a4 On the Decomposition of the Earihs. [Jane 
from the union of hydrogen with the substance which appears to be 
revived in the me/a/lic state? These are queries which I leave to 
the consideration of your readers, It would extend these observa- 
tions too far if I were to enter fully upon the subject of this pro- 
perty in charcoal. Many eminent chemists, to whom I have applied 
for its explanation, are unable to account for it; and the chemicah 
readers of your Annals are well aware that the nature of charcoal is, 
at present, too problematical, to expect a very satisfactory elucida- 
tion of all its properties. 
8. Metals of the Earths —With respect to the metals which E 
have obtained from silex, larytes, and stronitan, and especially 
from the last two, the frequent revival of which to gratify the 
curiosity of chemical friends, has engaged almost all my subsequent 
experiments, I ought to mention that unless there be a sufficient 
body of flame, even by means of the ignited gas they cannot be 
obtained for want of heat. A tube with too small a diameter has 
been the cause of failure in some of my own experiments that were 
made with a view to the revival of those metals. With Newman’s 
improved blow-pipe, using the screen | have described as a protec- 
tion, I should consider failure as almost impossible. Among a great 
number of individuals to whom, since the month of August last, I 
have exhibited these metads in the instant of their reduction to the 
metallic state, there has not been a single instance where the slightest 
doubt was entertained, at the time, of their meda/lic nature. But 
when [ have sent them to a considerable distance in nafiha,* 
instances have occurred in which these substances arrived at their 
destination without any meéallic lustre. This happened once with 
respect to some brilliant metallic globules, obtained from the mztrate 
of arytes, which were sent to you for examination. ‘The same 
event occurred when I endeavoured to transmit the metal of barytes 
to Dr. Wollaston. It left upon the file a white powder, and exhi- 
bited no degree of metallic lustre ; and what rendered this the more 
remarkable was, that 1 sentto Dr. Wollaston the identical specimen 
which I had here exhibited to the Dean of Carlisle, once our Pro- 
fessor of Chemistry, ina highly metadlic state. For the appearance 
of these bodies under such circumstances, I cannot be responsible ; 
chemists will now obtain these metals for themselves, and in a less 
questionable form. Dr. Trail, of Liverpool, has repeated many of 
my experiments; and I am indebted to this gentleman for his 
communications respecting the mode in which he condacts his owa 
experiments with the ignited gaseous mixture. Many other chemists 
are similarly occupied, and the powers of this extraordinary engine 
of chemical decomposition will soun be more generally known than 
they are at present, 
9. Oriental Rubies—Dr. Wollaston sent to me two rubies. with 
a view to ascertain whether, during fusion, they would unite into 
one mass. One of them had a tolerable degree of colour; the 
other was nearly limpid and white. Being placed upon charcoaé, 
* It may be proper to state, once for all, that the only correct way of writing 
this word is with f, asnaftha. In this manner it is written by the Persians; who 
have no ph; therefore naphtha and naptha ave both erroneous, . 
