Now, that the Charring or coaling of a body is nothing else, may be easily
believ'd by one that shall consider the means of its production, which may
be done after this, or any such manner. The body to be charr'd or coal'd,
may be put into a _Crucible_, Pot, or any other Vessel that will endure to
be made red-hot in the fire without breaking, and then cover'd over with
Sand, so as no part of it be suffer'd to be open to the Air, then set into
a good fire, and there kept till the Sand has continu'd red hot for a
quarter, half, an hour or two, or more, according to the nature and bigness
of the body to be coal'd or charr'd, then taking it out of the fire, and
letting it stand till it be quite cold, the body may be taken out of the
Sand well charr'd and cleans'd of its waterish parts; but in the taking of
it out, care must be had that the Sand be very neer cold, for else, when it
comes into the free air, it will take fire, and readily burn away.
This maybe done also in any close Vessel of Glass, as a _Retort_, or the
like, and the several fluid substances that come over may be receiv'd in a
fit _Recipient_, which will yet further countenance this _Hypothesis_: And
their manner of charring Wood in great quantity comes much to the same
thing, namely, an application of a great heat to the body, and preserving
it from the free access of the devouring air; this may be easily learn'd
from the History of Charring of Coal, most excellently describ'd and
publish'd by that most accomplish'd Gentleman, Mr.
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