Proceedings of the Royal Society, 275 



proportional of carbon 6., and one of hydrogen 1., as is the case 

 with olefiant gas ; but these are so combined and condensed, a» to 

 occupy only one half the volume they do in that substance. A 

 volume therefore of the gas contains four proportionals of carbon 

 24, and four of hydrogen 4=28, which is its specific gravity. 



Beside the remarkable difference thus established between this 

 substance and olefiant gas, it is also distinguished by the action 

 of chlorine, which forms with it a fluid body, having a sweet 

 taste, and resembling hydro-chloride of carbon ; but from which 

 a chloride of carbon cannot be obtained by the further action of 

 chlorine and light. 



The other products from the original fluid, do not present any 

 characters so definite as the above substances ; at the same time 

 they appear to be very constant, boiling uniformly at one tempe- 

 rature. They cannot be separated by distillation into more and 

 less volatile parts, so as to afford means of reducing their number 

 to two or three particular bodies. They have the general pror 

 perties of the original fluid, and with the other products, are aU 

 peculiarly acted upon by sulphuric acid, offering phenomena, in 

 the investigation of which the author is at present engaged. 



With reference to the presence of these substances in the state 

 of vapour in oil and coal gas, the means of ascertaining it, and 

 the quantity, are pointed out, in the peculiar action of sulphuric 

 acid, causing their perfect condensation, and in the solvent 

 powers over them possessed by fixed and volatile oils, ^-c, the 

 requisite precautions for their proper application being described. 

 Oil gas was found to be saturated with many of these vapours. 

 Coal gas also contained a portion of them. 



The paper concluded with a short reference to the probable 

 uses of the fluid, as originally obtained. If put into gas burning 

 with a blue flame, it makes it produce a bright white flame,. It 

 is an excellent solvent of caoutchouc ; it will answer all the pur- 

 poses to which essential oils are applied as solvents ; and, having 

 applied that portion of it, which though at common temperatures 

 a liquid at a pressure of 2 or 3 atmospheres, is a gas under any 

 diminished pressure, as fuel to a lamp j the author has shewn 



T 2 



