Star.
London, England, 1820-04-14 00:00:00

oil when heated by fliriosta degrees; he inblie as eeperfatent et
train-oil, to ascertain the temperature at which it would burn
on the surface; it was esnalmstible at 400 if maned, and at
490 if dot conflated; the vapour itt the surface of the a is cent-
buitible at Osat•tensperature ; he tried experimems on oil for-
metiy,sistpeeed to the action of fire ; Galan boils at about 600;
hit, if previtrealy distilled and condensed again, becomes midi
more inilammable than new; all the substances of which oil is
=solexcept water, are more *flammable than the Oil
e of the products of oil, when purified, is the same in
all its properties as native naphtha; it may be produced from
oil which has been frequently heated before, at a temperature
of 400 or 410. The experiments were made on the same Oil
Wilkinson had been using. On raising the beat from WO to
410, it gave out vapour considerably inflammable. There were
two yelpers produced. There was a great deal pf aqueous
vapour, and that arising from the naphtha. He could have no
doubt that the process of heating oil became more dangerous
as it continued to be heated. The vapour from distilled oil,
and that produced by naphtha, are both heavier than the stows-
Sphere. If the steam-ben had been filled with vapour and air, and
that light was applied, ft must Warne. When the temperature
, reached 460, the oil was thrown out in jerks, arising from the
formation of vapour in the dl Witness could; not say, after
his experiments, that the process with oil was a safe one. He
made some experiments on sugar, and could get no inflammable
vapour below 420. Mixed with water he got it at 440. If
the heat was continued on sugar, he should expect the same
effects as front oil. fidnits the process dangerous front the oil,
itself being rendered more combustible by heat. The produc-
tion of the naphtha took away all doubt as to its danger. Train
oil, such as he used, requires only hill' the quantity of beat to
raise it to the same temperature as water. He made no expe-
riments to ascertain whether the accessions of heat were more
difficult when the nil was at a higher degree of temperature
than at a lower. The bulk of his experiment" were made on
the oil furnished by Mr. Wilkinson.
The printipal point proved by this witness was, that the pro-
cess used by the plaintiffs was attended with danger.
Richard Phillips, Professor of Chymistry at the London In-
sdtution, bad made experiments with oils heated and otherwise;
about two months since the result was, that recent whale oil
emitted an inflammable vapour at abor: 400 ; heated half a pint
in a retort, for thirty bolus, at SO; after that, the oil thick-
ened and became dark in colour • he increased. it suddenly to
500, which produced a distilled oils although apparently fluid,
if placed in a cold atmosphere it would become solid; vapour
of oil before heated, becomes combustible at aim; had no doubt
it was vapour and not gas; the vapour was heavier than atmo-
spheric Air ; the account of Mr. Ferriday as to the result of the
public experiment was corral; thought the machine before hint
was of a dangerous nature.

