24-8 Mr. R. Phillips's Additional Observations 



than the subsesquisalt proposed to be formed by adding one 

 half more. 



This difficulty may, perhaps, be partly explained by refer- 

 ring to page 262 of your paper, where, alluding to a particular 

 compound, you add in a note, " assuming the double atom of 



phosphoric acid (.Pj = 892*3." Now, I do not observe in 

 the tables of Berzelius any mention of a double atom ; and 



the atom is there represented, not by P = 892-3, as you state, 



but by P = 892*3. Let, however, P in page 255 of your 



paper have the same meaning as in page 262, and then the 

 salt will be neutral according to your notation, though not 

 according to your statement. 



In concluding this part of the subject, permit me to express 

 a wish that you would furnish me with a table of acids and salts 

 similar to that in page 282 ; but instead of containing an ac- 

 count of the atoms of oxygen in the soda, water and acid, 

 I wish for a simple statement of their composition, and the 

 atomic weight of each. I would save you the trouble if it 

 were in my power ; but I really cannot accomplish it with any 

 degree of certainty or satisfaction, on account of the discre- 

 pancies which 1 have pointed out, and some others which 

 your paper contains. 



With respect to Mr. Prideaux's " Remarks," on my " Ob- 

 servations," I shall now show that they are inaccurate both 

 with regard to the facts and fancies of symbolizing. He says 

 " there is but one known combination of phosphorus with 

 five atoms of oxygen; in which many chemists (chiefly in this 

 country) apprehend the phosphorus to enter as a single atom, 

 whilst others regard it as double, from its requiring 2 atoms 

 of alkali." This is an admission that, according to most 

 foreign chemists, — and Berzelius, be it remembered, is of the 

 number, — there is no compound resulting from the union of a 

 single atom of phosphorus with five atoms of oxygen ; and 

 consequently, while Berzelius symbolizes phosphorus by P, 

 and two atoms by P, he adds five dots to the latter, denoting- 

 its conversion into an atom of phosphoric acid P. 



Mr.Prideaux further observes: " H may signify, according 

 to our atomistic notions, either pure or oxygenated water." 

 Undoubtedly it may, or anything else which anybody chooses 

 that it should : with Berzelius, however, it is equivalent to 

 half an atom of oxygenated water. If, therefore, those whose 

 atomistic notions differ from his, employ it to signify mere water 



