18)3.] Chlorine, and its Compounds. 12* 



of this (about 6*405 grs.) is sufficient to combine with not less 

 than 226*64 cubic inches of chlorine ; while according to the 

 analysis of Chenevix, 100 grs. of hyper-oxymuriate of potash 

 cannot possibly contain more than 62*298 cubic inches : so that 

 we should expect an evolution of as much hydrogen as can 

 combine with 164*342 inches of chlorine; yet no admixture of 

 hydrogen has been detected in the oxygen procured by heating 

 hyper-oxymuriate of potasb. The formation of the muriate along 

 with the hyper-oxymuriate is accounted for by Mr. Crane, in 

 supposing part of the muriatic acid to be volatilized by the heat 

 employed : but this must appear insufficient when we reflect, 

 that even if the oxymuriatic gas be passed through a receiver 

 containing water, previous to being brought to act on the alkali, 

 there is a proportion of muriate formed. 



In accounting for the decomposition of the liquor of Libavius 

 by ammonia and water, Mr. Crane supposes the chlorine to be 

 attracted from the tin by the ammonia; but Sir H. Davy says,* 

 " Muriate of ammonia, and muriate of magnesia, are perfectly 

 correct expressions ; " and, on another occasion,f " Muriate of 

 ammonia is composed of muriatic acid gas and ammonia : " nor 

 have we any evidence that ammonia is capable of direct combi- 

 nation with oxymuriatic gas. 



When hyper-oxymuriate of potash is acted on by muriatic acid 

 very much diluted, a peculiar gas is disengaged, to which Sir H. 

 Davy gave the name of euchlorine. % 



On applying a very gentle heat to this gas, it explodes, and is 

 resolved into chlorine, and oxygen, its volume being at the same 

 time increased, according to Sir H. Davy, in the proportion of 

 120 to 100. 



This gas is stated by its discoverer to consist of 1 of oxygen 

 united to 2 of chlorine : it is incapable of supporting combus- 

 tion ; and this circumstance is looked on by Sir H. Davy as an 

 argument in favour of his theory. " If," says he, " the power 

 of bodies to burn in oxymuriatic gas depended upon the presence 

 of oxygen, they all ought to burn with much more energy in 

 the new compound." § This argument is, however, entirely 

 turned aside by what he adds almost immediately after; viz. 

 " Supposing oxygen and oxymuriatic gas to belong to the same 

 class of bodies, the attraction between them might be conceived 

 very weak, as it is found to be." Now it is certainly not easy 

 to conceive that two bodies, both of which are excellent sup- 

 porters of combustion, and which possess for each other an 

 attraction so feeble as to be easily subverted by the heat of the 



• Pl.il.Trnn,.. 1811, p. 33. t Phil. Trans. 1810, p. 239. 



t Pbil.TruDs. 1811, p. 195, '.. Phil. Tram. IBH, p. 160. 