Cross-examined by the SotterroaeGanniu.e.—Water was also
produced by the union of the Hydrogen and Oxygen gas: There
was only one public experiment; when at 460 degreei it pro-
duced an aqueous fluid ; had never heard of accitlent from the
boiling of sugar • could not obtain inflammable vapour from it
at 440; nil produced it at 400; therefore the use of oil was
much more dangerous than the usual process ; as accident might
happen by the oil boiling over; and running down to the fire-
place, it would take fire ; could not produce inflammable vapour
from raw or refined sugar at 440 degrees.
Dr. &stock was a Physician, had studied chymistry tinny
years ; had made experiments on oil some years back ; was pre-
sent at the public experiment at Mr. Taylor's, on Thursday last,
at noon ; the first object was, to ascertain the change made by
exposing oil to a moderate temperature; the second, to observe
at what time inflammable 'menu could be obtained from oil
that had undergone that change; oil that had been kept at 360
d grees el days, produced volatile oil at 440 degrees, it was a
highly dangerous inflammable fluid ,• on the second experiment,
the oil became thick, and of a dark colour; this oil produced
hiflanunable vapor's in a slight degree at 4C03 and when the ther-
mometer was a few degrees higher, it increased considerably ;
at 460 the oil spouted to the ceiling, and it was with difficulty
the :nermonieter could be seen; but as soon as it could be no-
ticed :t was 450 degrees. The change made in oil by being kept
for a time at 360 degrees, is an important chymical discovery,
end, he believed, was unknown to the chymical world previous
to that experiment. lle thought the account given by the two
first witnesses of what they observed, was very similar to what
be should have expected. •
John George Children confirmed the evidence ofjir. Ferriday
sod Dr. &stock. lie cohsidered the process of using Oil for
boiling sugar exceedingly dangerous; more so than the usual
rocks.
John Taylors a partner with Mt. Martineau, had a share in
several Patents ; had not at present any interest in a Patent used
in sugar-boiling; bad had a great deal of practice in oils; did
not think the use of heated call safe; himself and brother had
abandoned it. because they considered it a dangerous agent ; oil
distilled from tar Is volatile; had observed that 500 degrees
were requisite to buil it; hie vapour it emits is heavier than air
and very inflammable ; had known accidents happen by the va-
pour raking ire; there was no explosion like gas, but it corrus-
coed like lightning; thought shriller effects would be produced
by tr..in oil; during the time of the e t alluded to by the
other witnesses, be occasionally atten . and observed that at
410 degrees the vapour was inflammable ; witness was ac-
quainted with the process of boiling sugar; did not think that
w:s particularly dangerous, but that th& application of oil Was'
very much so; the heat used for that perpase does not exceed
240 or 260 degrees. Front the model of the building, he thought
it probable that the current of air wou'el soinetimeghscend. and
at others descend, up and down the flues.
I%lr. Martineau never saw or hard of any accident from the
operation of boiling sure.. The danger in sugar houses arose,
from the heating the stoves and the Mauve. The sugar would be;
materially injured if a stronger heat than 260 degrees were ap-
plied; thought the application of a vessel of boiled at very daneJ
serous, and a great increase of risk.
Daniel was a sugar refiner; said sugar we; first cleared,
a proportion of water being mix d with raw sugar, 550 degrees
was toe utmost heat that could be.applied without injury to the
isugar ; the introduction of heated oil was math more dangerous
than the common process; the steam does not always escape,
but the house is ofteu full of steam. occasioned by the density
of the atmosphere.
Gardener, a practical chymista attended at the experi-
ment at Mr. Taylors; he ciocurred in the statements given by.
Dr. Rostock and Mr. Ferriday.
Dr. Aiken had made experiments on oil about four of fire
years ago; his aatention was directed to the composition of
whale oil ; observed that whale oil CoMained a portion of gelati-
nous muter; fond whedboiled rapidly it burned to the bottern
of the pail • the od became turbid and black, Occasioned by the
jelly in the oils if the jelly be exposed to a given temperature it
will blacken and• produce inflammable oil; that 41 seas first
liscivered by a German chymist of the name of Dip Pie ; when
viscid. fluid like whale oil is exposed to naked fire, the passage
of the heat *Cold be retarded. in proportion to the viscidity,
it cattalos, so that the thermometer put in at the top would be
a very uncertain criterion by which to judge of the heat of the
stratum at the bottom of the pin; boiling oil, in the opinion of
witness, was exceedingly dangerous, because it was uncontroul-
able and unmanageable; by the oil being frequently boiled it
becomes more volatile.

_________
-z•—• Willoughby re-exatnined.—When be tit saw the lamas
be did not smell anything, not did he observe that the lame was
dfferetit from common fires.

The evidence on the part of the defendants being closed, the
Court adjourned at six o'clock.
THIRD DAY.

