1532 Experiments io'Jcconipofe the JSIur'tatic AcuL 



will fvjon be communicated, the glaffcs have met with no 

 accident. However, when the fun is at a coniiderable alti- 

 tude, it will be advifable to leflcn the aperture a little, in 

 lelcfcopes that have fo much light as mv io-feet reflector; 

 or, w^iich will give us more dift'm&ners, to view the furt 

 earlier in the morning and Ister in thfe afterfioon; for the 

 light, intercepted by the atmofpbere in lower altitudes, wiU 

 reduce its brilliancy iniich more unifornily than we can 

 loften it by laying on more fmoke upon our darkening 

 glallbs. Now, as few inftrumcnts in Common ufe are foi 

 large as that to which this method of darkeninjr has been 

 adapted, we may hcipe that it will be of general utility \ti 

 folar oblervation:;, 



Slouiih, near VVindfor, 

 March Z, iSoo. 



III. Account of a Scries of li.vperhnentSy U7idertahcn vj'ith the 

 V'wjJ of iiccompojiiig the Muriatic Acid. By Mr. WIL- 

 LIAM IIenkt. 



[Concludcil fion\ Page 218.] 



A 



GREAT variety of fimilar e>:pcriment3 convinced me,, 

 that, by elcftrifyiug together the carbonated hydrogenous and 

 iniiriatic gafes, not the fmallefl: progrefs was made towards 

 the decompofition of the latter. All that was thus effefted 

 confifted in the decompofition of the water of the two gafes 

 by the carbon of the combulliblc gas ; and, when this was 

 Completely accompliflied, no further effcft enfued from con- 

 tinuincr the eleftrifation. The jveneration of carbonic acid 

 was proved by the following experiment: 



Exper. 14. To a mixture of carbonated hydrogen and mu- 

 riatic gafes, after having received above 100 fliocks, a drop 

 of water was admitted, which abforbed the muriatic acid. 

 The liquid was then taken up by blotting-paper; and the 

 refiduarv gas, being transferred into another tube, was 

 brought into contact with a folution of pure barvtic earth. 

 The precipitation of this folution evinced the prefence of car- 

 bonic acid. 



It ^as defirublc, however, that the effciSts fhould be afccr- 



tainedv 



