Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Part 5

This Story of Sir _R. Moray_ affirmed to have received from the _Earl_ of _Weymes_, Brother in Law to the Lord _Sinclair_, as it was written to him from _Scotland_.

_Of the _Mineral_ of _Liege_, yeilding both _Brimstone_ and _Vitriol_, and the way of extracting them out of it, used at _Liege_._

The Account of this _Mineral_, and of the way of extracting both _Brimstone_ and _Vitriol_ out of it, was procured from _Liege_, by the lately mentioned Sir _Robert Moray_ and by him communicated to the _Royal Society_, as follows.

The _Mineral_, out of which _Brimstone_ and _Vitriol_ are extracted, is one and the same, not much unlike Lead ore, having also oft times much Lead mingled with it, which is seperated from it by picking it out of the rest.

The Mines resemble our _English_ Coal Mines dugg according to the depth of the _Mineral_, 15, 20, or more fathoms, as the Vein leads the Workmen, or the subterranean waters will give them leave, which in Summer so overflow the Mines, that the upper waters, by reason of the drought, not sufficing to make the Pumps goe, the Work ceases.

To make _Brimstone_, they break the Stone or Ore into small pieces, which they put into Crucibles made of Earth, five foot long, square and Pyramid-wise. The Entry is near a foot square. These Crucibles are laid sloaping, eight undermost, and seven above them, as it were betwixt them, that the Fire may come at them all, each having its particular Furnace or Oven. The _Brimstone_ being dissolved by the violence of the heat, drops out at the small end of the Crucible, and falls into a Leaden-Trough or Receptacle, common to all the said Crucibles, through which there runs a continual Rivolet of cold water, conveyed thither by Pipes for the cooling of the dissolved Sulphur, which is ordinarily four hours in melting. This done, the Ashes are drawn out by a crooked Iron, and being put into an Iron Wheel barrow, are carried out of the Hutt, and {46} being laid in a heap, are covered with other exiled or drained Ashes, the better to keep them warm; which is reiterated, as long as they make _Brimstone_.

To make _Coperas_ or _Vitriol_, they take a quant.i.ty of the said Ashes, and throwing them into a square planked pit in the Earth, some four foot deep, and eight foot square, they cover the same with ordinary water, and let it lye twenty four hours, or until an Egg will swim upon the liquor, which is a sign, that it is strong enough. When they will boyl this, they let it run through Pipes into the Kettles, adding to it half as much Mother-water, which is that water, that remains after boyling of the hardned _Coperas_.

The Kettles are made of Lead, 4 foot high, 6 foot long, and 3 foot broad, standing upon thick Iron Barrs or Grates. In these the Liquor is boyled with a strong Coal-fire, twenty four hours or more, according to the strength or weakness of the Lee or Water. When it is come to a just consistence, the fire is taken away, and the boyled liquor suffered to cool somewhat, and then it is tapp'd out of the said Kettles, through holes beneath in the sides of them, and conveyed through wooden Conduits into several Receptacles, three foot deep and four foot long (made and ranged not unlike our Tan-pits) where it remains fourteen or fifteen dayes, or so long till the _Coperas_ separate it self from the water, and becomes icy and hard. The remaining water is the above-mentioned Mother-water; and the elixed or drained Ashes are the Dregs, or _Caput mortuum_, which the Lee, whereof the _Vitriol_ is made, leaves behind it in the planked Pits.

_A further Account of Mr. _Boyle_'s Experimental _History_ of _Cold_._

In the first Papers of these _Philosophical Transactions_, some promise was made of a _fuller_ account, to be given by the next, of the _Experimental History of Cold_, composed by the Honourable Mr. _Robert Boyle_; it being then supposed, that this _History_ would have been altogether printed off at the time of publishing the {47} _Second_ Papers of these _Transactions_; but the Press, employed upon this Treatise, having been r.e.t.a.r.ded somewhat longer than was ghessed, the said promise could not be performed before this time: wherein it now concerns the inquiring World to take notice, that this subject, as it hath hitherto bin almost totally neglected, so it is now, by this Excellent Author, in such a manner handled, and improved by near _Two hundred_ choice _Experiments_ and _Observations_, that certainly the _Curious_ and _Intelligent_ Reader will in the perusal thereof find cause to admire both the Fertility of a Subject, seemingly so barren, and the Author's Abilities of improving the same to so high a Degree.

But to take a short view of some of the particulars of this _History_, and thereby to give occasion to _Philosophical_ men, to take this Subject more into their consideration, than hitherto hath been done; the Ingenious Readers will here see,

1, That not only all sorts of _Acid_ and _Alcalizate_ Salts, and Spirits, even Spirit of Wine, but also Sugar, and Sugar of Lead mixed with Snow, are capable of freezing other Bodies, and upon what account they are so.

