408 Mr. Higgins’s Observations on Dr. Murray’s Statement 
united to one particle of oxygen with the force of 63, they must 
move together with equal pace to meet the metal, and conse- 
quently no hydrogen is liberated. The demonstrations which I 
produced to support those principles will bear the strictest scru- 
tiny*. : 
I would advise Dr. Murray to read over more carefully this 
part of my system, and to correct his explanation on the same 
subject in his chapter on chemical attraction. He also gives a 
wrong explanation on the cause of the inflammation or combina- 
tion of inflammable gases and oxygen gas by the electric or cofh- 
mon spark, I refer him on that subject to my Atomic Theory, 
pages 28, 29. [ could point out many more false explanations ; 
but as I do not intend to act the part of a reviewer, | will pass 
them over, self-defence being my present object. All the laws 
resulting from definite proportions derive their origin from my 
Comparative View, as 1 have repeatedly proved. 
The relative quantity of matter, or relative size of the ultimate 
particles of gases, was also deduced, in the same work, from their 
specific gravities, making an allowance for the size of their re- 
spective atmospheres of caloric: thus, although a cubic inch 
of oxygen gas is fourteen times heavier (some make it more) 
than a cubic inch of hydrogen gas; yet, as there are but half the 
number, of particles in the latter that the former contains, the 
particles of oxygen can be no more then seven times heavier. 
The ultimate atoms of the gaseous oxide of azote are nearly one- 
fourth Jighter than those of nitrous gases; yet the latter gas is 
lighter,in volume than the gaseous oxide, in consequence of the 
expansion occasioned by its calorific atmospheres (not tempera- 
turet). 
The ultimate particles of azotic gas are almost twice as heavy 
as those of oxygen gas, yet the latter gas is heavier in volume. 
This is ascertained by the fact, that one cubic inch of azote con- 
tains only the same number of particles that half a cubic inch of 
oxygen contains ; for this is the proportion of the constituents of 
the gaseous oxide, being a compound of one and one, It bears 
the same proportion with those of the constituent principles of 
water, and the same inference as to the relative weight of their 
respective particles may be fairly deduced§. Oxygen gas dimi- 
nishes very little by uniting to sulphur in the proportion of one 
and one; and as the resulting compound (sulphurous acid gas) 
is only about twice the weight of oxygen gas, the ultimate parti- 
cles of both elements must contain nearly the same quantity of 
matter, and the size of the calorific atmospheres of the acid atoms 
must also be the same with those of the particles of oxygen gas 
* Comparative View, pages 42, 43, 44; or Atomic Theory. 
t Ib. page 37. } Ib. page 15. § Atomic Theory, page sat 
alone. 
