C A X

592 CAN

- . r ,._ T-r-rr-i.’jK ' ; ,~v . --a-'- 1 -r- , -m.- —t—=— . n r

which is fixed on a hook in the wall, beginning with the largerend, and diminishing in proportion as the neck approaches; toprevent the wax from adhering to the hands, they are robbed withoil of olives, lard, or other unctuous substance. When it is in-tended to make wax candles with a ladie, the w icks being prepar-ed as above-mentioned, a dozen of them are fixed at equal dis-tances round an iron circle, which is suspended over a tinnedeopper vessel containing melted wax ; a large ladleful of whichis poured gently and repeatedly on the tops of the wicks, till thecandles have acquired a proper size, when they are taken down,kept warm, and smoothed upon a walnut-tree table with a longsquare instrument of box, which is continually moistened withhot water, to prevent the adhesion of the wax. In other respects,this mode of making wax-candles corresponds with that of manu-facturing them by the hand. From the increasing demand andprice of wax, various experiments have been fried, in order todiscover proper substitutes, which might possess similar solidity.

are informed by a foreign journal, that this desirable objecthas been satisfactorily attained, by melting down an equal t|uan-tity of tallow and resin. In order to ascertain tire truth ot thisassertion, we were induced to repeat the experiment, but withoutsuccess: for, though the two substances incorporated, they badnot a sufficient degree of cohesion ; and, when moulded info aproper form, the tallow burned, blit tbe resin dissolved, and sepa-rated from it. In September, 1799, Mr. William Bolts, of Lon-don , obtained a patent for new modes of improving the form, qua-lify, and use of candles, and other lights, made of tallow, wax","spermaceti, ike. This invention the patentee founds on four prin-ciples : 1. On the fabrication of the body of such lights, prior to,and independently of, the wicks which may be subsequently ap-plied to them. 2. On the application of moveable wicks, whichmay be applied to, or extracted from tbe candles, or lights, any-time after they have been made. 3. On the using of lixed, orordinary wicks, for those lights or candles, at any period subse-quent to the making of either; and 4. On placing the inflamma-ble substance, while in fusion, in a close vessel, and submittingit there to the action of a vacuum, and of a pressure superior tothat of the atmosphere. This was effected with a view to extract,by the vacuum, whatever elastic, fluid may remain in it, underthe ordinary pressure ; and also to increase the solidity and white-ness of the substance, by tbe superior weight applied to it, whencooling, In 180j a patent was granted to Messrs. Desormeauxand Hutchings, for candles formed with a hollow cylindricalwick, either previously woven, or formed by wrapping a Hat wickround a wire. They are said, by decomposing a greater quantityof atmospheric air, to give a much greater and clearer light with-out consuming more tallow. From the very great utility of can-dles, they early became the object of adulteration : hence it isprovided by various acts of parliament, that ail adulterated can-dles shall be forfeited ; and several other statutes made as men-tioned below. Although candles are preferable to common lamps,as their light is less injurious both to the eyes and lungs, andas they do not produce so great a volume of smoke, yet adean chamber-lamp, which emits as little smoke and smell as pos-sible, is far superior even to wax-candles; for, 1. As all candles burndownwards, the eye necessarily becomes more fatigued, andstrained during the later hours of candle-light. 2. Because theyyield an irregular light, which occasions the additional trouble ofsnuffing them ; and lastly, because, if the air he agitated ever solittle, or if the candles are made of bad materials, they injure theeye by their Haring light.

Candt.es, Ancient. The Roman candles were at first littlestrings dipt in pitch, or surrounded with wax ; though afterwardsthey made them of papyrus, covered likewise with wax ; amisometimes also of rushes, by stripping off the outer rind, andonly retaining the pith.—For religious offices, wax-candles wereused : for common uses, those of"tallow.