The Court was not less crowded this morning than
yesterday.
,For some time before the Lord Chief-
Justice took his seat, almost every place within the
bar was occupied. His Lordship arrived at ten
o'clock, and the Solicitor-General was about to re-
ply, when
Mr. Serjeant BLossur begged that his Lordship
would allow some of the Chymists who had been'
examined to be recalled, in order that they might
be asked, whether, if a fire broke out under such cir-
cumstances as had been described, it would have a
particular smell?
The Counsel for ;he plaintiffs were about to object
to any rimgcaiiiiitlttiOlt after the case was closed, when
The Jury intimated a wish to have some of the
witnesses mailed, hi:_order to put certain questions
to them." the same subject.
Mr. iterrliikr was then MA O& sod exiewieel by the Fere-
enen et the.3ret7. Ia hie briber Itelibseet he had When elan
iseeermable Wirsisr, set of 'a .I sa, as whin halt the
Mire. 'That vapour woad ism bulked awe wino ¶uletly in

cordon to she symifitity of staimilteric k Wail with it. It
required a proportion of a fourteenth of gas to be explosive:--
his was the vapor or ga at the tonmesatture of 410. The im-
plosion produced by it would not resemble the explosion of glow
powder. The explosion of gunpowder was violent in propos*. ,
doss to the volume of gas produced by the volume of gunpowder,
combined with the rapidity of the inflammation. The explosion et
gases might be generally considered in the same Bray--that was;
'the proportion of the heated gas to the cold gas before it was
&ed. The explosion would of coarse cause a rapid expansion.
When heated to a white heat, it occupied three or four times
mere space than before, and it wouli expand to. that extent in
every direction. All the vapour exploded would have Its smell
destroyed. The smell belonged to the vapour, and not to its
result or product. The product of the exploded vapour would
have other properties, would form new aubstances, and enter
into new combinations with the air into which it exploded.—
From the rough experiments he had made,-he thought that in-
flammable gas would have the same effect as the oil. The smell,
after the explosion, would depend on the quantity of uncon-
eumed vapour wlich might get about. If the proportion of
vapour were small, the flame would be blue; if there was a
great quantity ,of vapour, and more confined, it would burn
brighter. The collusion gas light was an instance of continuous
explosion with the greatest portion of vapour.
Mr. Parkes was next recalled. and asked, by the same Juror,
whether be differed from Mr. Ferriday, and in what ? He said
he did not coneurin' all that Mr. Ferriday hal stated. He did
/not recollect to have witnessed such explosions as those alluded
to. 'There might be a smell after an explosion. The smell
canoed by a thunder-storm he considered to proceed from *
Seizure of nitrous gas. There generally was a smell in explo-
sire mixtures. He thought the smell would be occasioned by
part of the gas or vapour being driven about uncconsumed,erlikh
would retain its original smell. lie did not believe that any in-
flammaiiie vapour would arise from fixed oil at the temperature
mentioned. He thought it impossible that any inflammable
gases could have remained hi the flues at such a heat as was
kept up. They must have gone into the air as soon as generated.
If an accumulation of inflammable gas had taken place in the
hues, or in the premises below. where the light was, would it
have exploded like gunpowder, or in what degree?—l do not
know what experiments others may have made, but 1 think it
impossible that an explosion, as such, could have taken place
without a great Dols; which must have been heard in the neigh-
bourhood all round.

Mr. Brand was recalled, and was about to be examined ky
the same Juror, when
Mr. Serjeant &oastr observed, that as the present mode of
re-examination was quite a new one, he hoped his Lordship
would stay it, une.l he sent for Mr. carlett. who was in the
other Court.

