Compound ofcarlonic Oxide and Chlorine. 443 



my youth. When I cut the sea-cale for use, I immediately 

 draw up the earth wiih a trowel, so as completely to cover 

 the whole of the plant; this I fancy makes them grow 

 mure luxuriantly. This plant, if properly managed, is su- 

 perior to asparagus, and if more is cut than wanted for 

 immediate use, it will keep for some days in a pan of cold 

 water, but of course it cannot be better than when recently 

 cut. It precedes the use of asparagus, being ready for the 

 table in February and March. 



H.B.Way. 



LXVFII, On a gaseous Compound ofcarlonic Oxide and 

 Chlorine. By John Da\y, Esq. Communicated by Sir 

 Humphry Davy, Kni. LL.D. Sec. R.S.* 



OiNCE the influence of electricity and solar light, as che- 

 mical agents, are analogous in many respects, and as the 

 former produces no change iiva mixture of carbonic oxide 

 and chlorine, it was natural to infer the same respecting the 

 latter. MM. Gay Lussac and Thenard assert that this is 

 the case j they say that they have exposed a mixtureof car- 

 bonic oxide and chlorine, under all circumstances, to light, 

 without observing any alteration to take place f. Mr. Mur- 

 ray has made a similar statement J. 



Having been led to repeat this experiment, from some 

 objections made by the last-mentioned gentleman to the 

 theory of my brother. Sir Humphry Davy, concerning 

 chlorine, I was surprised at witnessing a different result. 



The mixture exposed, consisted of about equal volumes 

 of chlorine and carbonic oxide ; the gasses had been pre- 

 viously dried over mercury by the action of fused muriate 

 of lime, and the exhausted glass globe into which they 

 were introduced from a receiver wiih suitable stopcocks, 

 was carefully flried. After exposure for about a quarter of 

 an hour to bright sunshine, the colour of the chlorine had 

 entirely disappeared ; the stopcock belonging to the globe 

 being turned in mercury recently boikd, a considerable ab- 

 sorption took place, just equal to one half the volume of 

 the mixture, and the residual gas possessed properties per- 

 fectly distinct from those belonging either to carbonic oxide 

 or chlorine. 



Thrown into the atmosphere, it did not fume. Its odour 



* From the Philosophical Transaction* for 1812, part i. 

 f Recherchi'8 PhysicoChimiques, tom-ii. p- 150. 

 1 Nicholson'* Journal, toI. xxx. p. 227. 



F f 8 was 



