192 



On certain Ternary Alloys. 



[Feb. 12, 



In every case the same general result is noticed, that when tl 

 two approximately conjugate alloys are intermixed in such proportic 

 that lead predominates over zinc in the total mass, or vice versa, 

 differences in tin percentage between the two ends of the compounc 

 ingots formed are of the same kind as those observed in Part I wii 

 original mas-es containing lead and zinc in different ratios : 

 that when lead predominates a point is obtained belonging to 

 curve underlying that pertaining to cases where zinc predominates ; 

 whence it appears pretty certain that, whatever the causes may bej 

 that prevent truly conjugate alloys from being obtained under the 

 conditions of the one set of experiments (whether incomplete inter- 

 mixture, or something else), they also operate in the other series 

 observations. 



Taking into account, however, the fact that in the experiment 

 with chloroform, water, and acetic acid truly conjugate mixtures wer 

 obtained when a sufficient amount of intermixture by agitation 

 occurred, but not till then, the final conclusion appears to be warrant 

 thai the proposition set forth, by Sir Q. G. Stokes is a perfectly correct 

 and that the divergences noticed in certain of the alloy experiment 

 are due to the inherent nature of the case as regards the difficulties 

 in the way of obtaining sufficiently complete intermixture : possibly 

 these difficulties might be overcome by enclosing the fused mixtures 

 of metals in a stoppered vessel or crucible-flask of clay, and agii 

 this by long continued shaking about, whilst keeping it sufficiently 

 hot in some kind of muffle furnace ; bat the appliances at our dis- 

 posal have not permitted us actually to decide this point experi- 

 mentally. The difficulty of carrying out such experiments is further 

 enhanced by the circumstance that metallic alloys, when intermixed 

 by vigorous agitation, do not appear to separate again from one 

 another anything like so readily as such substances as chloroform and 

 water or ether and water; small vesicles or droplets of the b< 

 alloy remain suspended in the lighter one (and vice versi) for long 