2, That among the Substances capable of being frozen, there are not only all gross sorts of Saline Bodies, but such also as are freed from their grosser parts, not excepting Spirit of Urine, the _Lixivium_ of Pot-ashes, nor Oyl of Tartar, _per deliquium_, it self.

3, That many very spiritous liquors, freed from their aqueous parts, cannot be brought to freeze, neither naturally, nor artificially: And here is occasionally mentioned a way of keeping _Moats_ unpa.s.sable in very cold Countries, recorded by _Olaus Magnus_.

4, What are the ways proper to estimate the greater or lesser Coldness of Bodies; and by what means we can measure the intensness of Cold produced by Art, beyond that, which Nature needs to employ for the freezing of Water; as also, in what proportion water of a moderate degree of Coldness will {48} be made to _shrink_ by Snow and Salt, before it begin by Congelation to _expand_ it self; and then, how to measure by the differing Weight and Density of the same portion of Water, what change was produced in it, betwixt the hottest time of Summer, and first glaciating degree of Cold, and then the highest, which our Author could produce by _Art_: Where an Inquiry is annex'd, whether the making of these kind of Tryals with the waters of the particular Rivers and Seas, men are to sail on, may afford any useful estimate, whether or not, and how much, ships may on those waters be safely loaden more in Winter, than in Summer. To which is added the way of making exact Discoveries of the differing degrees of Coldness in differing Regions, by such Thermometers, as are not subject to the alterations of the _Atmosphere's_ gravitation, nor to be frozen.

5. Whether, in Cold, the diffusion from Cold Bodies be made more strongly downwards, contrary to that of Hot Bodies: Where is delivered a way of freezing Liquors without danger of breaking the Vessel, by making them begin to freeze at the bottom, not the top.

6. Whether that Tradition be true, that if frozen Apples or Eggs be thaw'd neer the Fire, they will be thereby spoil'd, but if immersed in cold water, the Internal Cold will be drawn out, as is supposed, by the External Cold; and the frozen Bodies will be harmlesly thawed? _Item_, Whether Iron, or other Metals, Gla.s.s, Stone, Cheese, &c. expos'd to the freezing Air, or kept in Snow, or Salt, upon the immersing them in Water will produce any Ice? _Item_, What use may be made of what happens in the different waies of thawing Eggs and Apples, by applying the Observation to other Bodies, and even to Men, dangerously nipp'd by excessive Cold. Where is added not only a memorable Relation, how the whole Body of a Man was succesfully thawed and cased all over with Ice, by being handled, as frozen Eggs and Apples are; but also the Luciferousness of such Experiments, as these: and likewise, what the effects of Cold may be, as to the Conservation or Destruction of the Textures of Bodies: and in particular, how Meat and Drink {49} may be kept good, in very Cold Countries, by keeping it under Water, without glaciation? as also, how in extreme Cold Countries, the Bodies of Dead Men and other Animals may be preserved very many years entire and unputrified? And yet, how such Bodies, when unfrozen, will appear quite vitiated by the excessive Cold? Where it is further inquired into, whether some Plants, and other Medicinal things, that have specifique Vertues, will loose them by being throughly congealed and (several wayes) thawed? And also, whether frozen and thawed Harts-horn will yield the same quant.i.ty and strength of Salt and saline Spirit, as when unfrozen? _Item_, Whether the _Electrical_ faculty of _Amber_, and the _Attractive_ or _Directive_ Virtue of _Loadstones_ will be either impaired, or any wayes altered by intense Cold? This Head is concluded by some considerable remarks touching the operation of Cold upon Bones, Steel, Bra.s.s, Wood, Bricks.

7, What Bodies are expanded by being frozen, and how that expansion is evinced? And whether it is caused by the intrusion of Air? As also, whether, what is contained in icy bubbles, is true and Springy Air, or not.

8, What Bodies they are, that are contracted by Cold; and how that Contraction is evinced? Where 'tis inquired, whether _Chymical Oyles_ will, by Congelation, be like expressed Oyls, contracted, or, like aqueous Liquors, expanded?

9, What are the wayes of _Measuring_ the _Quant.i.ty_ of the Expansion and Contraction of Liquors by Cold? And how the Author's account of this matter agrees with what Navigators into cold Climats, mention from experience, touching pieces of Ice as high as the Masts of their Ships, and yet the Depth of these pieces seems not at all answerable to what it may be supposed to be.

10, How strong the Expansion of freezing water is? Where are enumerated the several sorts of Vessels, which being filled {50} with water, and exposed to the cold Air, do burst; and where also the weight is expressed, that will be removed by the expansive force of Freezing? Whereunto an Inquiry is subjoyned, whence this prodigious force, observed in water, expanded by Glaciation, should proceed? And whether this _Phaenomenon_ may be solved, either by the _Cartesian_, or _Epicurean_ Hypothesis?

