Glass quart bottle used in an experiment to condense air
Date
18 March 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p210
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 350mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Content object
Description
A common quart bottle sunk underwater in an experiment to condense air. This was one of a series of experiments conducted by William Brouncker, Robert Moray and Alexander Bruce on the river in Chatham in March 1663, and reported to the Royal Society on 18 March 1663.
Transcription
Wednesday, March the 11th, in the afternoon, neer the same place where the former tryalls were made, we tryed thees following Experiments of Compression.
Unto the neck or mouth B of a common quart Bottle A, was fitted a Valve C that opened inward and shut outward: This bottle was let downe in the posture you see it, with the mouth foremost; whence the water had as the bottle was sinking, free passage into it, to condense the Air. But as soon as the water was got in, the Valve shutting, hindered it from getting out, though the bottle were pulled up. The bottle when empty weighted 37 7/8 ounces, and 24 grains; or 18202 grains: filled with saltwater it weighed 78 1/4 ounces and 3 graines: or, 37563 graines: whence taking the weight of the bottle 18204, we have 19359 graines for the weight of the water that filled the bottle. This bottle, let downe 13 1/2 fathom by the ships plumb-line, or 81 foot, the Valve was so hard shut, when it was taken up again, that it was difficult to thrust open, though when the mouth CB was set upward, the Valve being made of Brasse, without leather, was found it manifestly to leake air, by the hissing noise it made in getting out; and when by a knock, the valve was beaten down, the air made a noyse in rushing out, like that of a bottle of Ale, when it flyes. The bottle and the water it brought up, weighted 65 19/20 ounces; or 31646 grains whence deducting 18204, we have the weight of the water 13452.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Unto the neck or mouth B of a common quart Bottle A, was fitted a Valve C that opened inward and shut outward: This bottle was let downe in the posture you see it, with the mouth foremost; whence the water had as the bottle was sinking, free passage into it, to condense the Air. But as soon as the water was got in, the Valve shutting, hindered it from getting out, though the bottle were pulled up. The bottle when empty weighted 37 7/8 ounces, and 24 grains; or 18202 grains: filled with saltwater it weighed 78 1/4 ounces and 3 graines: or, 37563 graines: whence taking the weight of the bottle 18204, we have 19359 graines for the weight of the water that filled the bottle. This bottle, let downe 13 1/2 fathom by the ships plumb-line, or 81 foot, the Valve was so hard shut, when it was taken up again, that it was difficult to thrust open, though when the mouth CB was set upward, the Valve being made of Brasse, without leather, was found it manifestly to leake air, by the hissing noise it made in getting out; and when by a knock, the valve was beaten down, the air made a noyse in rushing out, like that of a bottle of Ale, when it flyes. The bottle and the water it brought up, weighted 65 19/20 ounces; or 31646 grains whence deducting 18204, we have the weight of the water 13452.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 18 March 1663, ‘The lord viscount Brouncker, Sir Robert Moray, and Mr. Bruce brought in an account of the observations and experiments, which they had lately made upon the river of Chatham; and his lordship promised to add to them some notes of this own. The paper was ordered to be registered’ (Birch 1:208).
Related fellows
William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker of Lyons (1620 - 1684, British) , Mathematician
Robert Moray (1608 - 1673, British) , Natural philosopher
Robert Alexander Bruce (1839, British) , Inventor
Robert Moray (1608 - 1673, British) , Natural philosopher
Robert Alexander Bruce (1839, British) , Inventor
Associated place