KUNCKEL (John), a celebrated Saxon chemist, born in the duchy of Sleswick, in 1630. He became chemist to the elector of Saxony, the elector of Brandenburg, and Charles II. king of Sweden, who gave him the title of counsellor in metals, and letters of nobility, with the surname of Lowensfeing. He employed 50 years in chemistry; in which, by the help of the furnace of a glass-house which he had under his care, he made several excellent discoveries, particularly of the phosphorus of urine. He died in Sweden in 1702; and left several works, some in German, and others in Latin: among which, that intitled Observationes Chemicae, and the "Art of making Glass," printed at Paris in 1752, are the most esteemed.
KURIL or KURILSKI ISLES, extending from N. Lat. 51. to 45. which probably once lengthened the peninsula of Kamchatka before they were convulsed from it, are a series of islands running south from the low promontory Lopatka, between which and Shooska the most northerly is only the distance of one league. On the lofty Paramouser, the second in the chain, is a high-peaked mountain probably volcanic; and on the fourth, called Araumakutan, is another volcano. On Urusa there is another; on Storgu there are two; and on Kunatir, or Kaunachir, there is one. These three make part of the group which passes under the name of the land of Yso. Japan abounds with volcanoes; so that there is a series of spiracles from Kamchatka to Japan, the last great link of this extensive chain.—The Russians soon annexed these islands to their conquests. The sea abounded with otters, and the land with bears and foxes; and some of the isles sheltered the sable: temptations sufficient for the Russians to invade these islands; but the rage after the furs of the sea otters has been so great, that they are become extremely scarce both here and in Kamchatka.