Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 393 



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it; the storm begun about 9 p.m., and continued until 12, but the 

 rain did not begin till 1 1 . The whole of the shower which followed 

 was characterized by the wave-like intensity of the falling rain ; 

 first the shower began very violently, and gradually got less intense 

 until succeeded by another sudden increase, and during the whole 

 storm this increase and decrease could be distinctly marked. I also 

 noticed a similar circumstance at Redcar in July, and can most cer- 

 tainly bear witness that in many instances the increase of rain pre- 

 ceded the flash of lightning, and this occurred many times in suc- 

 cession. If from observation we find the rain during thunder-storms 

 has this peculiar characteristic, we may safely consider that rain has 

 something to do with the production of electricity, but as yet our 

 observations are so limited, that it would be unsafe to attempt to 

 form any theory ; but we may hope the phaenomenon will be observed 

 by others, and also that they will make their conclusions known, and 

 ultimately we may be led to a new meteorological fact. 



ON A COMPOUND OF SULPHUROUS ACID AND WATER. 

 BY M. DCEPPING. 



If sulphurous acid gas, previously washed to get rid of sulphuric 

 acid, be passed into a bottle containing distilled water, kept cold by 

 ice, a crystallized substance is formed when a large quantity of sul- 

 phurous acid has been absorbed. 



At a temperature a little above that of melting ice, these crystals 

 re-dissolve in the surrounding water ; but if the bright liquor be ex- 

 posed to a temperature somewhat below the point of congelation, 

 the crystals are again formed in masses consisting of cubes heaped 

 upon each other. 



These crystals may be separated from the liquor at — 3° C, and 

 may be dried in paper preserved in a perfectly dry phial. Between 

 — • 1° and — 2°*6, they begin to moisten, liquefy and eventually disen- 

 gage sulphurous acid. If an attempt be made to dry by the aid of 

 sulphuric acid under a receiver, at a temperature of — 5°, they de- 

 compose ; their water is gradually attracted by the sulphuric acid, 

 and sulphurous acid is disengaged. 



In order to determine the proportion of water and sulphurous acid 

 in these cubic crystals, they were separated from the liquor by a 

 funnel at the temperature —3° to —4° C. ; and after they had been 

 well drained, they were submitted to slight pressure in filtering 

 paper and dried as much as possible. The dried substance was 

 weighed in a closed tube at a temperature below 0° C, excess of 

 strong solution of chlorine was added to it, and the solution was di- 

 gested for some time. By means of chloride of barium the quantity 

 of sulphuric acid was determined in the form of sulphate of barytes. 



I. 2' 157 grms. pressed in filtering paper gave r888 of sulphate 

 of barytes. 



II. r424 gnn. of the same crystals yielded r330 of sulphate of 

 barytes. 



III. 1*625 grm. of these crystals, dried and kept for about 10 



