On adding azote and carbonic acid in different proportions to explosive mixtures of fire-damp, it was observed that, even in very small quantities, these gases diminished the velocity of the inflammation, or altogether destroyed it. In this stage of the enquiry, the important fact was discovered, that explosive mixtures could not be fired in metallic tubes of certain lengths and diameters.[32] In exploding, for instance, a mixture of one part of gas from the distillation of coal, and eight parts of air, in a tube of a quarter of an inch in diameter and A foot long, more than a second was required before the flame reached from one end of the tube to the other; and not any mixture could be made to explode in a glass tube of one-seventh of an inch in diameter. In pursuing these experiments, he found that, by diminishing its diameter, he might in the same ratio shorten the tube without danger; and that the same principle of security was obtained by diminishing the length and increasing the number of the tubes, so that a great number of small apertures would not pass explosion when their depth was equal to their diameter. This fact led him to trials upon sieves made of wire-gauze, or metallic plates perforated with numerous small holes, and he found that it was impossible to pass explosions through them.[33] [32] Mr. Tennant had, some years before, observed that mixtures of the gas, from the distillation of coal, and air, would not explode in very small tubes. Davy, however, was not aware of this at the time of his researches. [33] The apertures in the gauze should not be more than one-twentieth of an inch square. As the fire-damp is not inflamed by ignited wire, the thickness of the wire is not of importance; but wire from one-fortieth to one-sixtieth of an inch in diameter is the most convenient. In reasoning upon these several phenomena, it occurred to him, that as a high temperature was required for the inflammation of the fire-damp, and as it produced in burning, comparatively, _a small degree_ of heat, the effect of carbonic acid and azote, as well as that of the surfaces of small tubes, in preventing its explosion, depended upon their cooling powers; that is to say, upon their lowering the temperature of the exploding mixture to such a degree, that it was no longer sufficient for its continuous inflammation. In support of this theory, he ascertained that metallic tubes resisted the passage of the flame more powerfully than glass tubes of similar lengths and diameters, metal being the better conductor of heat; and that carbonic acid was more effective than azote in depriving the fire-damp of its explosive power, in consequence, as he considered, of its greater capacity for heat, and likewise of a higher conducting power connected with its greater density.