11, What is the _Sphere of Activity_ of Cold, or the s.p.a.ce, to whose extremities every way the Action of a cold Body is able to reach: where the difficulty of determining these limits, together with the causes thereof, being with much circ.u.mspection mentioned, it is observed, that the _Sphere of Activity_ of Cold is exceeding narrow, not only in comparison of that of Heat in Fire, but in comparison of, as it were, the _Atmosphere_ of many odorous Bodies; and even in comparison of the _Sphere of Activity_ of the more vigorous Loadstones, insomuch, that the Author hath doubted, whether the Sense could discern a Cold Body, otherwise then by immediate Contract.

Where several Experiments are delivered for the examining of this matter, together with a curious relation of the way used in _Persia_, though a very hot Climate, to furnish their _Conservatories_ with solid pieces of Ice of a considerable thickness: To which is added an Observation, how far in Earth and Water the Frost will pierce downwards, and upon what accounts the deepness of the Frost may vary. After which, the care is inculcated, that must be had, in examining, whether Cold may be diffused through all _Mediums_ indefinitely, not to make the Trials with _Mediums_ of two great thickness: where it is made to appear, that Cold is able to operate through Metalline Vessels, which is confirmed by a very pretty Experiment of making _Icy Cups_ to drink in, whereof the way is accurately set down. Then are related the Trials, whether, or how, Cold will be diffused through a _Medium_, that _some_ would think a _Vacuum_, and which to _others_ would seem much less disposed to a.s.sist the diffusion of Cold, than Common Air it self. After which follows a curious Experiment, shewing whether a Cold Body can operate through {51} a _Medium_ actually hot, and having its heat continually renewed by a fountain of heat.

12, How to estimate the solidity of the Body of Ice, or how strong is the mutual adhesion of its parts? and whether differing Degrees of Cold may not vary the Degree of the compactness of Ice. And our Author having proceeded as far as he was able towards the bringing the strength of Ice to some Estimate by several experiments, he communicateth the information, he could get about this matter among the Descriptions that are given us of cold Regions: and then he relateth out of Sea-mens _Journals_, their Observations touching the insipidness of resolved Ice made of Sea-water; and the prodigious bigness of it, extending even to the height of two hundred and forty Foot above water, and the length of above eight Leagues.

To which he adds some promiscuous, but very notable Observations concerning Ice, not so readily reducible to the foregoing Heads: _videlicet_, Of the blew colour of Rocky pieces of Ice; and the horrid noise made by the breaking of Ice, like that of Thunder and Earthquakes, together with a Consideration of the cause, whence those loud Ruptures may proceed.

13, How Ice and Snow may be made to last long; and what Liquor dissolves Ice sooner than others, and in what proportion of quickness the Solutions in the several Liquors are made, where occasion is offered to the Author, to examine, whether Motion will impart a heat to Ice? After which he relates an Experiment of _Heating_ a _Cold_ Liquor with Ice, made by himself in the presence of a great and Learned n.o.bleman, and his Lady, who found the Gla.s.s wherein the Liquor was, so hot that they could not endure to hold it in their Hands. Next it is examined, whether the effects of Cold do continually depend upon the actual presence and influence of the manifest Efficient causes, as the Light of the Air depends upon the Sun or Fire, or other Luminous Bodies. To this is annexed an Account of the _Italian_ way of making _Conservatories_ of Ice and Snow, as the Author had received it from that Ingenious and Polite Gentleman, Master _J. Evelyn_.

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But want of time prohibiting the accomplishment of the intended account of this Rich Piece: what remains, must be referred to the next Occasion. It shall only be intimated for a Conclusion, that the _Author_ hath annexed to this _Treatise_, an Examen of Master _Hob_'s Doctrine touching _Cold_; wherein the _Grand_ Cause of _Cold_ and its Effects is a.s.signed to _Wind_, in so much that 'tis affirmed, that almost any Ventilation and stirring of the Air doth refrigerate.

_LONDON,_

Printed with Licence, By _John Martyn_, and _James Allestry_, Printers to the _Royal-Society_, 1665

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_Numb._ 4.

PHILOSOPHICAL _TRANSACTIONS._

_Munday_, _June_ 5. 1665.

The Contents.

