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mr. Hall affirmd that it was a known experiment to ^ /runne or/ Draw off
the fresh water from the top of the salt water in the brine cesternes
after raine the same remaining at the top of the brine wthout
mingling therewth. -

Dr. Croon Related an expt. of his Own tryall. wch was that by
putting a crust of bread on the top of salt water and pow
ring fresh water vpon it he found that they remained a long
time Distinct wthout mingling one wth the other.

mr. Hooke supposed that there might be a kind of precipitation or ra:
ther fixation of the salt out of the brine by the streining through
the sand it finding therein somewt of such a nature that might
mix wth it after the manner as oyle of tartar doth wth. oyle of
vitriall, from the colluctation of wch. might be produced a kind
of sand perfectly insipid. And to make this the more probable
he related it as a known obseruation at the Salturnes, that
the boyling of the aforesaid brine (which had been made by the
euaporation of seawater by the heat of the Sunn in the brinepanns)
did . . . constantly separate from the same (though perfectly cleer when
put into the ^ /square/ Iron boyler) a great quantitys of pure insipid white
sand at the fowr corners of the said Boyler. that the reason of
this separation here he supposd to proceed from the avolation of that
volatill salt which kept the said sandy substance Dissolued and floting
in the brine. that there was such a an auolation of volatill salt he
argued from the strong smell of spirit of salt in the boyling house.

vpon this Sr. Iohn Louther Related that in making salt in Lancashire vpon
the Riuer Wy, they take the sand and steep it in fresh water by wch.
meanes they dissolue a great deal of salt out of the sand then
separating the said water from the sand they boyle it vp into salt

mr. Henshaw affirmed that one might by some drops of cleer oyle of Tartar
put into very cleer spring water separate a /small -/ good quantity of eathy &
stony or earthy matter sometimes mudd sometimes chalk sometimes earth &
/sand/
Dr. Croon mentiond the keeping gold suspended in Aqua Regis and precipitating
it wth. oyle of tartar

Sr. Christopher wren supposed it /sea water/ might be made fresh by percolating the pores
of sea plants . to wch. it was answered that most of those plants tastid of salt

Ref: CELL/RS/HF_216  © Centre for Editing Lives and Letters