134 Anal^ts of ManachatiiU from Boian^ Bay, 



red by the various treatments. But although red oxide of iron is eafily foluble in this fait, 

 it is not fufficicntly fo to anfwer the purpofe, when oxide of titanium is prefent. Such ia- 

 ftances of the inefficacy of methods, as analytic means, although the primitive fa£ls upon 

 which they are founded are rigidly true, are frequent in chymiftry ; and indeed it may 

 almoft be faid, that no two fubftances come in contaft, without producing a reciprocal 

 change in their properties. Hence we muft be contented to make flow progrefs in the 

 art of analyfis; and perhaps there may be an inherent principle in the chymical nature of 

 all bodies, that will long impede our way to abfolute precifion. I was therefore obliged to 

 Tcnounce this method. 



I had perceived that phofphorlc and arfenic acids formed a precipitate in fulphate of 

 titanium, while neither of thefe acids produced any alteration in fulphate of iron. I there- 

 fore precipitated, by phofphorlc acid, an intire folution of the fand in fulphuric acid, and 

 iy that means operated as good a feparation of the oxides of iron, and of titanium, as is 

 generally obtained in chymical procefles. But we are ignorant of the quantity of titanium 

 contained in falts of this metal, or in its oxide ; for as yet it has never been obtained in 

 fulHclent abundance, reduced to the metallic ftate ; and we have not been able to deter- 

 mine the proportion of oxigen that it may take up in its different ftages of oxidation. But 

 I had found about eleven of filica, and forty-nine of black oxide of iron. The remainder 

 muft therefore be oxide of titanium, and the proportions in the quintal will ftand thus : 



Silica - - - - u 



Oxide of iron - - 49 



Oxide of titanium - - 40 



100 

 ■proportions which differ but little from the Cornlfli manachanite. Some allowance, how- 

 ever, fliould be made for the inevitable lofs. 



The degree of fire neceffary to operate a perfe£t redudlion of titanium^ exceeds what we 

 have been able to produce. At leaft neither Mr. Klaproth nor Mr. Vauquelin appears to 

 have fucceeded in obtaining any large quantity. 



I have never been fo fortunate as to obtain this metal reduced and pure, except in fmall 

 fpicula, dlffeminated through the flux I had ufed ; therefore not in a ftate fit to be fub- 

 jefted to experiment ; but I have obtained it, combined with another fubftance, and with- 

 out the aid of any alloy. I mixed with charcoal fome phofphate of titanium, and, having 

 added a flux of borax, put it into a double Heffian crucible well luted, and expofed the 

 whole to a violent heat in a forge, into which the wind was impelled through four holes, 

 and by two pair of bellows heavily loaded. After giving at firft a gentle heat, increafing 

 it by degrees for three quarters of an hour, and then fuddenly raifing it as high as I could 

 raife it by the above apparatus, and maintaining at the fame degree for half an hour, the 

 crucible was withdrawn and broken. The upper crucible, which ferved as cover to the 

 whole, was lined with a fliining metallic coat, and a metallic button was found in the 



bottom. 



