On some new Electrochemical Researches, 17 



negative signs would thus become unnecessary, and no con- 

 fusion could arise from their use; while on the other hand, 

 every true friend of science and accuracy, will naturally ad- 

 here to the divisions in use, as answering their intended ends, 

 although not in the best or most perfect manner; and set 

 their face against imperfectly contrived changes. 



It would have been desirable, in the last note at bottom 

 of page 420, that Mr. R. Walker had pointed out a material 

 circumstance affecting the uses of mercurial and alcoholial 

 thermometers, viz. the very different periods of time ne- 

 cessary, for each to act in, or acquire and indicate the 

 temperature of any medium under experiment. — See the 

 Monthly Magazine, vol. xvii. p. 213. 

 I am ; sir, 



Yours, &c. 



JulyS, 1810. LONDINENSIS. 



IV. The Baker ian Lecture for 1 80 9. On some new Elec- 

 trochemical Researches on various Objects, particularly 

 the metallic Bodies, from the Alkalies, and Earths, 



' and on some Combinations of Hydrogen, By Hum- 

 phry Davf, Esq. Sec.R.S. F.R.S.E. M.R.LA* 



[Continued from vol. xxxv. p. 415.] 



'ill. Experiments on Nitrogen, Ammonia, and the Amal- 

 gam from Ammonia. 



vJne of the queries that I advanced, in attempting to 

 reason upon the singular phsenomena produced by the 

 action of potassium upon ammonia, was, that nitrogen 

 might possibly consist of oxygen and hydrogen, or that it 

 might be composed from water. 



1 shall have to detail in this section a great number of 

 laborious experiments, and minute and tedious processes, 

 made with the hopes of solving this problem. My results 

 have been for the most part negative ; but I shall venture 

 to state them fully, because I hope they will tend to eluci- 

 date some points of discussion, and may prevent other che- 

 mists from pursuing the same paths of inquiry, and which 

 at first view do not appear unpromising. 



The formation of nitrogen has been often asserted to 

 take place in many processes, in which none of its known 

 combinations were concerned. 'It is not necessary to enter 

 into the discussion of the ideas entertained by the German 



* From Philosophical Transactions for 1310, Parti. 



Vol. 36. No. 147. July 1810. B chemists, 



