WATER IN MURIATIC ACID GAS ? J ] 



in a retort, of a similar size to that used in the experiment, sixth of a 



a single drop of water, which it may be said weighs about 1 g ram « 



grain. The appearance of condensed water in this instance in 



the neck of the retort, was much greater than in the preceding; 



he thought that it was 3 or 4 times as great. 



May we not conclude from these results, on Mr. Murray's Deduction : 



own ground of reasoning, that water is not a constituent part °f notVconati- 



irrai iatic acid gas, and that this substance is a compound merely tuent part of 



of chlorine and hydrogene ? And may we not reasonably con- jj™ 1 ^ * gas - ; 



sider that very minute portion of water, which did appear, as comp. of 



tincombined moisture derived from various sources ? It is f h,orme afld 



Jiydrogene. 

 easy to account for the presence of about ^ of a grain of water 



on the one theory; it is impossible to account for the absence of 



■8 grs. on the other. 



It has been shewn, by Dr. Henry, that ammonia obstinately 

 retains aqueous vapour j and Sir H. Davy has proved, that a 

 minute portion of solution of muriatic acid in water, may be 

 obtained by intensely cooling the gas. There is great difficulty 

 in drying mercury without boiling it ; and in the present 

 instance the mercury was not boiled. These trivial circum- 

 stances do not deserve notice, otherwise than as tending to 

 account for the very minute quantity of water obtained. It is 

 probable, judging from the past, that objections will be made, 

 and I wish to anticipate them. 



The present mode of heating the muriate of ammonia in If water na( j 

 a close retort, which had also been adopted on a former occasion, been present it 

 was objected to in a preceding number of your Journal. Mr. ^"^ iav * 

 Murray there observed, that in consequence of the air being 

 confined, it was possible that the water could not rise in vapour, 

 or at least that it was impeded in its volatilization. His reason- 

 ing was subtile, and it would have been plausible had there been 

 no circulation cf air in the vessel, and quite correct if the heat 

 employed had not been sufficient to convert the water into an 

 elastic fluid or true gas. — But in a large retort such as we used, 

 there is a circulation of air, when heat is partially applied; and the 

 heat employed was far above that required for boiling water. 

 Not to dwell on reasonings, which on controverted points are £ xper ; me nt in 

 always very justly to be suspected, I shall have recourse to fact, proof. 

 A single drop of water was introduced into a retort, about t]ie 

 same size as that employed in the experiment, and it was 



tightly 



