044 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1800. 



explosion, a dense white cloud was seen in the tube, which soon settled on its inner 

 surface, and was of exactly the same chemical composition as the one already 

 described. Nitrous gas and muriatic gas, when electrified together, underwent a 

 similar change. 



In order to ascertain whether the mercury by which the gases were confined, in 

 the above experiments, had any influence on their results, they were repeated in 

 an instrument made, purposely for the occasion, by Mr. Cuthbertson, of London. 

 It consisted of a glass tube, ground at each end, with the view of receiving 2 

 stoppers, each perforated with platina wire, which projected into the cavity of the 

 tube. When the stoppers were in their places, the extremities of the wires were 

 at the distance of about half an inch ; and, by properly disposing the apparatus, 

 electrical shocks might be passed through any gas or mixture of gases, with the 

 contact only of glass and platina. 



Exper. 7. In this tube I electrified the muriatic acid gas, and then admitted to 

 it an infusion of litmus. The sudden destruction of its colour evinced the for- 

 mation of oxygenated muriatic acid. Not the smallest deposit appeared on the 

 tube. 



Exper. 8 and 9. The same phenomenon took place, when an infusion of litmus 

 was brought into contact with a mixture of common air and muriatic acid, and of 

 oxygenous gas and muriatic acid, after electrization in this instrument; oxygenated 

 muriatic acid being produced in both cases. 



The above facts prove, that the combination of oxygen with muriatic acid, in 

 these experiments, is not occasioned by a pre-disposing affinity in the mercury to 

 combine with oxygenated muriatic acid; but that the electric fluid serves actually 

 as an intermedium, in combining the muriatic acid with oxygen. From the re- 

 lation of these experiments it appears, that not the smallest progress had been 

 made by them, towards the decomposition of the muriatic acid. I resolved there- 

 fore to attempt its analysis, in a similar manner, with the aid of combustible 

 gases. 



$ 2. Effects of electrifying the Muriatic Acid Gas with inflammable Substances. 



In a memoir read before the r. s., and inserted in their Trans, for 1797, I have 

 shown, that when electrical shocks are passed repeatedly through a confined portion 

 of carbonated hydrogenous gas, the water held in solution by the gas is decomposed 

 by the carbon, which forms a constituent part of it; that carbonic acid is formed; 

 and an addition made of hydrogenous gas. Hence the bulk of the carbonated hy- 

 drogen gas is considerably enlarged by this process; which shows, by its results, 

 that the affinity of carbon for oxygen is rendered much more powerful and 

 efficient by the electric fluid. I have since found that other oxygenated substan- 

 ces are decomposed, by electrifying them with carbonated hydrogen gas. Nitrous 

 gas, for example, is speedily destroyed by this process, and carbonic acid and azotic 

 gases are obtained. 



Every attempt to decompose the muriatic acid must be founded on the pre- 



