THE 
EMPORIUM 
OF 
ARTS AND SCIENCES* 
Vol. 1.] September, 1812. [No. 5. 
No. 4®. 
ON SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, 
(Continued from page 253.) 
On the Spontaneous Ignition of Charcoal : by B. G. 
Sage, Member of the Institute , Founder and Direc- 
tor of the first School of Mines.* 
MR. de Caussigni appears to have been the first 
who observed^ that charcoal was capable of being set on 
fire by the pressure of mill-stones. 
Mr. Robin; commissary of the powder mills of Es» 
sonne, has given an account in the Annales de Chimie, 
No. 35; p. 93; of the spontaneous inflammation of char- 
eoal from the black berry bearing alder; that took place 
the S3d of May; 1801; in the box of the bolter; into 
which it had been sifted. This charcoal; made two days 
before; had been ground in the mill without showing any 
signs of ignition. The coarse powder, that remained in 
the bolter; experienced no alteration. The light undu- 
lating flame, unextinguishable by water, that appeared 
* Nicholson, vol, 23. p, 2 77. From Journal de Physique-* vol, 65. p, 42". 
VoL, I. 8 S 
