25-S Cn the Production of Muriates. 



the further investigation of the subject on which I then 

 uTotc voir. 



In niy first letter, (vol. xxi. p. ejO.) dated the 23d of 

 April last, I informed you, hrlefiv, that by decomposing, by 

 means of Galvanisnt, about one-half of a whole pint which 

 I employed of distilled water, I had obtained in the remain- 

 ing water a quantity of muriate of soda. In my letter 

 of the 4th of June I informed you, that on repectting the 

 same experiment with water formed by the combustion ot 

 hydrogen with oxvgen <ras, saturated with lime to free il 

 from some free nitric acid with which it was found tinc- 

 tured, and then distilled, I had, instead of muriate of soda, 

 as in the. former experiment, obtained muriate of potash. 



The experiments which I am now to stale, were under- 

 taken, 



1st, To determine whether the difference in the result 

 of the before- mentioned experiments was owing in any 

 degree to my having employed lime to neutralize the water 

 employed in my second experiment, before it was distilled. 



2d, To ascertain whether the salts found in the residual 

 AVater, or any component part of them, came from the Gal- 

 vanic battery by means of the wires. 



To determine the first point, I varied my experiment bv 

 emplovlng for decomposition water distilled under different 

 circumstances. 



Exp. I. The water employed in this experiment was di- 

 stilled from- T.ater containing lime. A portion of it was 

 decomposed in the manner that has before been stated. 

 'I'he remaining water yielded muriate of potash. 



Exp. II. Water distilled from water containing magnesia 

 was decomposed in the same manner. The result was mu- 

 riate of soda. 



Exp. Ill, Iia this e.vperiment double distilled .mow water 

 was employed. The result was muriate of soda. 



Exp. W. Water distilled fjom larytes was now used. 

 The result was still muriate of soda. 



The water which I used in the experiment detailed in my 

 first letter was distilled from pump water (the pump is on 

 the premises where Hive), which I have not myself ana- 

 lysed, hut a friend has been so good as to take upon hiiu 

 ' that trouble. He has not been able to detect in it the 

 minutest portit.n of mngriesia. In one of the above expe- 

 riments, having nsed water distilled from magnesia, I ob- 

 tained muriate of soda; but, having obtained the same re- 

 .suJt from distilled snow water, and from water distilled from 



barytes. 



