BORON. RAMSAY. 149 



The Silver Chloride Process Tested. 



It is a most fortunate circumstance that Ramsay and 

 Aston tried to " check " their analytical work by determining 

 the sodium chloride in their final series (after weighing) 

 also by precipitation with silver nitrate, and subsequent 

 weighing of the silver chloride resulting. 



The atomic ratio for this additional determination is 

 Na2 OT Bo4 : 2 Ag Cl 1=202 : 287 = 0.70 383. 

 Change to 108.1 gives ratio 49 low. 



The weighings given (1. c. p. 215) are: 

 No. Na2 OT Bo4. Ag Cl. Analyt. ratio. Excess. 



22 5.311 81 7.525 87 0.70 580 197 high. 



23 4-78o 56 6.779 4 2 5 J 7 134 high. 



24 4.990 74 7.080 43 489 106 high. 



25 4.723 12 6.696 02 536 153 high. 



26 3-3 J 3 79 4-693 J 3 6l 22 7 high. 



Mean 0.70 546 163 high. 



Accordingly, the above stated change foro.i would give 

 107.67 as the atomic weight of silver; because 163 is 3.3 

 times the 49. 



This result conflicts both with the value of Stas 107.93 

 and with our standard 108. 



Now, as it fails to sustain the value of Stas, and as it 

 greatly deviates from our atomic ratios sustained through- 

 out in all the best analyses by the best chemists it follows 

 that the silver chloride process in the wet way, even in the 

 hands of Ramsay, gave unreliable, false values, and is unfit 

 for atomic weight determinations- 



We notice that Ramsay (1. c. p. 216, sub. IV) tries to 

 connect this discordance with the action on the glass; but 

 there even then remained a discrepancy which to our eyes is 

 enormous, namely: 



Mean from sodium chloride, 10.966 



" " silver chloride, corrected, 10.997 

 Difference, 0.031 

 which amounts to one-third of one per cent. 



The " correction " applied by Ramsay is itself very ques- 

 tionable the only fact really demonstrated is the failure of 

 the silver chloride process. 



