of Benzoate of Copper. 



The silver salt was prepared by double decomposition. The 

 ajjpearance of its crystals was exactly that of benzoate of 

 silver. 



I. 0-4287 grm. salt dried at 100° C, gave 0'202 metallic 

 silver = 50-67 per cent, oxide. 



II. 0-6175 salt gave 0*289 silver = 50-33 per cent, oxide. 

 The calculated quantity of oxide of silver in the benzoate, 



with the atomic weight of carbon at 75, is 50-68 per cent. 



The neutral compound dissolves in sulphuric acid with the 

 assistance of heat; the solution has a greenish-yellow colour. 

 Nitric acid also i-eadily attacks it and converts it into benzoic 

 acid. 



Action of Chlorine on the neutral body. 



The compound was kept melted in a tube, and a stream of 

 dry chlorine gas was sent through it for six days till it was 

 completely saturated. It soon assumed a deep yellow colour, 

 and retained a semifluid consistence at an ordinary tempera- 

 lure, thus evidently consisting of a mixture of a liquid and a 

 solid crystalline substance. When cooled down to nearly 32° 

 F. it became quite solid. Its smell was exceedingly pungent 

 and offensive, bringing tears into the eyes very readily. The 

 pasty mass was gently heated for some time to remove adhe- 

 ring chlorine, and then dried in vacuo over sulphuric acid and 

 quicklime. 



I. 0*3765 grm. substance, burned with hydrate of lime to 

 determine the amount of chlorine, gave 045 15 chloride of 

 silver = 29'59 per cent, chlorine. 



II. 0-3144, burned with chromate of lead, gave 061 6 car- 

 bonic acid and 0-0916 water = 53*43 percent. C. and 3*23 H. 



As the substance analysed was evidently a mixture of two 

 compounds, I proceeded to separate them by pressing the 

 pasty mass between folds of blotting-paper, which absorbed 

 and removed the greater portion of the fluid body. The solid 

 portion was then repeatedly dissolved in anhydrous aether, in 

 which it was very soluble. On the evaporation of the aether, 

 it was deposited in large flat shining crystals, which had a very 

 faint smell, not at all disagreeable, and somewhat resembling 

 that of the solid chloride of carbon, though not so strong. 

 When sublimed, it formed flat four-sided prisms, which were 

 iridescent like the crystals of chlorate of potash. Its melting- 



