve, I fhall here 

 offer, what to me has hitherto feem'd the mod 

 fatisfaclory Account of this grand Phenomenon i 

 I have in another place attempted to explain 

 the manner of the rifing of Vapour by Warmth, 

 by {hewing, that if an Atom of Water were 

 expanded into a Shell or Bubble, fo as to be 

 {en times as big in Diameter as when it was Wa- 

 ter ; fucli an Atom would become fpecificaJly 

 lighter than Air, and rife fo long as that Flatus or 

 warm Spirit that firft feparated^it from the Mafs 

 of Water, (hall continue to diftend it to the fame 



Degree j 



