Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-08
PATENT LAMPS g. CHEMICAL OIL.
lFor the Herald Of the Times.
Mn. ATKINSON,

Mn. ATKINSON,
The letter Of the Professor of Chemistry
in Harvard University, to the President Of tho
Boston Fire Insurance Company, in answer
to one from him asking for such Information
as il might be IN his power 10 communicate
respecting the chemical nature, safety, &C..
of The substances that have been proposed.
or are uscdtas substitutes for whale oil I'M
lamps, requires a passing notice, becausc,-
thorc is no doubt on my mind that the inquiry
originated and was instituted through the in
hnensc of persons interested in the .whals
fishery, md. the manufacturers and vendcrs of
whale oil, with n view Of lesscDing the com
petition Of an article far superior TO tho best
Sperm Oil for lighting apartments, much
cheaper, more clcanly and convenient, and nt
the same time less dangerous in manufacto-
ries and workshops, where conbustible ma
icrials are used, than lamps in which whalo
oil is used, or candles Of any description
whatever; because thc ,oick, Of lamps where
oil is burned, and the wicks Of candles bo-
come igniled, and sparks are liable to fall, or
be thrown OF from them and set fire to com
bustible materials in tho vicinity Of them,
while the wicks of Camphenc OH lamps do
no, ignite, md consequently no spark caa
possibly fall from or be thrown ofr from them.
| 1t is adn,i.ted that the article called Spirit
Gas, which was attempted to be introduccdt
few years since as substitute for whalo
oil, being composcdof six or seven parts OF
Alcohol, at from S0o to 90e above proof, To
one part Of pure Spirits Of furpenine, was
extremely inffammable and dangerous, and
tn" accidents that occurred from il soon nftcr
its introduction was attempted, threw il al
most Immediately and totally out OF use. A.
company in tins town purchased the patent
right for Spirit Gas, for tho county Of Bris.
tol, Massachusetts, for which they gave two
hundred dollars-but in consequence Of tho
danger in burning it., which was soon after
asceriancd, they never offered 10 sell
nglIt, or attempted It's introduction, but suf-
fered the loss Of the money invested, rather
than incur the censure Of introducing into.
Use so dangerous an article, should any acc.
dent or injury occur in, consequence Oft
The accidents which happened soon after
the introduction of the Spirit Gas, in New
nornncc OF several persons by whom thi, ar.
,icle was used, induced many to suppose that
The article that succeeded it under the proper
Chemical name Of Camphenc,. Camphogcn,
or Greenough's Chemical Oil, was the snma
dangerous preparations, attempted to-be IN
troduccd under another, or other namcsI
which deferred tho public generally from
giving it encouragement, or using il, until
satisfied of its perfect safety by experiments,
and seeing it used to great advantage in
lamps of many descriptions constructed for
lhc purpose. The letter from. Professor
Webster, published in your paper by request
OF "a subscriber" shows conolusivcly that hc
was under tho same erroneous impression--
and-hs answer does NOT appear 10 be found
cd on his oicn knowledge Of the Chemical
nature, safety, &c. Of the substances that
have been proposed, or ore used rs subst.
tutcs for whale oil, but from information no
had received from others in relation to tho
substances used, which information is found-
ed in falschood and on that false information
derived as il appcars, from the very persons
who wished his opinion 10 answer their own
vicws) his reasoning, and conclusions arc
consequently false. lido not mean TO charge
the false information on which the opinion
of the learned Professor was founded, upon
the President Of the Fire Insurance Office,
Boston, but upon those from whom lie was
informed, TINT the substance, now use rs a
substitute for whale OIL in lamps, contains al
coho, or a particle of the substance known
as Camphor. " the learned professor hat
not been dawn into this error, which by his
answer has led to serious consequences, by
the course taken by the Bristol County Mu-
tual Insurance Company, and which may
involving the insurers, and the insured, in
expensive and vexatious lawsuits, and pre-
vent the insurance Of property against fire,
to the grea, injury Of insurance companies,
as well as to individuals | should have let
j, pass unnotcod--but since have conelu.
dcd t notice il, and expose the error, ! must
say that the learned Professor took very
wide range, totally irrelevant to the iniorma-
ton asked for, aud perfectly grat,i,ous I
do not aiude to his information on the sub
jecl oi Chemistry, (thonsh unconncctcd with
the question prcpoundcd,) because any in.
formation on that subject is useful md in
struciips TO the public but would ask, what
connection las the construction Of hnps,
the time ond place hen and where invented,
and the improvements from time TO time made
in them, to do with The information sought,
unless he meant To show they were badly
for the pnrposc intended or un-
l.. A. t. h,.