tj/e ami Writings of Lavbi/zer, 8t 



titircr apparatus for decompofing water, with which,-by means 

 of iron lubes, he feparated the hydrogen from the oxygen. 

 Lavoiiier proved alfo that atmofpheric air confifts of two 

 kinds of gas, one of which is fitj and the Other unfit, for refpi- 

 ration; that the firft is oxygen, which pofleflTes the property 

 of uniting with bodies, and thereby becoming fixed ; that 

 this fubftance combines with metals during their oxidation, 

 and with combutlible bodies when in a ftate of combuftion ; 

 and that in the firft cafe a metallic calx is produced, and in 

 the laft an acid, which is of a different nature according to 

 the kind of the inflammable body^ On this depends the 

 whole theory of combuftion, of the produ6lion of acids, and 

 the divifion of natural bodies into inflammable and non- 

 inflammable. On this depends alfo the knowledge of that 

 kind of gas called formerly fixed air, but now carbonic acid 

 gas, becaufe it is produced during the combuftion of char- 

 coal, and is compounded of carbon and oxygen. 



Lavoifier, therefore, was the firft who difcovered that the 

 different kinds of gas are the refult of the folution of any fub- 

 ftance by caloric; this condu6led him to the conclufion that 

 the caloric and the matter of light, difengaged during the 

 combuftion of inflammable fubftances, does not arife from 

 them, but from the air which furrounds them, and in which 

 the combuftion takes place In this feries of experiments 

 may be claffed that made by Lavoifier on detonation, which 

 is nothing elfe than a fudden inflammation, the products of 

 which are difengaged in the gafeous form. 

 , In the year 1776, Lavoifier by means of Turgot Was ap- 

 pointed fuperintendant of the powder manufa^flory,' in order 

 to improve that art; and this he did fo effectually, that the 

 powder manufactured under his infpeCtion was capable of 

 driving a mufli:et-ball to the diftance of i^o fathoms, whereas 

 that made before was capable of driving it only to the di- 

 ftance of 90 fathoms.^ In the war of 1765, the Englifh 

 bullets rej^ched our veffels from a diftance at which ours 

 could not reach them ; but in the war of 1778 the cafe waf» 

 reverfed. In the year 1788 he was In great danger of lofing 

 his life in confequence of an explofion whiqh took placa 

 during fome experiments then made at Eflbnc. 



Vol. IX. L All 



