56 On a new Compound of Chlorine and Carbon. [1821. 



those with oxygen and the metals sufficiently prove the absence 

 of hydrogen and oxygen. With regard to the proportions of 

 the elements, three grains of the substance gave 5*7 cubic 

 inches of carbonic acid gas, therefore two grains will give S'S 

 cubic inches. One hundred cubic inches of carbonic acid gas 

 weigh 46*47 grains, and contain 12*72 grains of carbon; and 

 3*8 cubic inches will therefore contain 0*483 grain of carbon. 

 The two grains of the substance decomposed by heated lime 

 gave 5*9 grains of chloride of silver, which, according to 

 Dr. Wollaston's scale, equal 1*45 of chlorine; hence the two 

 grains gave 



Chlorine . ... . ... . 1*45 



Carbon ....... '483 



The loss here is 0*067, which is by no means important, when 

 the small quantity of the substance and the nature of the ex- 

 periments are considered. 



As to the proportion of these two bodies to each other, if we 

 consider chlorine as represented by 33*5 and carbon by 5*7, or 

 with Dr. Wollaston by 44*1 and 7*5, then the 1*45 of chlorine 

 would be equivalent.to 0*2466 of carbon. This is the constitu- 

 tion of the fluid or protochloride of carbon ; and if we double 

 the 0*2466, the product 0*4932 approaches so near to the ex- 

 perimental result 0*483, that we do not hesitate to regard this 

 compound as consisting of one portion of chlorine and two por- 

 tions of carbon, or 



Chlorine .... V' V 44-1 33-5 

 Carbon ..... . . 15 11-4 



It is remarkable that another of these compounds should be 

 found so soon after the discovery of the two former chlorides of 

 carbon. Its physical properties and its chemical energies are 

 in every respect analogous to those of the former compounds ; 

 and its constitution increases the probability that another 

 chloride of carbon may be found, consisting of two portions of 

 chlorine and one of carbon. 



All the endeavours we have yet made to form the chloride of 

 carbon now described, or to convert it into either of the other 

 chlorides, have been unsuccessful. We expected that when 

 decomposed by heat, it would produce the protochloride with 