_A Relation of some extraordinary Tydes in the _West Isles_ of _Scotland_, by Sr. _Robert Moray_. The judgment of Monsieur _Auzout_, touching the _Apertures_ of _Object-gla.s.ses_, and their _proportions_ in respect of the several lengths of _Telescopes_; together with a _Table_ thereof. Considerations of the same Person upon Mr. _Hook's_ New Engine for grinding of _Optick-gla.s.ses_. Mr. _Hook's_ Thoughts thereupon. Of a means to illuminate an _Object_ in what proportion one pleaseth; and of the _distances_, that are requisite to burn Bodies by the _Sun_. A further accompt by Monsieur _Auzout_ of Signior _Campani_'s Book, and Performances about _Optick-Gla.s.ses_. _Campani_'s Answer thereunto; and Mr. _Auzout_'s Animadversions upon that Answer.

An accompt of Mr. _Lower_'s newly published _Vindication_ of Dr.

_Willis_'s Diatriba de _Febribus_._

_A Relation of some extraordinary Tydes in the West-Isles of _Scotland_, as it was communicated by Sr. _Robert Moray_._

In that Tract of _Isles_, on the West of _Scotland_, called by the Inhabitants, the _Long-Island_, as being about 100. miles long from _North_ to _South_, there is a mult.i.tude of small Islands, situated in a _Fretum_, or _Frith_, that pa.s.ses between the Island of _Eust_, and the _Herris_; amongst which, there is one called _Berneray_, some three miles long, and {54} more than a mile broad, the length running from _East_ to _West_, as the _Frith_ lyes. At the _East_ end of this _Island_, where I stayed some 16. or 17. dayes, I _observed_ a very strange Reciprocation of the Flux and Re-flux of the Sea, and _heard_ of another, no less remarkable.

Upon the _West_ side of the _Long Island_, the Tides, which came from the _South-west_, run along the Coast, _Northward_; so that during the ordinary course of the Tides, the Flood runs _East_ in the _Frith_, where _Berneray_ lyes, and the Ebb _West_. And thus the Sea ebbs and flows orderly, some 4.

days before the _full Moon_, and _change_, and as long after (the ordinary Spring-tides rising some 14. or 15. foot upright, and all the rest proportionably, as in other places). But afterwards, some 4. days before the _Quarter-moons_, and as long after, there is constantly a great and singular _variation_. For _then_, (a _Southerly_ Moon making there the full Sea) the course of the Tide being _Eastward_, when it begins to flow, which is about 9 of the Clock, not onely continues so till about 3 in the afternoon, that it be high water, but, after it begins to ebb, the Current runs on still _Eastward_, during the whole Ebb; so that it runs _Eastward_ 12 hours together, that is, all day long, from about 9 in the morning, til about 9 at night. But then, when the night-Tide begins to flow, the Current turns, and runs _Westward_ all night, during both Floud & Ebb, for some 12. hours more, as it did _Eastward_ the day before. And thus the Reciprocations continue, one Floud and Ebb, running 12 hours _Eastward_, and another twelve hours _Westward_, till 4. days before the _New_ and _Full_ Moon; and then they resume their ordinary regular course as before, running _East_, during the six hours of Floud, and _West_, during the six of Ebb. And this I observed curiously, during my abode upon the place, which was in the Moneth of _August_, as I remember.

But the Gentleman, to whom the _Island_ belongs at present, and divers of his Brothers and Friends, knowing and discreet persons, and expert in all such parts of Sea-matters, as other _Islanders_ commonly are, though I shrewdly suspected their skill in Tides, when I had not yet seen what they told me, and I have now related of these irregular Courses of the Tides, did most confidently a.s.sure me, and so did every body I spake with {55} about it, that there is yet another irregularity in the Tides, which never fails, and is no less extraordinary, than what I have been mentioning: which is, That, whereas between the _Vernal_ and _Autumnal Equinoxes_, that is, for six Moneths together, the Course of irregular Tides about the Quartermoons, is, to run all day, that is, twelve hours, as from about 9 to 9, 10 to 10 _&c. Eastward_, and all night, that is, twelve hours more, _Westward_: during the other six Moneths, from the _Autumnal_ to the _Vernal Equinox_, the Current runs all day _Westward_, and all Night _Eastward_.

Of this, though I had not the opportunity to be an Eye-witness, as of the other, yet I do not at all doubt, having received so credible Information of it.

To penetrate into the _Causes_ of these strange Reciprocations of the Tides, would require exact descriptions of the Situation, Shape, and Extent of every piece of the adjacent Coasts of _Eust_ and _Herris_; the Rocks, Sands, Shelves, Promontorys, Bays, Lakes, Depths, and other Circ.u.mstances which I cannot now set down with any certainty, or accurateness; seeing, they are to be found in no _Map_, neither had I any opportunity to survey them; nor do they now occur to my Memory, as they did some years ago, when upon occasion I ventured to make a _Map_ of this whole _Frith_ of _Berneray_, which not having copied, I cannot adventure to beat it out again.