4SM.J Cojistituents of Azote. 183 



tube without any external communication. To the further end of 

 the other lua.^s tube was screwed a ulass globe, in which any con- 

 densable matter might deposit itself; from this the gases passed 

 onwaids through a glass tube into receivers placed en the shelf of 

 the pneumatic cistern. The copper tube was kept at a red heat by 

 Cm ssing a furnace : and when tl water boiled, the cock was turned, 

 so that the aqueous vapour rising into the tubes forced forward the 

 greater porti ir contained in the apparatus into the receivers 



prepared for its m. This done, the stop-cock communicating 



wim i lie gazometer wa :d; the sulp buret ed hydrogen was 



pressed I, and meetiug with the steam, passed together 



through the red-hot tube, whence their gaseous products were 

 receit els placed on the shelf of the pneumatic trough. 



It will not be necessary to describe the whole of the experiments; 

 I shall relate such only of the later ones as appear the most decisive. 

 In an experiment on Nov. 25, 1811, where sulphiireted hydrogen 

 (obtained from the solid sulphuret of potash by muriatic acid), and 

 water in the state of vapour, were sent together through a red-hot 

 porcelain tube, the gas that came out did not possess the least 

 smell, nor did it atiect the acetate of lead. It contained no 

 hydrogen ; but the eudiometer detected the presence of 20 per 

 oxygen, and, from its want of chemical properties, the 

 remaining MO appeared to be azote. This was made more evident 

 by its physical characters, as the gas possessed the same specific 

 atmospheric air, and moreover bad not the least smell. 

 In another experiment, on Jan. 5, 1812, sulphiireted hydrogen 

 obtained re, and aqueous vapour, were sent through the 



ertube. A quantity of liquid deposited itself inside the glass 

 .', although in all former experiments no fluid whatever was 

 lensed. The peculiarity here observed may be attributed to a 

 r quantity of water having passed through the tube, in propor- 

 to the sulphiireted hydrogen, and it is probable (from the for- 

 mula of the result, page I ... that but a part only of the vapour 

 underwent decomposition. 'J hat which passed unaltered condensed 

 with it the sulphurous acid gas in the globe. The fluid, on exami- 

 nation, was found to be water, containing a small portion of sul- 

 phurous acid. The ji us produci appeared to be principally 

 It had no smell, and i 'bed a burning body when 



immersed in it. Its specific gra' » 0*9/8, 100 cubical inches 



iiinr 29'84 grains. 1; contained no hydrogen; hut it had 3 per 

 cent, oxygen: the <JJ remaining pan < d, in short, all the 



characteristics that entitled it to be considered as azote. 



In another experiment, on Feb. In' following, 1 endeavoured to 



tain if water could be decomposed by hydrogen alone. I 



ed aqueous vapour and hydrogen gas through the copper tube 



ignited; the products collected in the pneumatic trough presented 



only hydrogen gas i u the game Kate as it existed before the experi- 



