MABERY. — SULPHUR PETROLEUMS. 51 



amounts of alumiuic and ferric oxides, besides a trace of magnesic 

 oxide. A determiuation of its bromine absorption gave 37.70 ^ler 

 cent. 



Nitrogen was determined in each variety of coke, and in several 

 samples of crude oil by the Kjeldahl method : — 



Coke from crude oil 0.38 



Coke from tar distillate 0.31 



Petrolia crude 0.16 



Oil Springs 0.18 



Oil Springs gas oil 0.21 



Sulphur was determined in the two varieties of coke, and in a speci- 

 men of crude paraffine wax : — 



Coke from crude oil 0.76 



Coke from tar distillate 0.76 



Crude paraffine wax 0.97 



When it is remembered that this coke in the process of carboniza- 

 tion had been exposed to a temperature closely approaching a red 

 heat, it is not easy to understand how it could retain so large a pro- 

 portion of nitrogen and sulphur. If the ash was sufficient in quantity, 

 the presence of metallic cyanides and sulphides might be assumed. 

 But 0.07 per cent of ash is not sufficient to account for such a high 

 percentage of sulp.hur. Moreover, careful tests foiled to show the 

 presence of either suljjhides or cyanides. In determinations of sulphur 

 by combustion in air, we have frequently found that the carbon must 

 be completely burned, otherwise the percentage of sulphur is too low. 



With the purpose of ascertaining the mineral constituents of Cana- 

 dian petroleum I procured a specimen of coke from the distillation of 

 the crude oil, and another from the coking of a tar distillate. Since 

 finely divided mineral matter is frequently held in suspension in the 

 crude oil long after it is taken from the well, it might be inferred that 

 the ash from the crude oil should consist in part of suspended material. 

 The specimen selected was a part of a large fragment, one side of 

 which had evidently been carbonized in contact with the bottom of the 

 still. The portion for analysis was taken from the opposite side, which 

 had evidently been carbonized several inches above the bottom. The 

 residue from combustion in oxygen corresponded in the crude oil coke 

 to 0.17 per cent, and in the coke from the tar distillate to 0.07 per 

 cent. These quantities of ash correspond to 0.012 per cent in the 

 crude oil. An examination of the ash showed that it was composed of 



