$(5 FRETENDED NEW METAL; PALLADIUNf. 



metal, was to be fold at Mr. Forfler's, in Gerrard-ftreet* 

 The mode adopted to make known a difcovery of fo much 

 importance, without the name of any creditable perfon except 

 the vender, appeared to me unufual in fcience, and was not 

 calculated to inlpire confidence. It was therefore with a view 

 to deted vyhat I conceived to be an im^pofition, that I pro- 

 cured a fpecimen, and undertook fome experiments to learn 

 it properties and nature. 

 Its general pro- I had not proceeded very far, when I perceived that the 

 ^' "• effe61s produced by this fubfiance, upon the various tefls, 



were fuch as could not be referred, in toto, to any of the 

 known metallic fubftances. limmediatelyreturnedtoMr.Forfter, 

 ^nd became poflefTed of the whole quantity which had been 

 Jeft in his hands for fale. I could not obtain any information 

 as to its natural ftate, or any trace that might lead to a pro- 

 bable conje6lure. 

 I^ummated fmall The fubflance had been worked by art : it had been rolled 

 pieces.^ p^j jj^ flatting-mills ; and was offered for fale in fpecimens 



ponfifting of thin laminae. The largeft of them were about 

 three inches in length, and half an inch in breadth, weighing 

 on the average 25 grs. and were fold for one guinea. The 

 other laminae were fraaller, in proportion to the price, 

 roliih", like Subjefled to the fame treatment as platina, to procure a 



p. tina: Elafti- poJifl^efj furfacCj, palladium aOumed an appearance fcarcely to 

 Flexibility con^ be dlftinguiflied from that metal. The lamince were not very 

 iiderabic. Spe- ^igf^i^^ but were very flexible, and could be bent feveral times 

 differing in the "^ Qppofitc dirc^ions without breaking. The fpecific gravity, 

 fpecimens. I found to differ not a little from that which is flated in the 



printed notice, and to vary confiderably in different fpecimens. 

 Some pieces of this fubf^ance were as low as 10,972, whil^ 

 others gave i 1,482. 



" 3. If you evaporate the folution, you get a red calx that difFolves 

 *' in fplrit of fait or other acids. 4. It is thrown down by quick- 

 ** filver, and hy all the metals but gold, platina, and filver. 5. Its 

 ** fpecific gravity by hammering, was only 11.3; but by flatting, 

 ^* as much as 11.8. 6. In a common fire the face of it tarnifhes 

 *i a little, and turns blue, but comes bright again, like other noble 

 •' metals, on being ftronger heated, 7. The greatefl: heat of j^ 

 ** blackfmith's fire would hardly melt it; 8. But if you touch it, 

 ** while hot, with a fmall bit of fulphur, it runs as eafily as zinc, 

 ** It is fold only by Mr. Forfter, at No. 26, Gerrard-ftreet, 

 " Soho, London; in famples of five (hillings, half a guinea, and 

 *.* one guinea eacl^/* 



