A. The _hydrogen_ of the water will burn with a _flame_; and the _oxygen_ of the water will increase the _intensity_ of that flame. Q. _If a house be on fire, is too LITTLE water worse than NO water at all?_ A. Certainly. Unless the water be supplied so plentifully as _to quench the fire_, it will increase the _intensity_, like fuel. Q. _When will water EXTINGUISH FIRE?_ A. When the supply is so rapid and abundant, that the fire cannot _convert it into steam_. Q. _Does not a very LITTLE water SLACKEN the heat of fire?_ A. Yes, _till it is converted into steam_; but then it increases the _intensity_ of fire, and acts like fuel. Q. _Why does the WICK of a candle (when the flame has been blown out) CATCH FIRE so readily?_ A. As the wick is already _very hot_, a little _extra_ heat will throw it into flame. Q. _Why does the EXTRA heat revive the flame?_ A. Because it again liberates the _hydrogen_ of the tallow, and ignites it. Q. _Cannot WOOD be made to BLAZE without actual contact with fire?_ A. Yes; if a piece of wood be held _near_ the fire for a little time it will blaze, even though it does not _touch_ the fire. Q. _Why will WOOD BLAZE, even if it does not touch the fire?_ A. The heat of the fire _drives out the hydrogen gas_ of the wood; which is inflamed by contact with the red-hot coals. Q. _Why will a NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE sometimes CATCH FIRE, though no flame of the burning house ever touches it?_ A. The heat of the burning house sets at liberty _the hydrogen gas_ of the neighbouring wood-work, which is ignited by the flames or red-hot bricks of the house on fire. Q. _What is COKE?_ A. Coal freed from its volatile gases, by the action of artificial heat. Q. _Why do ARNOTT'S STOVES sometimes SMELL so strong of SULPHUR?_ A. The fire is made of coke, which contains sulphur; and, whenever the draught is not rapid enough _to drive the sulphur up the flue_, it is emitted into the room. Q. _What is meant by SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION?_ A. Ignition produced by the action of _one uninflamed_ body on another. Q. _Give an example of spontaneous combustion._ A. Goods packed in a warehouse will often catch fire of _themselves_; especially such goods as cotton, flax, hemp, rags, &c. Q. _Why do such GOODS sometimes CATCH FIRE of themselves?_ A. Because they are piled together in very _great masses_ in a _damp_ state or place. Q. _Why does this produce spontaneous combustion?_ A. The damp produces _decay_ or the decomposition of the goods, and the great heat of the piled-up mass makes the decaying goods _ferment_. Q. _How does this FERMENTATION produce COMBUSTION?_ A. During fermentation, _carbonic acid gas_ is given off by the goods,--a slow combustion ensues,--till at length the _whole pile_ bursts into _flame_. Q. _Why is the HEAT of a LARGE MASS of goods GREATER than that of a smaller quantity?_