Progress of Foreign Science. 307 



as we know by indubitable experiments ; and, what reason is 

 there to fancy or to assert, that on putting any of these chlo- 

 rides into water, the oxygen of the latter displaces the chlorine, 

 which goes to the liberated hydrogen to form muriatic acid ? 

 In fact, the water quietly combines with a chloride as it does 

 with an oxide ; so that the ghost is entirely of their own raising, 

 and they may lay it at their leisure. If heat be applied, indeed, 

 then a decomposition may be induced under new circumstances, 

 as happens with some peculiar chlorides. 



The jealousy of English predominance in European affairs, 

 which was somewhat natural, and perhaps excusable in a 

 military and political point of view during the late war, is quite 

 absurd and ludicrous, as now displayed by many eminent 

 continental chemists with regard to the theory of che- 

 mical equivalents, or the English atomic theory. Berzelius 

 and many other philosophers, whom we could name, still con- 

 tinue to refer all their analyses of oxides and salts to a sup- 

 posed principle, that the oxygen in the oxides is a sub-mul- 

 tiple, by a whole number, of the oxygen in the acids. Now, 

 this shews a very limited and imperfect comprehension of the 

 general laws of equivalent combination, as taught by Mr. 

 Dalton, and as represented on Dr. Wollaston's scale. In fact, 

 that supposed principle of Berzelius, is merely a partial and 

 accidental corollary of the great system of chemical proportions. 

 Thus, as carbonic acid contains two atoms or proportions of 

 oxygen, its combinations with protoxides will give the ratio of 

 oxygen in it, to that in them, of two to one ; but with deut- 

 oxides, the ratio of equal quantities. Again, as sulphuric acid 

 contains 3 atoms or proportions of oxygen ; its combinations 

 with protoxides will furnish the ratio of oxygen in it, to that 

 in these bases, of three to one ; but with deutoxides, the ratio 

 of 3 to 2, or 1^ to 1. And, as nitric acid contains 5 atoms 

 or proportions of oxygen, its combinations with protoxides 

 will give the ratio of oxygen in it, to that in these bases, of 5 

 to 1 ; but with deutoxides, the ratio of 5 to 2 ; or 2 V to 1 ; or 

 that of 1 to 0.4. Hence this partial conception and imperfect 

 representation of the theory of equivalents, leads to very con- 

 fused and perplexing results, which we altogether avoid, by 

 tracing up the ratio for every simple or compound body, 

 directly to its place in the general scale of proportions. 



We shall give an example or two from a very recent and 

 otherwise very valuable paper of Berzelius, " on the composition 

 of several inorganic combinations, which serve as the base 

 of calculations, relative to the theory of chemical proportions *." 

 " Bucholz found by a scries of very exact experiments, that 

 the sulphuret of molybdenum contains 60 parts of metal to 40 

 of sulphur ; and, that these 60 parts of metal absorb 30 parts 



* Annates «1« Chim. ct ile I'livsiciiiu, Tonic XVII, |). 0", ct soci. 



