Proceedings of the Royal Society. 387 



afford 10 carbon + 90 chlorine ; whence it would appear to 

 consist of 



2 Proportionals of Carbon ... . 5.7 X 2 =: 11.4 



3 Ditto Chlorine 33.5 X 3 = 100.5 



111.9 



Thursday y Dec. 21. — ^The reading of Mr. Faraday's paper was 

 continued and concluded. When the perchloride of carbon is 

 passed through a red-hot tube, containing fragments of rock- 

 crystal to increase the heated surface, it gives off a portion of 

 chlorine, and is converted into a liquid protochloride of carbon. 

 This is a limpid colourless fluid, specific gravity 1.55, and not 

 combustible, except retained in the flame of the spirit-lamp, 

 when it burns with a yellow flame, much smoke, and fumes of 

 muriatic acid. It does not congeal at 0° ; it rises in vapour at 

 about 165^. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, 

 ether^ and the oils. It is not affected by the acids or alcalis, 

 nor, at common temperatures, by solutions of silver. It dis- 

 solves chlorine, iodine, sulphur, and phosphorus. It affords, 

 when decomposed, 17 carbon + 83 chlorine; whence it may 

 be inferred to consist of 



1 Proportional carbon = 5.7 



1 Ditto chlorine = 33.5 



39.2 



Mr. Faraday has also found, that when iodine and carburetted 

 hydrogen are exposed to the action of light, they combine, 

 and form a hydriodide of carbon ; and, reasoning analogically 

 upon the facts already stated, in respect to the chloride of 

 carbon, it is probable that it may lead to the discovery of an 

 iodide of carbon, but that compound has not as yet been 

 formed. 



The hydriodide of carbon is a white crystalline solid, vola- 

 tile without decomposition, and in many respects analogous to 

 the hydrochloride of carbon ; its taste is sweet, and its odour 

 aromatic. 



