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An HISTORICAL ACCOUNT of a NEW METHOD for extracting the foul AIR out of SHIPS, &c.

SIR,

Purfu

Ursuant to your defire, I now fend you an hifiorical account of my fcheme, together with the reasons that first inclined me to employ my thoughts about it. In the year 1739, I was informed by a gentleman, that the failors on board the fleet at Spithead were fo dangerously ill for want of fresh air, that they were put afhore to recover their health; and the fhips to which they belonged, tunk to fuch a degree, that they infected one another. In compaffion to my fellow-creatures, I thought myself obliged to do all that was poffible for their relief in thefe unhappy circumftances, and from this time tried what could be done by fire. I at length found, that by ftopping the air out of a room that had three fireplaces, and making two large fires in two of them, I could bring the air to draw down the third chimney, with fuch force as to put out a candle. I then lighted a fire in the other chimney; which fo rarefied the air in the room, that the incumbent air pressed to enter in, and with a force fufficient to raise a pully with half a hundred weight; and as foon as the room was cooled, by the coming in of the air, the door would fhut, and then open again in three minutes.

Having proceeded thus far with good fuccefs, I ftopped up all the chimneys in the house, the garret excepted, and then lighted two large fires, which VOL. II.

D d

drew

drew the air down the chimney with fuch violence, as to put out four or five candles immediately : whereupon I concluded, that, a fire being always kept on board a ship, and a pipe or cavity made to the well, one end of it being heated by fire, a change of air would follow, and that by this means rendered fweet and pure, and fit for respiration.

From this time I made it my bufinefs to confult the officers and failors of the navy, who all agreed that fuch a change of air would be of the greatest use imaginable, in preferving the lives of the men on board his Majesty's fhips. I particularly remember, that, being at a coffeehouse near the admiralty, I placed myfelf nigh fome gentlemen of the navy, and inquired of them, as I had before of others, as to the usefulness of the forementioned change of air, who all, to a man, acknowledged that it would be of the utmost fervice; and, upon their unanimous approbation of it, I told them that I could procure fuch a change of air: upon which one of the company went to another table, and the reft followed him; and I heard him tell the others, that he heartily pitied me, as being really mad, and out of my fenfes.

Upon this unexpected treatment, I refolved to apply to fome perfon of confequence in the navy, of approved integrity; and well knowing that Sir Charles Wager was a gentleman of this character, and withal of the greatest humanity, I waited upon Mr Gashery, a commiffioner of the navy, and acquainted him that I would communicate my invention to Sir Charles, by word of mouth; and that if I did not, in a few minutes, convince him of its usefulness, I would withdraw

withdraw immediately, without giving him any further trouble about it.

Mr Gashery was fo kind as to speak in my behalf to Sir Charles, and thereupon I was introduced into his presence. I defired Sir Charles to be fo good as to permit me to ask him fome questions relating to my affair, which he was pleafed to permit. I asked him, whether he had ever confidered the principles upon which the operations of the cupping-glafs were founded? that, rarefaction being made in the glafs by means of the fire, and the glafs preffed to the fkin, the air in the blood preffes out the skin; and, the fkin being cut, and a fecond rarefaction made, the blood preffes forward to the place where the rarefaction was made. I told him, that in like manner I propofed to procure a change of air on board his Majesty's fhips, by means of a fire in the cook-room, and laying proper pipes for that purpose.

Sir Charles, upon my difcourfe with him about my scheme, not only expreffed his approbation of it, but favoured me with the following letter to Sir Jacob Ackworth, furveyor of his Majefty's naval works.

SIR,

THE

HE bearer hereof, Mr Sutton, has found out a method to extract the foul air out of the wells of ships, which will be of great ufe for preferving the lives of the men aboard his Majefty's fhips. He will be willing to talk with you, if an experiment can be made, fo that he may not lofe the benefit of the in

vention.

Dd 2

I

I accordingly waited on Sir Jacob, who ordered me to come to him again, five days after, at feven in the morning; at which time he being engaged in bufinefs, I waited at the office till evening, when he was pleased to exprefs himself to me in the following words: "Sir, I fuppofe you intend to throw air

into the wells of fhips." I answered, “No; I "propofed to draw it out by means of fire." Upon this he afked me, "if I knew how far I was to draw " it out ?" I replied, "Not fix inches: for, if I "could extract it never fo finall a distance, the in

cumbent air would prefs forward of course, and, "in fo doing, caufe a conftant changé." He admitted this. I then told him, that I waited upon him, by Sir Charles Wager's orders, in hopes that he would appoint a time for an experiment to be made of my fcheme to which he replied, " that no experiment "fhould be made, if he could hinder it."

:

Upon this disappointment, I petitioned the Lords of the Admiralty, and thereby obtained an order from them to the commiffioners of the navy, to caufe my experiment to be tried on board the Greenwich man of war, then lying at Woolwich. I forthwith

carried their Lordships order to Woolwich, and purfuant thereto, to the fatisfaction of myfelf, and all on board the Greenwich, I placed the pipes, and all things neceffary for my experiment, except the foldering of two pipes; but, whilft the folder was hot, and the plumber in readiness to folder them, a meffenger from the builder of his Majefty's yard came to order the workmen afhore. I thereupon repaired to the builder, who acquainted me, that I muft apply to the navy-board, to procure an order to have my experi

ment

ment performed on board the hulk at Woolwich. I inftantly replied, that, all the proper preparations being already completed, except the foldering of two joints, which might be done in an hour's time, I defired it might be tried immediately. But to this he made answer, that I must apply to the navy-board, in order that they might procure an order from the Lords of the Admiralty for the trying it on the hulk aforefaid. I thereupon told him, that I infifted on thofe two joints being foldered, that I might make my report to the Lords of the Admiralty, that I had faithfully executed their order: upon which, he assured me, they should be foldered that very night: but when I went on board the next day, to fee if they were foldered, I found them juft as I left them the day before.

Finding myself thus difappointed, I took a candle, and went down to the pipes, which were carried through deck, and laid under the beam, towards the well, about thirty feet in length from the copper; and, as foon as I put the candle to the ends of the pipes, they immédiately extinguished the flame: which fully convinced thofe on board of the great ufefulness of my invention. But, to my extreme furprise, I no fooner came on fhore, than I found, that the master afloat was fent from the King's yard, to take down my pipes, and plug up the holes: upon which, perceiving the obftructions my experiment would meet with, I determined to apply to fome gentlemen of the faculty of phyfic, that were proper judges of the ufefulness of my scheine.

Being no ftranger to the character of Dr Mead phyfician to his Majefty, diftinguifhed as much by his

humanity

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