On a new detonating Compound. 193 
igtie properties of the new body. On alcohol it acted 
owly, lost its colour, and became a white oily substance, 
without explosive powers. When a particle of it was 
touched under water by a particle of phosphorus, a brilliant 
light was perceived under the water, and permanent gas 
was disengaged, having the characters of azote. 
When “quantities larger than a grain of mustard seed 
were used for the contact with phosphorus, the explosion 
was alwavs so violent as to break the vessel in which the 
experiment was made. The new body, when acted upon 
under water by mercury, afforded a substance having the 
appearance of corrosive sublimate, and gas was disengaged. 
On tin foil and zinc it exerted no action ; it had no action 
on sulphur, nor on resin. In their alcoholic solutions it 
disappeared as in pure alcohol. It detonated most vio- 
lently when thrown into a solution of phosphorus in ether, 
or in alcohol. Phosphorus introduced into ether, into 
which a globule of the substance had been put immediately 
before, produced no effect. In muriatic acid it gave off 
gas rapidly, and disappeared without explosion. On dilute 
sulphuric acid it exerted no violent action. It immediately 
disappeared without explosion in Libavius’s liquor, to 
which it imparted a yellow tinge. 
Tt seems probable, from the general tenor of these facts, 
that the new substance is a compound of azote and chlo- 
rine ; the same as, or analogous to, that mentioned in the 
letter from Paris. It is easy to explain its production in 
our experiments: the hydrogen of the ammonia may be 
conceived to combine jvith one portion of the chlorine to 
form muriatic acid, and the azote to unite with another 
portion of chlorine to form the new compound. The heat 
and light produced during its expansion into gaseous mat- 
ter, supposing it to be composed of azote and chlorine, is 
without any parallel instance, in our present collection of 
chemical facts; the decomposition of euchlorine, which 
has been compared to it, is merely an expansion of matter 
already gaseous. The heat and light produced by its rare- 
faction, in consequence of decomposition, depend, pro« 
bably, on the same cause as that which produces the flash 
of light in the discharge of the air gun. 
The mechanical force of this compound in detonation, 
seems to be superior to that of any other known, not even 
excepting the ammoniacal fulminating silver. The velo- 
city of its action appears to be likewise greater. 
I am, my dear sir, with great respect, very sincerely yours, 
H. Davy. 
Vol, 42, No. 195, Sept, 1813. N XXXII. Par- 
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