Thermometer used for an experiment at Chatham
Date
18 March 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p91
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 353mm
width (page): 236mm
width (page): 236mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Figure of a sealed-up thermometer, which was sunk to the middle and bottom of water at Chatham and measured for its condensation of liquor. No condensation was detected, from which it was judged by Fellows William Brouncker, Robert Moray and Alexander Bruce that the temperature of the water was the same at every level of the water. The result was read at the meeting of the Royal Society on 18 March 1663.
This manuscript is a copy of Register Book no. 2 (RBO/2i) and some letters to the Royal Society, all from between 1662 and 1664.
This image can also be found in the Register Book at RBO/2i/213. Another copy is at MS/776/406.
This manuscript is a copy of Register Book no. 2 (RBO/2i) and some letters to the Royal Society, all from between 1662 and 1664.
This image can also be found in the Register Book at RBO/2i/213. Another copy is at MS/776/406.
Transcription
A sealed-up Thermometer, much of the shape of that in the figure was let down to the bottom of the water at the depth of 16 fathom and a foot, and there suffered to stay a good while, that the Coldness of the water might condense the included Liquor, so far, as to suffer the Air to get into the bigger Ball, which was therefore placed upermost: But though the Termometer was suffered to lye a good while, at that depth, and then suddainly pulled up: we could not find that it had any whit condensed the Liquor, that the same would be, by bring kept a good while under the surfaces of the water, at the top. Whenes we judged the Temperature of the water, both at the top, in the middle (for other Tryalls we found the same at other depths) and at the bootom to be the same.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
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). The figures and the text are printed in Birch 1:208-12.
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