a 
On definite Proportions. . 447 
oxygen in nitrogen, it cannot be considered as a decisive 
argument against the existence of oxygen in hydrogen. 
T must also observe, that it is not yet possible to deter- 
mine with certainty which series of proportions is the more 
correct, that which is determined from the weight of the 
gases, or that which is deduced from the analyses of several 
saline bases which I have performed. I must however con- 
fess, that I believe the quantity of oxygen which [ have 
assi~ned to these bases is too great: for, if we lessen it, the 
wi, le of the results will agree better together, as their dis- 
cordance is increased by making it greater. If, for example, 
we take ammonia as containing 46°26 of oxygen, and water 
as composed of 11°75 of hydrogen and 88°25 of oxygen, 
every thing agrees perfectly with these numbers. 
II. SuBNITRATES AND SUBSUBNITRATES. 
[Transferred by Gitzert from the Third Continuation.] 
Subnitrate of the Proloxide of Lead. 
‘I have obtained this salt by treating the neutral nitrate 
with a smaller quantity of causticammoniathan is necessary 
for its complete decomposition. The white precipitate, 
which was obtained, being well edulcorated, was’strongly 
dried and ignited in a small glass retort: it afforded nitrous 
acid and oxygen gas, without any traces of acid being con- 
densed ; so that it contains no water of crystallization. It 
left 80°5 per cent. of fine lemon-coloured protoxide of lead ; 
so that the salt consists of - 
Nitric acid .... 19°95 100 
Protoxide of lead = 80°5 413 
But in 80°5 parts of the protoxide there are 5°72 of oxygen, 
and in 19°5 of nitric acid there are 17°096 of oxygen; and 
5°72 X3=17°16: so that in this salt the acid contains 
three times as much oxygen as the base, and saturates twice 
as much of the base as in the neutral nitrate of the prot- 
oxide. 
Subsubnitrate of the Protoxide of Lead. 
Another quantity of nitrate of the protoxide of lead was 
mixed with so much ammonia, that not only all the prot- 
oxide was precipitated, but also the fluid, when it had been 
digested several hours on the precipitate, remained still al- 
kaline. The precipitate was washed as long as the water 
continued to dissolve any part of it. The white salt of lead, 
dried in the sun, was then placed in a small retort upon a 
strongly heated sand bath, so that the water was still more 
thoroughly expelled; it then became yellow, but parted 
only 
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