XXXII. On the progressive compression of water by high degrees of force, with some trials of its effects on other fluids

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Abstract
The apparatus suggested by me in a paper read before the Royal Society the 22nd of June, 1820, on the compressibility of water, having now been completed, I will first describe its construction, and then give an account of the experiments already made with it. Fig. 1. In the accompanying drawing, Plate XX. is a view of the compressing machine, and fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, of which the following is a description. A, is a cylinder of gun metal, the length of which is 34 inches, and its external diameter 13½ inches; B, is the receiver of the compressor, being 1½ inch in diameter, and 29 inches long ; C, is the barrel of a steel pump, 8½ inches long and 1¼ inches diameter, on the outside of which a screw is cut 7 inches in length, by which it is finally united to the compressor ; D, is the chamber or caliber of the pump, 5/16 of an inch in diameter, and continuing of the same size throughout the whole length, excepting a conical enlargement at the bottom and top of the pump; the bottom cone receives the valve B when opening inwards ; F, the piston or plunger of steel, most accurately fitted to the bore of the pump, having its lower extremity hollowed out to a semi-elliptical cup, with a very thin edge, the expansion of which during the descent of the piston occasions it to be water-tight, without need of any. stuffing. The lever G, which in this view passes behind the pump, is part of the apparatus for indicating the force of compression. Fig 3, represents a section of the indicator. A, is a cylindrical tube, communicating with the receiver of the compressor, and of such dimensions that its area is equal to 1/14 of a square inch. Hence the number of pounds pressing on its piston by means of the lever G, indicates directly the number of atmospheres used for compression; since the arms of the lever are in proportion of 10 to 1, and its weight counterpoised by means of the hook O and weight, fig. 2, every pound in the scale represents 10 atmospheres of compressing force.

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