Transactions of the Royal Society. 353 



32°, is all resolved into vapour or gas, which may be received and 

 preserved over mercury. 



This gas is very combustible, and burns with a brilliant flame. 

 Its specific gravity was between 27 and 28, hydrogen being 1. 

 Hence 100 cubic inches weigh nearly 57.44 grains. 



When cooled to 0°, it condensed again, and enclosed in this 

 state in a tube of known capacity, and hermetically sealed up, the 

 bulk of a given weight of the substance at common temperatures 

 was ascertained. This compared with water gave the specific 

 gravity of the liquid as 0.627 at 54°. It is, therefore, among solids 

 or liquids the lightest body known. 



This gas, or vapour, when agitated with water, is absorbed in 

 small quantities. Alcohol dissolves it in large quantity ; and a 

 solution is obtained, which, upon the addition of water, effervesces, 

 and a considerable quantity of the gas is liberated. The alcoholic 

 solution has a peculiar taste, and is neutral to test-papers. 



Olive oil dissolves about six volumes of the gas. 



Solution of alkali does not affect it; nor does muriatic acid. 



Sulphuric acid condenses the gas in very large quantity ; 1 

 volume of the acid condensing above 100 volumes of the vapour. 

 Sometimes the condensation is perfect, at other times a small 

 quantity of residual gas is left, which burns with a pale blue flame, 

 and seems to be a product of too rapid action. Great heat is pro- 

 duced during the action; no sulphurous acid is formed ; the acid 

 is much blackened, has a peculiar odour, and upon dilution gene- 

 rally becomes turbid, but no gas is evolved. A permanent com- 

 pound of the acid with carbon and hydrogen is produced, and 

 enters, as before mentioned, into combination with bases. 



By detonation with oxygen it appears that 1 volume of the 

 vapour or gas required 6 volumes of oxygen, consuming 4 of 

 them in producing 4 of carbonic acid gas, and the other 2 by 4 of 

 hydrogen to form water. Upon which view, 4 volumes or pro- 

 portionals of hydrogen = 4, are combined with 4 proportionals of 

 carbon zz 24, to form one volume of the vapour, the specific gravity 

 of which would, therefore, be 2S. Now, this is but little removed 

 from the actual specific gravity obtained by experiment. 



As the proportions of the elements in this vapour appear to 

 be the same as in olefiant gas, it became interesting to ascertain 

 whether chlorine had the same action upon it as on the latter 

 body. Chlorine and the vapour were, therefore, mixed in an 

 exhausted retort : rapid combination took place, much heat was 

 evolved, and a liquor produced resembling hydro-chloride of 

 carbon, or the substance obtained by the same process from ole- 

 fiant gas. It was transparent, colourless, and heavier than water. 

 It had the same sweet taste, but accompanied by an after aromatic 

 bitterness, very persistent. Further, it was composed of nearly 



