246 Remarks on a Paper hj Mr. Dalton 



the compounds would be more nearly stated as under." Tiien 

 his table of measures of the proportions in whicli the two gases 

 unite, and symbols to represent tlieir atoms, are given. 1 shall 

 content myself at present bv describing tliose proportions of 

 atoms and measures, beginning with the nitrous oxide, as con- 

 taining the smallest proportion of oxygen. 



Mr. Dalton, wishing to differ from every body else, states that 

 100 of azote and 60 measures of oxygen enter into the constitu- 

 tion of nitrous oxide ; and he represents the compound atom as 

 consisting of two ultimate particles of azote and one ultimate 

 particle of oxygen. Now it has been shown by Sir H. Davy and 

 by myself, in a variety of ways, a good many years ago, that this 

 gas consists of one volume of azote and half a volume of oxygen ; 

 and as each particle of the azot'c gas was su])])licd with a parti- 

 cle of oxygen, I inferred that the half volume of oxygen con- 

 tained as many divisions as one volume of azote, on the same 

 principle that one volume of oxygen contains the same number 

 of divisions that the two volumes of hydvogen do. I also in- 

 ferred that the ultimate particles of azote are nearly twice the 

 size and of course twice the weight of those of oxygen, although 

 the latter gas is somewhat heavier. The specific trravity of 

 gases, as I have long since proved in my Comparative View, does 

 not always indicate the real weight of their ultimate particles or 

 atoms; and this circumstance has led cliemists into many blun- 

 ders, particularly those who have attempted to ascertain the 

 weight of atoms and molecules on the principle of my definite 

 proportions. 



But to return to the gaseous oxide. — It would require 200 

 measures of azote in t!ie place of 100, to supply the atoms of 

 this gas with twoultimate particles of azote ; and the ten measures 

 of oxygen which he has thrown in, by way of showing the ac- 

 curacy of his philosophy, are quite superfluous, 



I consider azote, like almost all substances that unite to oxy- 

 gen, as an inflammable base; and an ultimate particle of oxygen 

 never unites to two ultimate particles of any inflammable base: 

 while the reverse is the constant law of nature, as I particularly 

 demonstrated throughout the whole of my Comfjaral/re Fiew, 

 and I have laid great stress latelv on t!ie importance of this law 

 in my Atomic Theory and Electrical Pticenovwnn, 



Next in reguinr order comes nitrous gas. — He allows this gas 

 100 of azote and 124 of oxygen by measure, ana its atom is re- 

 presented as one of azote and one of oxygen. 100 measures of 

 oxygen would give every ultimate particle, in 100 of azote two 

 ultimate particles, so as to form an atom of nitrous gas ; there- 

 fore, according to Mr. Dalton 's atom, 74 measures of oxygen 

 remain unaccounted for. 



Agreeably 



