Fig. 1. A. the cistern containing the Oil B. the rim or screw by which the gauze cage is fixed to the cistern. C. apperture for supplying Oil. E. a wire for trimming the wick. D. F. the wire gauze cylinder. G. a double top.
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CAROLINE.
How very simple and ingenious! But I do not yet well see why an explosion taking place within the lamp should not communicate to the external air around it, through the interstices of the wire?
MRS. B.
This has been and is still a subject of wonder, even to philosophers; and the only mode they have of explaining it is, that flame or ignition cannot pass through a fine wire-work, because the metallic wire cools the flame sufficiently to extinguish it in passing through the gauze. This property of the wire-gauze is quite similar to that of the tubes which I mentioned on introducing the subject; for you may consider each interstice of the gauze as an extremely short tube of a very small diameter.
EMILY.
But I should expect the wire would often become red-hot, by the burning of the gas within the lamp?