A light underwater
Date
7 October 1691
Creator
Edmond Halley (1656 - 1742, British) , Astronomer
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p3
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 307mm
width (page): 196mm
width (page): 196mm
Subject
Description
Edmond Halley is commenting on a device to carry light underwater as invented by Denis Papin. Papin had already run several versions by the Royal Society in the 1680s. Halley, the Secretary at the Society at the time, is here, in the rough minutes of the meeting of 7 October 1691, referring to a version that Papin published in Bibliotheque Universelle et Historique, 20 (1691). Halley's suggestion includes a crooked siphon and bellows to feed the flame with air.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 21 January 1685, 'Dr. Papin shewed a convenient way of keeping a candle burning under water. His account of was as follows: "Having newly tried a very convenient way to keep a candle burning under water, I make bold to present it to the Royal Society, because I believe it may be useful for several experiments"' (Birch 4:360).
7 October 1691, 'Halley proposed an Instrument for keeping fire under water by means of a crooked siphon, bringing the fresh air under the flame of a candle, which he supposed would draw it, as it was evacuated at the top of the vessell. Of this he tried the Experiment, but for want of a fit Vessell for the purpose the effect was not so convincing as was hoped, however it was plain, that by such a siphon the flame of a wax candle under a glass-funnell immersed in water considerably was longer preserved, than without it, and by raising, and sinking the said funnell in the water alternately, the Flame was maintained in it without dimination the Air being reciprocally expelled and received again by the scent and descent of the water in the funnell' (JBO/9/58).
7 October 1691, 'Halley proposed an Instrument for keeping fire under water by means of a crooked siphon, bringing the fresh air under the flame of a candle, which he supposed would draw it, as it was evacuated at the top of the vessell. Of this he tried the Experiment, but for want of a fit Vessell for the purpose the effect was not so convincing as was hoped, however it was plain, that by such a siphon the flame of a wax candle under a glass-funnell immersed in water considerably was longer preserved, than without it, and by raising, and sinking the said funnell in the water alternately, the Flame was maintained in it without dimination the Air being reciprocally expelled and received again by the scent and descent of the water in the funnell' (JBO/9/58).
Related fellows
Denis Papin (1647, French) , Natural philosopher
Associated place