fl8 On a peculiar Substajice found in Nitric Acid. [March, 



it crystallized and appeared to have suffered but little change ; it 

 was soluble in alcohol and ether, as described by M. Julin. 



A portion was repeatedly subhmed in a small retort tilled with 

 chlorine, which was in several parts made red-hot, but even at 

 this high temperature, it suffered no change by the action of the 

 chlorine, and when left to cool, it reappeared in its original state 

 of small white crystals ; a minute portion was raised in vapour 

 over mercury, mixed with oxygen gas, and detonated by the 

 electric spark ; no charcoal was separated, and we found that an 

 excess of oxygen had been employed. The volume of residual 

 gas was precisely equal to that of the oxygen employed. This 

 zas, excepting a small portion of pure oxygen, was absorbed by 

 hme water, in which it caused a white precipitate, and conse* 

 quently it appeared to be carbonic acid gas. This experiment 

 was several times repeated with similar results. 



A small quantity of this substance was passed in vapour over 

 red-hot peroxide of copper ; a considerable portion was volati- 

 hzed without being decomposed ; the gas obtained from that 

 part which suffered decomposition possessed the characters of 

 carbonic acid. 



The very minute quantity of the substance which remainwd 

 prevented any further attemp to examine its nature; and the 

 knowledge we have of the mode and circumstances of its forma- 

 tion has not been sufficient to enable us to form it. 



Althoujyh it would be premature to give a strong opinion as 

 to the nature of this substance, yet the striking peculiarities it 

 presents with heat, chlorine, and oxygen, have made us anxious 

 to form some idea of its composition. We are acquainted with no 

 compound of hydrogen that would present similar phenomena 

 when heated in chlorine gas, nor do any of the compounds of 

 carbon exhibit the same results with oxygen gas. 



The substance in question may possibly be a compound of 

 carbon with oxyi>,en and hydrogen, in the proportions required 

 to form water, and the circumstance of there being change of 

 volume on detonation with oxygen gas, might, on this supposi- 

 tion, be accounted for; but it is difficult to suppose that such a 

 compound would pass through a red-hot tube, or sufier exposure 

 to a led heat on chlorine gas without decomposition. 



It may be allovved us to remark, in the uncertainty which we 

 feel respecting the nature of this substance, that the appearances 

 which it presents would agree with the idea of its being a simple 

 body : in this case, it may be either a new form of carbon, or a 

 peculiar substance analogous to carbon. We venture, however^ 

 tiiese ideas without putting any confidence in them. We enter- 

 tain hopes of being able to procure more of the substance, and 

 we shall then examine its properties with minute attention, anid 

 determine the characters of the products which it gives by deto- 

 nation and other modes of treatment. 



