The Sun. — 1833-04-06 (London, England)

FLAME.—FIame is gas heated to whiteness, by the heat produced by the combustion of volatile matter. When a candle burns, the tallow or wax of which it is composed is first liquefied, and then drawn upwards through the insterstices of the wick by capillary attraction. As it comes in contact with the source of heat, it is boiled, and converted into vapour; this vapour ascends in a column by reason of its lightness, and is now raised to the temperature which enables it to form a combination with the oxygen of the surrounding air. This combination instantly and copiously develops heat, which, being communicated to the surrounding current of gas, renders it luminous, and produces the white bright light of the flame. It will be apparent from this, that the light from the flame can only exist on its exterior surface, which is in contact with air. The flame of a candle or lamp is, therefore, so far as regards light, hollow ; or rather it is a column of gas, the exterior surface of which is luminous, while the interior is non-luminous. As the gas in the interior of the flame ascends, it gets into contact with a fresh portion of the atmosphere, from which it receives a supply of oxygen, by combination with which heat is evolved, which produces light. As the gas ascends from the centre of the flame, it comes successively into contact with the air, and in this manner becomes luminous, until at length the column is reduced to a point. Thus, the flame of a candle or lamp gradually tapers to a point, until all the gas produced from ihe boiling matter in the wick receives its due complement of oxygen from the air, and passes off. It speedily loses the temperature necessary to render it luminous, and the flame terminates.—Lardner on Heat.  ATROCITIES ON BOARD SLAVE SHIPs.— By the villains employed on board of those vessels engaged in the slave trade, life is held to cheap, and their moral turpitude is so excessive, that the most atrocious crimes are perpetrated, and the most diabolical cruelties inflicted on the persons of their unoffending captives, with itn• punity and without compunction. A frightful instance of this occurred on board a vessel taken by the Plumper. One of the female slaves, with a chastity of demeanour above " all Greek, all Roman fame," and a purity of heart that would have done honour to the most refined and exalted state of human society, had long and indignantly repulsed the disgusting advances of the master of the schooner, until at last the iniquitous wretch, finding himself foiled in his execrable attempts on her person, became furious with disappointment, and murdered his unfortunate and unoffending victim with the most savage cruelty, the details of which are too horrible to be conceived, far less described. A companion atrocity for this occurred when his Majesty's ship Medina, cruising off the river Gallinas, descried a suspicious sail, and sent a boat to examinr her, the officer of which found her to be fitted for the reception of slaves, hut without any on board, and consequently allowed her to proceed on her course. It was beIdtvoi nsbcgeo,i,vn egtrieti eod I,ts ohieme devi vessel, ennl e,l aadf et thater iwiseharer disa:apdpbeyaa Appearance, necaeol,ef saltanhvdee mo bo knowingn this single slave would condemn the vessel, resco referees) lashed the wretched creature iohheaatnin'ie anchor, found,ntchr (h° or,arnd ordered it to be thrown overboard ! Leonard's Voyage to Western Africa.