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Mr. A. A. Hayes on the Alabama Meteoric Iron. 149 



cast-iron, results in the withdrawal of the amorphous or more 

 slightly aggregated part, leaving the mass porous, and the laminae 

 disintegrated. This removal is not a consequence of the porosity 

 of the mass, but a cause ; observations made here show that po- 

 rous granular cast-iron does not absorb chlorine, hydrochloric 

 acid, or chloride of iron, after an exposure varying with the spe- 

 cimens in time, from nine months to ten years. Malleable iron, 

 under the same circumstances of exposure, is also impermeable 

 to these substances. When fragments of iron detached from 

 masses which had become oxidized through more than one half 

 the original thickness, by exposure in earth containing saline 

 substances, were carefully tested for acids and bases, no traces 



were discovered. 



The paper contains no answer to the first question which is 

 suggested to the mind of a chemist — With what base is the 

 chlorine or hydrochloric acid combined ? The experiments seem 

 to have reference to the detection of chlorine only; and from the 

 account given of them, I infer that even the ordinary precaution 

 of washing the masses, or otherwise removing the chlorides from 

 obvious sources, was not taken. In the announcement of your 



disco\ery,* the simple experiments are given, demonstrating the 

 existence of chlorides of iron and nickel. When it has been ex- 

 perimentally shown how chlorine, derived from the decomposi- 

 tion of any saline compounds, especially those with the bases of 

 which it has stronger affinities, can pass into a mass of iron, al- 

 loyed with nickel, and unite with both metals, I shall return to 

 this part of the subject with pleasure. 



The following is an account of experiments made on different 



specimens of the Alabama meteorite. 



An oval mass weighing about eight ounces, completely cover- 

 ed by a thick, brown coating of oxide of iron, from atmospheric 

 exposure, had a portion of its surface filed bright. The bright 

 surface was pressed in contact with the interior of a platina basin, 

 and some dilute muriatic acid used to produce chemical action. 

 The addition of the acid from time to time caused the reduction 

 and solution of the investing coating, leaving a clean metallic 

 surface ; after washing the mass in warm pure water, it exhibit- 

 ed the appearance of inlaid work, produced by the arrangement 



* American Journal of Science, Vol. xxxiv, p. 333. 