oar. oerjeant VAVODAN said, the questions Were not put by
the plaintiffs. The witnesses wag now in the hands of the
Court and the Jury.
The Foe MN A or rite Juice observed, that the object of him-
self and his brother Jurors was to get at all the facts of the case.
Mr. }kande was then asked, whether he differed, and in
what. from Mr. Parkes ;• but it appeared from his ansWers, that
he concurred in Mr. Parkes opinion. 1
Mr. Phillips was neat recalled.—ln case of an explosion of
vapour from ail in a high state of temperature, he thought there
would be a smell. Ile would, by way of illubtration, say, that
the common gas, where it escaped without burning, produced
a strong smell, but where it burned there was little or none. If
there was any accumulation of vapour, it wu'uld emit a strung
smell before It exploded. In explosion it would mate-a noise,
but that would depend on the quantity of atmospheric air; there
might be no smell after explosion, but he thought there would
be a strong one before it.
henry May recalled, and examined by the Poirmax.—lie
had been engine-keeper for twenty-four years.
Mr. Sc.smarr, who had entered the Court a few minutes be-
fore, here interposed. Ile begged to submit to his Lordship,
that though the Jury, in this mode of examination, thiLk
they acted for the advantage of the cause, yet it might not hive
that effect. They (night. perhaps, take a view of It, and put it
in a shape which the Counsel could not have any opportunity of
explaining.
The LORD Cam Jutricx said, he had allowed the Counsel
for the defendants to pet a question in re-examination, and he
could not restrain the Jury in asking any questions for their own
information.
The Jury again declared their sole object to be to get suffi-
cient Information to direct their judgment.
Mr. Scess.rrr replied, that be had no doubt their object was
perfectly fair; but he had made the observation in the dis-1
charge of his dtity. 14 *sold confidently leave the ease in
itheir hands. -

The re-exanilhation of May was then proceeded in.—lt Was
the watchman who lit the lire, on the morning when the tine
Was burnt.' That man wis not here. Witneu was usually:in
the engini.house. It was Shout half-put-three when the alarm
of Arc was given. He had started his own engine before he
heard the alarm given. It might. be three-juarters past three
when he beard the alarm given. When be heard it, he went fo
pull up the iron door. The Are, when he entered, was on his
left. There was not any strong smell, nor anything in the ap-
pearance of the Are different froth others he had seen; be hunt
no explosion before die ire, nor after.
Mr. Lockey was next recalled, but nothing material was eli-
cited from his re-examination.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL now rose to reply, and
in a speech of great length and considerable ability,
attempted to invalidate the reply of the defendants'
Counsel. He principally alluded to the main topic%
of defence urged by the defendants' Counsel. rhe
great object of the Counsel for the defendants seemed
'to be, to prove that the trade had been carried on
upon principles contrary to the express terms of the
policy of insurance. This he combated with pecu-
liar felicity, quoting the opinion of several of the
witnesses, who were practical men, who had stated
that the risk bad been perfectly covered by the terms
of the insurance. The present practice, he observed,
was merely an improvement on the former ; but the
proems of refining sugar, he it what it might, was in-
tended to be covered by the insurers. He next en-
deavoured to prove,-that the specification of the ar-
ticles used in the refining, together with that of the
buildings adapted to the purposes of refining sugar,
bad not been deviated from ; and having gone through
the several counts of the indictment, he submitted,
with no ordinary degree of confidence, the case of
'his clients to the consideration ofa Jury so perfectly
11 informed on the subject as those who now filled the
Juror's box.—The Jurors retired for the purpose of
refreshment r on their return

The LORD CRIMP Jusrica immediately proceeded
to address the Jury ; and after stating to them the
-various pleas which had been put upon the record,
recapitulated the whole of the evidence which had
been adduced from the commencement of the trial
la task that occupied more than three hours). The,
Learned Judge then delivered his charge with that
caution and impartiality which reflects so much ho-
nour on the judicial character. He detailed the se-
veral counts of the declaratiOn and the several pleas
thereto. He then dissected the evidence, :hewing
how far it was applicable, to each count of the de-
claration. He remarked, with that discrimination
which always characterizes him, that the event upon
which this action was founded formed a new era in

the history of Chymistry. On this important sub-
ject they had heard the evidence, he would not say
of the most intelligent, but of as intelligent men in
chymical and scientific pursuits as were to be found
in this country, or in Europe! but they had, never-
theless, left the Court in a Kate of uncertainty. The
Jury, therefore, would decide upon their own con-
scientious conviction, whether the risk had been
fairly contemplated by the insurers ; if it had, they
would do their duty in returning a verdict for the
plaintiffs ; if it should, howeTer, seem the present
system was a trukterial departure from the ordinary
?ractice, and was attended with a risk not coateill-