The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-23 00:00:00

merged a decanter of water into it, and thus extempora-

neously obtained as much hot water as we required. It
may be observed, that the acid thus used might he saved
by evaporating the water in a leaden or glass vessel t
but such a piece of economy it would not be worth the
labour to practise on occasions of this kind. There are
few experiments more astonishing to the uninitiated in
science than those which exhibit the immense quantity of
caloric which is is required to give fluidity to water. To
see a pound of water at 172 degrees, or, which is the
the same thing, about three fourths of a pound at boiling
heat, on mixture with a pound of snow or powdered ice,
lose all its heat, and a fluid appear as cold as the ice
itself, is a phenomenon of which be can frame no ex-
planation. And let it be remembered that the converse
of this is equally true, viz., when one pound and three-
quarters of ice-cold water freezes, or is converted into
ice, as much heat is evolved as would make three-quar-
ters of a pound of water boiling hot. Some persons
have affirmed, that if all the water of the ocean could be
simultaneously frozen, as much heat would be given out
as would vitrify the globe ; but we have made a calcula-
tion to verify or confute this position, taking the data of
La Place for the average depth of the ocean, and we find
the heat evolved is much too inconsiderable to endanger
the fixidity of the globe.
" When water is converted into ice," Mr. H. observes,
"it expands 1-10th of its bulk." It is a remarkable,
because an anomalous, fact, that pure water acquires its
maximum density at about 39 degrees, so as to suffer an
equal expansion for several degrees either above or below
that temperature. Water, containing about 1-27th of its
weight of salt, and, therefore, having the specific gravity
of sea water, has its point of maximum gravity below
freezing point.
Upon the expansion of water during congelation de,
pends, probably, the very existence of the globe—cer-
tainly so, as the habitation of man ; for if the ice formed
were specifically heavier than the water in which it is
formed, it:would sink to the bottom, and so be removed
from tho influence of the sun's rays on returning spring.
Another winter would add to the icy deposition, till the
waters of the ocean would all be bound in " thick-ribbed
ice," instead of which, being specifically lighter than
water, it floats upon the surface, and the first warm
breeze or genial ray resolves it into its liquid form
again. " Marvellous are thy works, oh Lord !"—" In
wisdom has thou made them all"—" A brutish man (loth
not understand this, and a fool cloth not consider it."
The language of David is the genuine language of a
philosopher, when he exclaimed, " Great are the works
of the Lord, sought out of all them that have pleasure
therein." Another proof of beneficence is manifested in
this expansion of water. Not only the rock is disin-
tegrated, but the " stubborn glebe" is pulverised for the
for the business of husbandry beyond the power of man
to imitate, whilst labour beyond calculation is spared.
The buoyancy of the Dead Sea, and other waters im-
pregnated with salts, was very ingeniously illustrated by
Mr. H. So great is that of the Dead Sea, that an ordi-
nary man would require between thirty and forty pounds
weight of lead to be added to him to make him sink.
We now come to Mr. H.'s lecture on Metallurgy, in
which if we find less matter for comment, it is because
there is more of historical detail in it; not less of inte-
rest. We think, however, that lithe performs other of.
flees besides that of defending the melted metal from the
oxygen of the air. Indeed, there cannot possibly be any
oxygen present where the melted iron is, because it is
surrounded by carbon.; besides, we always see the lime
run from the cupola combined with silex and oxide of
iron. Lime itself would be infusible. It is net impro-
bable that ,he first action which takes place in the cupola
is a combination between the oxide of iron and the lime,
which afterwards, as it descends into a hotter part of the
cupola, is decomposed by the ignited carbon.
We think that Stahl has given Moses credit for being
a better chemist than his narration requires. There is
something so circumstantially particular, and every par-
ticular, except the fusion of the gold, so mechanical, that
we think the explanation afforded by tne German philo-
sopher altogether conjectural—very far from demonstra-
tion. We confess ourselves a little sceptical concerning
the solution of gold in hydrUretted sulphuret of pot-
ash or soda. We know that every salt of gold is preci-
pitable by the hydro-sulphurets. If we might be in-
dulged in a little speculation, where we have no better
might be rendered so fine, by pouring it into water, as to
admit of its being " strawed." 'We have many times
reduced lead almost to powder by such a process.
Lead does not require "twenty-four hours," indeed
scarcely a minute, to become covered with a " film of
oxide ;" and the period for converting a furnace of lead
into "red lead" takes more than the revolution of a day.
We say once more to our operative friends, continue to
"lend your ears" to Mr. H., and exercise your judg-
ments upon all you hear.