294 Theory of Ether.— Multiplier of Eleclridty. 



"With regard to the formation of the oil of wine by the augmentation of temperature from 

 the concentration of the fulphuric aciif, it is fo true, that if water and alcohol be added in 

 the fame proportion as tiie volatile product comes over, oil of wine will never be formed, 

 ind all tlic alcohol will be converted into ether. 



It is to the fame caufc, namely tl-.c he.it at a higher degree of intenfity, that we mud at- 

 Iribute the development of carbonated hydrogene gas, or the oleliant gas, which feems to 

 be nothing clfe but die Cweet oil of wijie, with a fraall portion lefs of oxygeae and more e£ 

 caloric. 



CONCLUSION. 



From the fa£ls and obfer\'ations contained in this memoir, it follows : 



1. That the formation of cth'rr is not owing, as has been thought, to the immediate 

 action of the principles of the fulphuric acid upon thofe of the alcohol, but to a true re- 

 aflion of the elements of the alcohol upon each other, and particularly the oxygene and 

 hydrogene, occafioned merely by the ftilphuric acid. 



2. That we might in ftriclnefs change any quantity whatever of alcohol into ether, with- 

 out the afliftance of heat, by fufficicntly increafing the proportion of fulphuric acid. 



3. Tliat the operation is divided into two principal ftagcs, in one of which ether and 

 water are only foiTned; and in the other, the fweet oil of wine, water, and the acetous acid, 



4. That fo long as ether is formed, the fulphuric acid is not decompofed, and there is 

 no produa of fweet oil of wine ; but as foon as this lad appears^ little, if any, ether is af- 

 forded, and the fulphuric acid is at the fame time decompofed. 



5. That the formation of fweet oil of wine may be prevented, by keeping the temperature 

 of the mixture between 75 and 78 degrees; which may be eafily done, by fuffering a few 

 drops of cold water to fall from time to time into the retort. 



6. That alcohol differs from ether by containing more carbone and lefs of hydrogene and 

 oxygene, and that the fweet oil of wine is to ether nearly what alcohol is to the oil*. 



On ihe Multiplier of EleFlricity. By the Inventory Mr. T. C.irALLO ; -with Oifervations. 



To Mr. Nicholson, Editor of " The Journal of Natural Philofophy, (sfc" 



SIR, 

 JTIAVING a few days ago feen for the (ird: time your Journal of Natural Philofophy, 

 Chemiftry, &c. I found in the third article of No. i. an erroneous account of my Multiplier 

 of Eleftricity, a defcription of which is contained in the third volume of my Treatife oa 

 Eleflricity ; and trufung that your candour will allow a corredlion of this error to come 

 before the Public, I have taken the liberty to fend you the following explanation, with a re- 

 qucft that you will be picafed to infert this letter in your next number. 



In the firft paragraph of the above-mentioned article, you compare an eledrical inftrument 

 of your contrivance (which you defcribe in the fequcl) with my multiplier, in the following 



^„As : " I then (viz. in the year 1 787) mentioned my intention to conftrudt an inftrument 



en that principle, which foon afterwards I did. It was (hewn to Sir Jofeph Banks and his 



• Thefc Memoirs are tranflated from the Annalca dc Chimic, XXIII. j56, 



friends. 



