a Beck on Salt Storms, &c. 
Other facts of a similar nature might be collected, but these 
it is presumed are sufficient to characterize the state of the 
atmosphere during that storm. 
- Several interesting inquiries arise from the consideration of 
the foregoing facts. 
- 4. In what way does the salt -exist in the atmosphere in 
these storms? On this point there are two different opinions. 
The most prevalent is, that it is merely the spray of the sea 
driven onward by the force of the wind. ‘This opinion has 
received the sanction of Sir Joseph Banks,* and also of Sir 
Humphry Davy, if we may judge from an incidental expres- 
sion in his Agricultural Chemistry-1 Another opinion is, 
that muriate of soda is continually rising into the atmosphere 
from the surface of the ocean, and thatthe air, in all maritime 
situations, is thus constantly more or less impregnated with salt. 
The most striking fact in support of this doctrine, (so opposite 
to the commonly received views on the subject of the evapo 
ration of sea water) is the actual existence of muriate of soda 
in the rain and snow which fall in the vicinity of the ocean.§ 
The experiments of Vogel and Bouillon Lagrange, on the 
distillation of sea water, are also in favor of the position, that 
salt may be carried into the air in the ordinary process of 
evaporation. On distilling salt water they found a considera- 
ble quantity of muriate of soda in the received 1257 2 
Linnean Transactions. Vol. VIII. p. 280. 1 P. 839. Lond, ed. 
t Maintained by Dr. Mitchill. 
§ My friend, Dr. John Torrey, has favored me with the following results of 
some experiments, which he made at my request upon the last snow whieh fell. 
“A pint and a balf of snow water was reduced by evaporation toa few drops: 
Gn testing this with vegetable blue infusions no alteration of color took place- 
‘ te 7 a a a 1} - f +. of a solidre- 
pure pain water 
ipitate. Nitrate 
thick with 
oA 
ral 
o 
5 
Bi 
_ = or 7 
2 pape! pad . 4 . 
siduum was obtained. This was redissolved in as lig ity 
aa: ¢ tact bp FBS Bey | ay - . . 
p 9 or any prec 
G piu 
} e 
of silver p hite précipitat p that the solution was 
it. 2 lect of soda produced no effect. The transparency of a soluti 
mufiate of barytes was not disturbed by it. These experiments prove, that a 
free acid does not existin snow water, but that the muriatic exists in it eomb in- 
ed with an alkali, which is most probably soda.” 
Free muria- 
|| Mr. J. Murray, of London, considers this to be @ mistake. ; 
t.— Ele 
tie acid, and not muriate of soda, he says will be found in the recipien 
mints of Chemistry. Part I. p. 212. “Lond. ed. 1818. 
