The North-Carolinian., 1844-04-13
Communication.
For the Carolinian.

Mr. Bayne: Tho subject OF the last lecture
was Carbon. This, said Mr. Cotton, has been
known ever since the creation; charcoal being
mostly composed Of it. 1t il found pure only
in the Diamond. This is proved by burning
this gem in oxygen gas, yet while its decoa'-
position is easily effected, the decomposition
Of it has hitherto baffled all ingenuity. Next
to the diamond, Anlhracite coal contains the
largest portion Of carbon. This coal is not
easily ignited, but when ignited burns without
flame and produces an intense heat. 1t is
said that a mine of this coal has been found
in this State, about the head waters of Dan
River, but the lecturer could not vouch for the
truth of it. 1t is, however, found ia Pennsyl-
vania ard some other States Of the Union.
Bituminous coal is composed of carbon unit
ed with portion Of bitumen. vein Of this
coal passes through this State between the SAN
dy and ciayey regions. A mine has been open
ed in Chatham county. By subjectins this
coal to a red heat in an iron retort, the foreign
PARTICLES Of matter are nearly all driven
of, and what remains is carbon, known
by the familiar name of coke. There has
been found, said Mr. c., small portions of
coal in this region. About the Rockfish Fac
tory a considerable quantity has been found
buried several feet below the surface. This
coal appears to he composed of charcoal unit
ed with portion of iron and also of sulphur
These two substances combining with the
particles Of wood, cause portion Of caloric
10 be disengaged by which the wood becomes
charred. Various are the uses to which char
coal is applied il the arts and domestic
economy. 1t is a powerful disinfecting agsnt,
and as such is valuable in filteriny impure
water, and also in preventing decomposition
Il -
after decay has commenced. When heated,
it rapidly combines with any body with which
it comes in connection. So great is its af-
of the metals can be separated by heating
them to redness in contact with ca,bon Wa
fers are composed Of an oxide Of lead and
carbon. If a wafer be burned over sheet
Of paper the lead in pure state will fall,
and may easily be examined. When char
coal is burned in atmospheric air, the carbon
unites with the oxygen Of the atmosphere,
thereby forming carbonic acid. The proper
ties Of which we're illustrated by several ex-
periments. 1t is readily obtained by mixing
chalk, or limestone, marble, and adding a
small portion of sulphurc acid. Wines,
cider, and porter, owe their spar king appear
ance TO this gas. Soda also is manufactured
by lusiug water to absorb five or six times
It's own bulk of this gas. The bubbles that
are seen on the top Of stagnant water are
Of this gas, and may be caught by agitating
the water aud holding bell glass over them
as they rise.
Carbon, said Mr. c., untes with great
variety of substances forming carbure,ts.-
W ilh iron it forms carburet of iron, familiatly
known by the name of plumbago, or black
lead. A mine OF lhls has been found between
Raleigh and Chapel Hill, but for want of uu-
derstandng how I" manufacture 1t in this
country, the mine is not valuable. Carbon
combines with hydrogen and forms cnrbu'et-
ted hydrogen ana infammable gas of much i'm
por,anre. The flames of our candles and
lamps, and The blue flames OF burning char
coal, and the gas with which cities are ghtee
! are familiar examples Of this kind Of combus
| ton. Oily matter contains large proper
ton Of carbon, which being decomposed BY
heat, gives out ca,bure,,ed hydrogen, ane
! coming in contact Wilh the atmosphere, burns
| with steady flame. Of this gas there at'
two kinds: the light and the heavy; the latte
| contains twice as much carbon as the former
aud may he readily obtained from a mixtur
of sui lphuric acid and alcohol. 1t is more gen
orally known by the name of olefisnt gas
and is prepared by heating, confined in a re
tort, a portion of the fat Of animals or Sea Goa
and passing the gas through lime wafer or ia
to free it from impurities. Light carburette
hydrogen is dIseugaged from coal mines, an
is known to miners by the name Of FIRE damE
II is very explosive, and the accidents cause
by it have been numerous aud fatal. Variou
measures have been invented to prevent ey
plosions, but none proved valuable except tn;
of Sir Humphry Davy, known by the nar'
Of the "Safety Lamp" This lamp Is muc
like the common alcohol lamp, except it
covered by a net of very ine wire gaus'
through which the flame of lamp will NJ
pass. Before this important invention Ii
only light afforded TO the poor miner was pre-
duced by the friction of the flint upon ston
''The discovery of this lamp is admitted TO
the source of one Of the most triumphant VII
tories science has ever achieved by SO eimp
MEANS" Carbonic acid IS disengaged fro
mines also, and is called chokedamp. W
, often, said the lecturer, see accounts Of dea,I
by descending into deep wells; this is cause
by carbonic acid. Its presence may be eas
; " detected by letting down candle or 9th
lighted substance, which if it is extinguish.
proves that the air is unfit for respiratiou, az
should not be entered until the acid is draw
out, as it may be in buckets as water,
y neutralized by throwing in lime.