9 8 
Sir Benjamin Thompson’s Experiments 
Experiment N° io. 
The globe N° 5. with ravelings of linen, was very tardy in 
furniffiing air, and produced but a fmall quantity ; at the end 
of a fortnight, however, I collected about 2 cubic inches, which, 
proved with nitrous air, gave 1^ + 38=1,51, or 249. 
The air appeared to have very little difpofition to fix itfelf to 
the furface of this fubflance. It was very feldom that there 
were air-bubbles enough attracted to it to caufe it to rife to the 
furface of the water, and the few bubbles which occaflonally 
made their appearance very foon difappeared upon the diminu- 
tion of the light and heat of the fun. In fhort, it appeared, 
that there is but a very feeble attradion between this fubflance 
and the particles of air, at leaf! when they are diflolved in 
water. Whether this arifes from the fuperior affinity of the 
fubflance to water, or not, I will not pretend to decide ; but it 
appears to be probable, as there is fo ftrong an attraction be- 
tween w r ater and linen, or flax, which is apparent from the 
avidity with which a piece of dry linen drinks up that fluid, 
and becomes wet, even to a conflderable diftance, when one 
end of it only is placed in it. 
You will recoiled that I here confider the feparation of the 
air from water as a Ample operation ; and that I do not take 
into the account the purification, or rather the generation, of 
this air. Though there is great reafon to conclude, that thefe 
two operations are very nearly conneded ; yet, to Amplify my 
inquiries, I fhall, in the Aril place, confider the appearances as 
they prefented themfelves to my fenfes. It will be eafy after- 
wards to draw any concluAons from the refults of the experi- 
ments, which a careful examination and comparifon of the 
various phsenomena will juflify. 
Expe - 
