on the Nature of certain Bodies, 345 



able, in a short time, to have the honour of laying the re- 

 sults before the society. 



I shall make no apology for bringing forward the inyes» 

 ligation in its present iujperfect state, except by stating 

 that iny motive for so doing, is the desire of being assisteq 

 or corrected bv the opinions and advicu of the ieained che- 

 mical philosophers' belonging to tins illustrious body. In 

 an investigation connected with almost all the theoretical 

 arrangcmenlo of chemistrv, and in operations of so much 

 delicacy, it will, I conceive, be allowed, that it is scarcely 

 possible to proceed with too much caution, or to multiply 

 facts to too great an extent. 



The different ph?enomena presented by the processes of 

 distillation in different metallic tubes, may lead to, new ex- 

 planations of this intricate subject ; and though the facts 

 cannot be easily accounted for, except on the supposition 

 that nitrogen is an oxide, yet till the proportions and 

 weights ore distinctly ascertained, the inquiry cannot be 

 considered as far advanced ; for in an experiment in which 

 the processes are so complicated and delicate, and in which 

 the data are so numerous, it is not easy to he satisfied that 

 every source of error has been avoided, and that every cir- 

 pumstance has been examined and reasoned upon. 



All conclusions on the action of potassium on ammonin, 

 are immediately dependent upon the results of the electrical 

 analysis of the volatile alkali. In a letter which I received 

 in the course of the la^t month froni Dr. Henry, that ex- 

 cellent chemist has staled that he conceives I have rather 

 under-rated the quantity of nitrogen in ammonia, accord- 

 ing to the proportions given in the Bakerian Lecture for 

 1807. This notice has induced me io repeat the experi- 

 ment, under new circumstances, and I find not the slightest 

 reason for doubting of the entire accuracy of my former 

 results. 



In the new trial, I used mercury which had been recently 

 ])oiled in the tube for electrization ; the ammonia was in- 

 troduced after being long dried by caustic potash, from a 

 receiver in wliich it had not been generated, and which had 

 likewise been inverted over boiling ujercurv. The eas left 

 110 perceptible residuum, when absorbed by water deprived 

 of air by boihng. In this process, 15 measures of am- 

 monia expanded, so as to fill 27 measures ; and the hydro- 

 gen by detonation with oxygen, over water freed as much 

 us possible from air, proved to be to the nitrogen as 73-8 

 to 26*2. In the experiment three explosions were niade, 

 tiic oxygen being deficient in thf first two : so that no ni- 



iro.i^-en 



