Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-07

making an experiment, and should the re-
suit be such as stated, we should suppose
that it would prove materially and extern
sively beneficial In some branches Of the
mechanic arts.
During the late violent gale, the Peram-
bulators of Portland Beach, eng. have
picked up valuable bars of silver and gold,
and other things which have been thrown
up from the various wrecks onthat danger
Gus shore.
| SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.
The spontaneous combustion of certain
bodies is not only a subject of interest IN
a scientific point Of view, but IS one of
some concern to our merchants and the
public at large, and particularly to our
Insurance Companies. We have, there
fore, taken some pains to search out the
cases on record, and to make summary
of those that we have found-and we shall
now lay them before our readers in as
few words as possible.
FYO1r.-In December 1875, we read, an
explosion took place in bakery at Tu-
rina. 1t proceeded from the warehouse,
where in the evening a boy was stirring
some flour by the light Of a lamp. The
house was injured, and the boy scOrched
with the momentary flash which attended
the explosion. The weather was exceed
Iingly dry. and the explosion took place
on the falling Of quantity Of flour in the
boiler.
The baker when boy had witnessed a
similar inflammation in a flour warehouse,
but without the explosion. And one had
also occurred in another bakehouse.
From the relation of these instances
more at large in the Emporium Of Arts, it
appears that in the first instance theie was
an exticatidn of inhammable air, which
coming in contact with the light produced
I the explosion. In the other two the dry
dust in the warehouse was simply set on
fire by the lamp.
Lamp black and kemP-seed oil. "The
conAagration of a frigate beloging to the
Empress of Russia in the harbor of Cron-
station board of which there had been no
fire, shows that lamp black, by being
moistened with hemp-seed oil, is capable
of producing flame; this was proved by the
experiments which the Academy Of Peters
burg made upon the subject by order of
the Empress" Emp. Arts and sciences.
oiled ClotkS.-The burning of a store
I house of sails, which happened at Brest
| 1857, was caused by the spontaneous in
hammation of some oil-cloths; which,
after having been painted on one side and
4 dried in the sun, were stored away while
vet warm, as was shown by subsequent
1 experiments. ibid.
Linen rags and vegetable substances
| The heaps of linen rags thrown together
lin large quantities in paper manufactures,
the preparation of which is FASTENED by
means of fermentation, often take fire if
not carefully attended to. Fermentation
will also produce spontaneous combustion
and Inflammation IN other vegetable sub
stances as in new made hay, wet grain,
madden, malt, &c. If piece Of iron be
] left in a stack of hay in fermentation, in
hammaton Is almost a certain conse-
quence.-Ibid
.4nimaJ su5staRces.-Spontaneous in
aammaton has been known to take place
in animal substances, woollen cloth not
secured, heaps of woollen yarn, and cloth
while going to the fullers. These in-
stances occurred where the substances
heaped together retained considerable
! degree of moisture as well as oil.
Mineral Observation-Disclosures, and iron
ore containing sulphor, if wetted and ex-
posed to the air, will take fire. Pit coal
laid in heaps viii sometimes inhame spon-
taneously. This IS probably owing to the
pyrites which It occasionally contains. An
instance of this kind occurred in a coal
yard in this city near the foot Of Rector
street, during the summer Of 1922, at the
time of the prevailing yellow fever.
1t is well known that when water Is ad-
mitted to come in contact with quick-lime,
the heat produced will set fire to wood.
spontaneous inAammatiOns are frequent,
and their causes various, requiring atten-
ton and vigilance, particularly over de-
posts of hemp, cordage, lamp-black,
pitch, tar, oiled cloths, &c. which should
never be left heaPed up if they have any
moisture IN them.
Substances requiring contact OF flame
Substances in fermentation are very often
unable to inhame of themselves, but the
SiuoDle contact of Aan,e is sufficient to