222 SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



a precipitated obtained from the former by muriate of barytes. 

 Tiie muriate of lead is foluble in water, and may be almoft en- 

 tirely decompofed by fulphuric acid, which forms fulphate o£ 

 lead. 

 Another in- This fa6l deferves to be carefully examined with relation to, 



ftancemthe ^ t j, e pj a y f affinities ; and it may be of importance in the 

 .nwnial galena, analyfis of mineral and metallic < fubftances. In fact, it an 

 alloy contain a (mall quantity of lead, and it were neceffary, 

 in order to dilfqlve the alloy, to employ the nitro-muriatic acid, 

 it would be very potlible, and I have found it fo, that fuU, 

 phuric acid would not indicate the prefence of lead. The 

 following is another inftance : If an antimonial galena be 

 treated with nitric acid and fulphate of lead thus formed, this 

 lafl would be decompofed by the muriatic oil (qu. acid ?) which 

 might be employed to take up the oxide of antimony, and 

 the muriate of lead would remain diflblved after the addition 

 of water. If care were not taken to examine the filtered 

 liquor, a lofs would be experienced which it would be difficult 

 to account for. 



Extract of a Letter from Naples, dated Auguft 13. 



mm 



'•■ r 



THUS. 



Account of the V Yefterday at ten o'clock at night, the eruption of Vefu- 

 iate eruption of y - mSi G f which the earthquake feemed to be the forerunner, 

 took place. We were going to vifit the cfater when the cries 

 of the people and a volume of flame informed us that the 

 volcano had opened. The lava precipitated itfelf in three 

 feconds from the lalt peak of the mountain and took a direction 

 towards the valley, (ituated between Torre del Greco and 

 Torre del 1'Annunziata, two towns on the fea coaft, beyond 

 jPortici, and feven or eight miles from Naples. - 



We fet off immediately to fee this wonderful and tremen- 

 dous phenomenon nearer. From the place of our departure, 

 we faw the whole courfe of the lava, which extended nearly; 

 two miles, from the crater to the houfes that join the two 

 towns. The fight was the mod magnificently frightful that 

 could be feen. I contemplated the cafcades ol flame pouring 

 from the top cf the mountain, and fliuddercd at feeing an 

 immenfe torrent of fire ravage the fineft fields, overthrow 

 houfes, and deftroy in a lew. minutes the hopes and refoarces- 

 «f a hundred families. 



A line 



