American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-31
her what she is bout, that foxes don't hear nor
thin frum her these days. .a.. -asa 3,s Ag" a
In compleet haiste, yourn is ever, a..
Ell 5uI..s SAMUEL JONES of JOHN
PETER PARTINGToN, esq,
u Owl Holtow, VUgmny
[Communicated.l

Camphine and Camphine Lamps. .
Messrs. EDITORS: Your correspondents are
somewhat severe upon the use and the users of
camphine, and, in my humble judgment, some
what unjustly. have been q consumer of
| camphine and burning fluid for several years,
and have never yet experienced the least incon-
vcnience from their use, and have never felt
the least in danger. 1t is difficult of digestion,
that light six feet from the lamp that was in
the act of being filed could cause tho explo-
sion adverted to by your correspondent. lido
not believe it, and do not believe that it can be
proved That an explosion took place, do not
question; nor do / question that there was IN
adequate cause for it. But use the lamps in
my family, and expect to use them, notwith-
standing the high commendation passed upon
"Judd's candles" / have used all sorts of oil,
and all sorts of candles, and, after a pretty
thorough use, find the items of light and eco
nomy, as well as safety, to be on the side Of the
fluid lamps.
! Your correspondents dwell upon the accidents
which have attended the use of camphine. Now,
there is a cause for every thing; and whatever
may be said to the contrary, all such accidents
are traceable to pure carelessness. | have
known frequent explosions from attemptin G to
| light the camphine and fluid lamps while the
lamps were burning. The explosions in these
| cases have not arisen so much from the rarefe d
air, imagine, as from the fluid coming in con
tact with the heated screws of the lamps. In
some instances | have known a lamp not heated
| to explode from holding another lamp close to
the fluid while filing it. Your correspondents
may ridicule the question, but | respectfully
ask, was not this careless? Let the lamps be
filled and well screwed down by daylight, and
| had rather, much rather trust them among q
family--eyen of children-than the gas-ights
4 that are. now becoming common, and that are
considered harmless know of nothing more
dangerous than gas in household where there
are children. A fearful explosion and fire was
caused few months since, in one of our north
! ern cities, the gas having leaked after the clos
| ing of room, and being fired on candle beiI 6
| brought in. If
| Is not your correspondent chemically at fault
| in reference to the confined gas in the lamp
| What gas is there! And how is it generated !.
| The cotton ,cick cannot generate it and unless
the metal of the lamp does, there is, I think, no
inhammable gas Whatever inside the lamp.
The process of absorption by capillary attrac
ton is going on with rapidity from the moment
the lamp is lighted. The wick absorbs the
fuid taking up just as much as it viii contain
and though the fluid contains, in latent state
all the gas, there is no gas developed until TN
light is applied 10 the wick. 1t is a mistake =
a very common one, | confess, but neverthel es
| 8 mistake-to suppose that the confined air il
tue lamp is ignitable. II, when the wick il
/ lighted, there is any air in the lamp, it is, o
course, atmospheric air; for no one suppose!
that decomposition takes place within the lamp
previous to the wick being ignited. The at mo
sphere is composed as your correspondent:
| know, of oxygen and nitrogen. The nitrogen
will not support combustion. The oxygen sup.
| ports IL, but is not itself nfammable. Then il
there be any air in the lamp, and its dccornpo-
siton goes forward, the lighted wick absorbs
the oxygen and leaves the nitrogen behind.
| / have myself used metal lamp with two
| tubes only one hdUfng a 'eick, and have carried
1t with impunity all over the house, even wher
4 thelamp was heated, and with the fame blowing
over the empty tube. The danger here is il
the lamp being upset, thus allowing the Hquit
to run out of the empty tube, and thus takin,
fire. Now, suppose lamp when lighted to b,
upset; if il does not break, and the tubes ar
screwed down close, the danger is not from an
explosion, but from the superfuous fluid dis
| charging itself through the wicks faster than
| the flame can there consume it, and running in
fiery stream upon the surrounding objects.
Upon your correspondents remark respecting
| gunpowder, l have nothing to say, because
suppose that, on more thoughtful consideration,
he will himself see that his allusion is exceed
ingly far-fetched.
have to ask your pardon, Messrs. Editors,
for this long trespass upon your patience and
columns. w. j. c.
| WAsHISGToN, July 81, 1851.
i