_Candt.es, Method of Lighting, by Electric Sparks ,i his method, invented by Dr. Ingenhau'z, is recorded in theBail . Trans, vol. xviii. It is done by a small phial, having eightor ten inches of metallic coating, or even less, charged withelectricity, which may be done at any time of the night by aperson who has an electrical machine m his room. “ When Ihave occasion to light a candle (says lie,) [ charge a small coatedphial, whose knob is bent outwards, so as to hang a little overthe body of the phial; tlwn 1 wrap some loose cotton over tine

extremity of a long brass pin or a wire, so as to stick mode-rately fast to its substance. 1 next roll this extremity of the pinwrapped up with cotton in some line powder of resin, which Ialways keep in readiness upon the table for this purpose, eitherin a wide-mouthed phial or in a loose paper ; this being done, fapply the extremity of the pin or wire to the external coating ofthe charged phial, and bring as quickly as possible the other ex-tremity wrapped round with cotton to the knob: the powder ofresin takes lire, and communicates its llanie to the cotton, andboth together burn long enough to light a candle. As I do netwant more than half a minute to light my candle in this way, Ifind it a readier method than kindling it by a flint and steel, orcalling a servant. I have found that powder of white or yellowresin lights easier than that of brown. The farina lycopodii may-be used for the same purpose, but it is not so good as the powder-’of resin, because it does not take lire quite so readily, requiringa stronger spark not to miss : besides, it is soon burnt away. Bydipping the cotton in oil of turpentine, the same effect may beas readily obtained, if you take a jar somewhat greater in size.This oil will inflame so much the readier if you strew a few fineparticles of brass upon it. T he pin dust is the best for this pur-pose ; but as this oil is scattered about by. the explosion, and whenkindled fills the room with much more smoke than the powder ofresin, I prefer the last.”

Candles, proportional value of different kinds of.Lord Bacon proposes candles of divers compositions and ingre-dients, and ot different sorts of wicks ; with experiments of thedegrees of duration, and light of each. Some good housewivesbury their candles in flour or bran, which it is said lengthenstheir duration nearly one half. It is observed in optics, that theflames of two candles joined, give a much stronger light thanboth of them separate. T he remark was first made by Dr.Franklin. Probably the union of the two flames produces agreater degree of heat, whereby the vapour is attenuated, andthe particles of which light consists more copiously emitted. Ex-periments have been mane to determine the real -and comparativeexpence of burning candles of different sorts and sizes. T hefollowing table exhibits the result of these. T he time that onecandle lasted was calculated from an average of several ditferenttrials in each size. The last column though stated at (id. per dozenwill also"show the proportion of expense at any price:

Table exhibiting the real and comparative Expence,

IN FARTHINGS AND 10UTH PARTS, OF CANDLES OF DIF-FERENT SORTS AND SIZES.

Sm. )Kick fLar.Kick

,r. Iick \

5*

8 S!

2=1-1

D* ^

-a srw

i*C o K/

o °

2 o

Is.

2.3

Ui rp

|i

c *

<“>o Sc

rp g

O

*-b

Ui

£* Og S3p- no

ST" w

V —

O’*

• N » o

o> 5*

P-f

OZ

O

s

dr .

a

h. min.

* O

3

l *

It. mm.

e- _*

'

18}

0

U

3 13

59 26

1 4,S5

19

0

13*

3 40

50 34

5,70

16}

0

15*

3 40

44 2

6,54

12

1

H

3 27

41 24

6,96

10}

1

8

3 36

38 24

7,50

2

1

4 9

32 12

8,94

8

2

0

4 15

34 0

8,47

H

o

13

5 19

30 15

9,53

Mouklcd Candles.

4

oz. dr.2 124 0

h. min.7 209 3

It. min.42 3930 20

at 7s.per doz.

7,87

9,28

Candles, Rush, used in different parts of England, are madeof the pith of a sort of rushes, peeled or stripped of the skin, ex-cept on one side, and dipped in melted tallow.

Candles, Statutes respecting the Making of. If unychandlers mix with their wares anything deceitfully, &c. thecandles shall bu forfeited. Stat. 23 Eliz. and a tax or duty i*

granted