1823.] On Fluid Chlorine. 87 



remaining some time it disappeared, having gradually mixed 

 with the atmosphere above it ; but every repetition of the ex- 

 periment produced the same results. 



Presuming that I had now a right to consider the yellow 

 fluid as pure chlorine in the liquid state, I proceeded to ex- 

 amine its properties, as well as I could when obtained by heat 

 from the hydrate. However obtained, it always appears very 

 limpid and fluid, and excessively volatile at common pressure. 

 A portion was cooled in its tube to 0; it remained fluid. 

 The tube was then opened, when a part immediately flew off, 

 leaving the rest so cooled, by the evaporation, as to remain a 

 fluid under the atmospheric pressure. The temperature could 

 not have been higher than 40 in this case ; as Sir Humphry 

 Davy has shown that dry chlorine does not condense at that 

 temperature under common pressure. Another tube was 

 opened at a temperature of 50 ; a part of the chlorine vola- 

 tilized, and cooled the tube so much as to condense the atmo- 

 spheric vapour on it into ice. 



A tube having the water at one end and the chlorine at the 

 other was weighed, and then cut in two ; the chlorine imme- 

 diately flew off, and the loss being ascertained was found to be 

 1-6 grain : the water left was examined and found to contain 

 some chlorine : its weight was ascertained to be 5*4 grains. 

 These proportions, however, must not be considered as indi- 

 cative of the true composition of hydrate of chlorine ; for, from 

 the mildness of the weather during the time when these expe- 

 riments were made, it was impossible to collect the crystals 

 of hydrate, press and transfer them, without losing much 

 chlorine ; and it is also impossible to separate the chlorine and 

 water in the tube perfectly, or keep them separate, as the 

 atmosphere within will combine with the water, and gradually 

 re-form the hydrate. 



Before cutting the tube, another tube had been prepared 

 exactly like it in form and size, and a portion of water intro- 

 duced into it, as near as the eye could judge, of the same bulk 

 as the fluid chlorine ; this water was found to weigh 1*2 grain; 

 a result, which, if it may be trusted, would give the specific 

 gravity of fluid chlorine as 1'33; and from its appearance in 

 and on water, this cannot be far wrong. 



