on various Objects. £5 



have experimented upon, in acting upon muriatic acid gas, 

 evolve the same quantity of hydrogen, and all form dry 

 muriates ; so that any theory of metallization, applicable 

 to potash and soda, must likewise apply to the common 

 metallic oxides. If we assume the existence of water in 

 the potash, formed in muriatic acid gas, we must likewise 

 infer its existence in the oxides of iron and mercury, pro- 

 duced in similar operations. 



The solution of the general question concerning the 

 presence of hydrogen in all inflammable bodies, will un- 

 doubtedly be influenced by the decision upon the nature of 

 the amalgam from ammonia, and a matter of so much im- 

 portance ought not to be hastily decided upon. The diffi- 

 culty of finding any multiple of the quantity of oxygen, 

 which may be supposed to exist in hydrogen, that might 

 be applied to explain the composition of nitrogen from the 

 same basis, is undoubtedly against the simplest view of the 

 subject. But still the phlogistic explanation, that the me- 

 tal of ammonia is merely a compound of hydrogen and 

 nitrogen ; or that a substance which is metallic can be 

 composed from substances not in their own nature metallic, 

 is equally opposed to the general tenour of our chemical 

 reasonings. 



I shall not at present occupy the time of the Society by 

 entering any further into these discussions ; hypothesis can 

 scarcely be considered as of any value, except as leading to 

 new experiments; and the objects in the novel field of 

 electrochemical research have not been sufficiently ex- 

 amined to enable to decide upon their nature, and their 

 relations, or to form any general theory concerning them 

 which is likely to be permanent. 



Explanation of the Figures, 



Fig. 1. The apparatus for electrizing potassium in gases, 

 A the glass tube. B the wire negatively electrified. C 

 and D the cup and wire posicivelv electrified. 



Fig. 2. The apparatus for decomposing water, out of 

 the contact of air, page 20. AA the cones containing the 

 water. BBB the tubes for conveying the gas. C and D 

 the pneumatic apparatus. 



Fig. 3. The apparatus for decomposing and recompos- 

 >ng water under oil. CC the wires for communicating the 

 Voltaic electricity. DD the \\4res for producing the ex- 

 plosion. B the tube. A the vessel containing it. a, d, c, 

 the level of the different fluids. 



Fig. 4. The apparatus for exposing water to the action 



©** 



