362 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. VI. 



of a stopcock. The two wires being joined to the voltaic 

 apparatus and a contact of the charcoal made, the ignition 

 was brilliant without any apparent combustion ; white 

 fumes were presently produced, which in a short time dis- 

 appeared again, and were afterwards, during the remaining 

 time the experiment was in hand, only formed when two 

 new points of charcoal came in contact, or when the flame 

 played on the copper wire which fastened the charcoal. 

 The light emitted was a brilliant yellowish colour, frequently 

 assuming a fine lake. After an hour's time the gas appeared 

 unaltered, of its original colour. The higher parts of the 

 pieces of charcoal were covered with a fine greenish-yellow 

 powder, otherwise unaltered. 



Tin-leaf thrown in through one of the openings began 

 immediately to form with the oxymuriatic acid gas the 

 fuming liquor of Libavius. When shook it inflamed. 



On September 23, 1809, in a letter to Mr. Children, he 

 mentions this experiment, and says ' it is as difficult to 

 decompose as nitrogen, except when all its elements 

 can be made to enter into new combinations.' 



On October 3, among ' the hints for experiments ' in 

 the Note-Book is this, to detonate together hydrogen 

 and oxymuriatic acid. 



Another Bakerian lecture was given, and then he con- 

 tinued his researches on ammonia. 



On November 24 ' experiments to be in progress ' 

 are thus entered in the Laboratory Book : 



1. To decompose sulphuretted hydrogen by electricity 

 in an apparatus by which the results can be accurately 

 known. 



2. To pass potassium through ignited powdered quartz. 



3. To decompose muriatic acid gas by potassium, so as 

 to ascertain the quantity of hydrogen formed. 



4. To weigh ammonia, hydrogen, and nitrogen, 



