476 



Sulphuric and nitric acids which, according to the first supposition, 

 are inflammable bases combined with oxygen and water, when acted 

 upon by ammonia yield water, but fluoric acid in combining with 

 ammonia gives out no water. 



Sulphate of ammonia, by the action of potassium, yields sulphur 

 and ammonia ; and in the same manner nitrate of ammonia yields 

 its base azote, with ammonia. But when fluate of ammonia is acted 

 upon by potassium, the only product beside ammonia is hydrogen, 

 just as hi the action of potassium upon muriate of ammonia, which 

 yields only hydrogen and ammonia. In the latter case chlorine com- 

 bines with the potassium ; and it would appear that a similar base is 

 contained in the fluate of ammonia. 



By the voltaic battery also, hydrates of such bodies as are known 

 to contain oxygen, as sulphuric acid,hydrophosphorous acid, and nitric 

 acid, all yield oxygen at the positive wire, and at the negative they 

 give out their base, or a suboxide, along with hydrogen. 



The strong action of fluoric acid on almost all bodies, occasioned 

 considerable difficulty in attempting to collect the products of its 

 electrization. But in a tube of horn silver, when it was electrified 

 by a wire of platina at the positive pole, the wire was covered with 

 a chocolate-coloured powder, but no oxygen was extricated. 



When a piece of plumbago was placed as the positive conductor 

 in fluoric acid, it was quickly destroyed, and a subfluate of iron was 

 deposited at the negative surface, the fluid becoming turbid and black. 



These and other phenomena of electrization appear to the author 

 not favourable to the supposition of fluoric acid consisting of an inflam- 

 mable base combined with oxygen ; but to be best explained by sup- 

 posing it to be, like muriatic acid, composed of hydrogen, which ap- 

 pears at the negative pole, and a peculiar principle to be termed 

 fluorine, which, like chlorine, is negative, and is attracted by the po- 

 sitive pole, and in general combines with the metal, which is there 

 exposed to its action. 



If, then, according to this supposition, we assume that fluates are 

 combustibles united with fluorine, this principle cannot be obtained 

 separate by means of any other combustible, as these will only form 

 new compounds with it ; but we may hope to effect the separation 

 by means of oxygen or chlorine, as these in certain cases separate 

 each other. And since the fluates of silver, mercury, and potash, 

 are decomposed by muriatic acid, the author exposed these compounds 

 also to the action of chlorine, in the hope that fluorine might by that 

 means be disengaged. 



But though these fluates were each decomposed, the matter sepa- 

 rated from them acted upon the vessels containing them with too 

 much energy to be exhibited in a separate state. 



There seems, however, says the author, great reason to suppose 

 that a particular principle is separated from them analogous to chlo- 

 rine, and that when it can be obtained separate, it will be found to 

 be a gaseous body. 



He estimates the number which should represent fluorine at less 



