- [ a89 ] 



tained 573 of real acid, and this quantity entered into the 1856 

 grains of neutral falc, it follows that by fubftrading 573 from 

 1856 the remainder will exhibit the weight of the alkali, namely, 

 1283 grains. 



It muft be allowed that this is a very indiredt and improper me- 

 thod of difcovcring the real quantity of mild alkali in the alkaline 

 folution, for it comes loaded with the inaccuracies attending the 

 two previous determinations, that of the real quantity of lime, 

 from which that of the marine acid is inferred, and that of the 

 marine acid, from which this laft determination is deduced ; be- 

 fides, if any muriated tartarin exifted in the alkaline folution, as 

 it often does, it would efcapc this method and could not be de- 

 teded. 



But a more apparent objedion lies to it; if 1586 grains of mu- 

 riated tartarin contain only 573 of real acid, then 100 grains of 

 this fait would contain only 30,86 ; now if any thing be well 

 proved in my effay, it is affuredly the affertion, that 100 grains 

 of this fait contain nearly 36 of real acid, being confirmed by 

 the experiments on falited filver, and the decompofition of com- 

 mon fait, therefore Richter's determination is erroneous, by allow- 

 ing to this fait too fmall a proportion of acid. 



But if we determine the quantity of alkali in the 5760 grains 



of alkaline folution by the quantity of real marine acid it was able 



Vol. VII. O o to 



