3J4 CHLORINE. 



fine powder and loaf-sugar, be mixed upon paper by the fingers, 

 (rubbing these substances together in a mortar may be attended 

 with a dangerous explosion,) and a single drop of sulphuric acid 

 be allowed to fall from a glass rod upon the mixture, an instan- 

 taneous deflagration takes place, occasioned by the evolution of 

 the yellow gas which ignites the mixture. Captain Manby used 

 to fire in this manner the small piece of ordnance, which he 

 proposed as a life-preserver, to throw a rope over a stranded 

 vessel from the shore ; and the same mixture was afterwards 

 employed, with sulphuric acid, in various forms of the instan- 

 taneous light match, all of which, however, are now superseded 

 by other mixtures ignited by friction without sulphuric acid. 



OTHER COMPOUNDS OF CHLORINE. 



Chloride of nitrogen, N C1 3 . This is one of the most for- 

 midable of explosive compounds, and great caution is necessary 

 in its preparation, to avoid accidents. Four ounces of sal 

 ammoniac, which must not smell of animal matter, are dissolved 

 in a small quantity of boiling water, filtered, and made up to 

 3 pounds with distilled water ; a two pound bottle of chlorine 

 is inverted in a bason containing this solution at 90, being 

 supported by the ring of a retort stand, with its mouth over 

 a small leaden saucer. The chlorine gas is absorbed, and upon 

 the surface of the liquid, which rises into the bottle, an oily 

 substance condenses, which when it accumulates, precipitates 

 in large drops, and is received in the leaden saucer. During 

 the whole operation, the bottle must not be approached, unless 

 the face is protected by a sheet of wire gauze, and the hands by 

 thick woollen gloves ; agitation of the bottle, to make the sus- 

 pended drop fall, is a most common cause of explosion, The 

 leaden saucer, when it contains the chloride, may be withdrawn 

 from under the bottle, without disturbing the latter, and then 

 no harm can result from the explosion, if it does not occur in 

 contact with glass. 



M. Balard finds that this compound may also be produced 

 by suspending a mass of sulphate of ammonia in a strong solu- 

 tion of hypochlorous acid. 



The chloride of nitrogen is a volatile oleaginous liquid of a 

 deep yellow colour, and sp.gr. 1.653, of which the vapour is 

 irritating like chlorine and attacks the eyes. It may be dis- 

 tilled at 160, but effervesces strongly at 200 and explodes 



