WRITINGS OF JAMES SMITHSON. 9 



XL (A) 27 gr. of Tabasheer reduced to fine powder, 

 were put into an open tin vessel with 100 gr. of crystals of 

 soda, and some distilled water, and this mixture was made 

 boil for three hours. The clear liquor was then poured off, 

 and the Tabasheer was digested in some pure marine acid; 

 after some time this acid was decanted, and the Tabasheer 

 washed with distilled water, which was then added to the 

 acid. 



(B) This Tabasheer was put back into the alkaline solu- 

 tion, which seemed not impaired by the foregoing process, 

 and again boiled for a considerable time. The liquor was 

 then poured from it while hot, and the Tabasheer edulco- 

 rated with some cold distilled water, which was afterwards 

 mixed with this hot solution, in which it instantly caused a 

 precipitation. On heating the mixture it became clear 

 again; but as it cooled it changed wholly into a thin jelly; 

 but in the course of a few days, it separated into two por- 

 tions, the jelly settling in a denser state to the bottom of 

 the vessel, leaving a limpid liquor over it. 



(C) The Tabasheer remaining (B) was boiled in pure ma- 

 rine acid ; the acid was then poured off, and the Tabasheer 

 edulcorated with some distilled water, which was afterwards 

 mixed with the acid. 



(D) The remaining Tabasheer collected, washed, and 

 dried, weighed 24 gr. and seemed not to be altered. 



(E) The acid liquors (A and C) were mixed together, and 

 saturated with soda, but afforded no precipitate. 



(F) The alkaline mixture (B) was poured upon a filter, 

 the clear liquor came through, leaving the jelly on the paper. 



Some of this clear liquor, exposed to the air in a saucer, 

 at the end of some days deposited a small quantity of a gel- 

 atinous matter ; after some days more, the whole fluid part 

 exhaled, and the saucer became covered with regular crys- 

 tals of soda, which afforded no precipitate during their solu- 

 tion in vitriolic acid. What had appeared like a jelly while 

 moist, assumed, on drying, the form of a white powder. 



