276 EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND, 



that a light powdery substance, like muriate of ammonia, inde- 

 pendent of its chemical attraction, absorbs water hygrometri- 

 cally. Mr. Davy has informed me, that this is the case, and 

 that muriate of ammonia so made, absorbs so much, that it 

 even deliquesces." And lastly, " Mr. Murray's confidence in 

 his result, which is opposed by several facts relative to muriate 

 of ammonia, is to me more surprising than the result itself." 

 When assertions and conclusions have been advanced in thil 

 unqualified manner, which the result of investigation proves to 

 be wholly incorrect, it is but justice to recall them for a mo- 

 ment to notice j and when such a style of controversy has been 

 indulged in, it is not uncandid to suggest the reflection, how 

 much more becoming would have been a more modest and tem- 

 perate tone. I shall refrain from farther animadversion on a 

 topic ungrateful in itself, and too unimportant to claim any 

 protracted discussion. 



With the highest respect, 

 I remain 

 Your most obedient Servant, 

 J. MURRAY. 



r 



V. 



On the Explosive Compound of Chlorine andAxote. 

 (Concluded from p. 190.) 



To Mr. Nicholson. 

 SIR, 

 N conformity with our promise made to you in our former 

 communication, we resume the account of our experiments 

 with the explosive compound. 

 Globule of the A g loDule or " tne compound was placed under water, between 

 compound ex- the ends of two platina wires, coated with glass excepting the 

 water tovoT- P omts i one of tnese wires communicated with the positive, 

 taiam. and the other with the negative end of a voltaic trough, con- 



taining 50 pairs of six-inch plates, excited by weak muriatic 

 No effect nn- acid. The globule appeared to be little, if at all, affected by 

 cumstoncoT the current of the electric fluid, of which, we are inclined to 

 believe, it is not a conductor : small bubbles of gas rose from it 



occa- 





