VOL. XC.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 647 



Exper. 18. In the naturally moist state of these gases it follows, from the 14th 

 experiment, that carbonic acid is produced by electrifying them in conjunction. It 

 appeared of some importance to ascertain whether, after a previous decomposition of 

 their moisture, carbonic acid would continue to be generated. But the electrified car- 

 bonated hydrogenous gas itself contains carbonic acid, which, unless removed, 

 would render the result of the experiment undecisive. This was accomplished by 

 passing up, to a portion of electrified gas, a bubble or two of dry ammoniacal gas, 

 which, uniting with the carbonic acid, would condense any portion of it that might 

 be present. The remainder was transferred into another tube; and to this car- 

 bonated hydrogenous gas, perfectly deprived both of moisture and carbonic acid, 

 muriatic acid gas, previously electrified, was added, and electrical shocks were 

 passed through the mixture. A drop of water was then admitted ; and the residuary 

 gas, after having been dried, was transferred into another tube. On passing up 

 barytic water, not the smallest trace of carbonic acid could be discovered. 



From the preceding experiments, the following conclusions may be deduced. 



1 . The muriatic acid gas, in the driest state in which it can be procured, still 

 contains a portion of water. From a calculation founded on the experiments 

 described in § 1, the grounds of which are too obvious to require being stated, it 

 follows, that 100 cubical inches of muriatic gas, after exposure to muriate of lime 

 still hold in combination 1 .4 grain of water. 2. When electrical shocks are passed 

 through this gas, the watery portion is decomposed. The hydrogen of the water, 

 uniting with the electric matter, constitutes hydrogenous gas, and the oxygen 

 unites with the muriatic acid; which last, acting on the mercury, composes muriate 

 of mercury. 3. The electric fluid serves as an intermedium, in combining oxygen 

 with muriatic acid. 4. The really acid portion of muriatic gas does not sustain 

 any decomposition by the action of electricity. 5. When electric shocks are 

 passed through a mixture of carbonated hydrogen and muriatic acid gases, the 

 water held in solution by these gases is decomposed by the carbon of the compound 

 inflammable gas; and carbonic acid and hydrogenous gases are the result. 6. When 

 all the water of the two gases has been decomposed, no effect ensues from con- 

 tinuing the electrization ; or, if the water of each gas has been previously destroyed, 

 by electrifying them separately, no further effect ensues from electrifying them 

 conjointly. 7- Since therefore carbon, though placed under the most favourable 

 circumstances for abstracting from the muriatic acid, and combining with its 

 oxygen, evinces no such tendency, it may be inferred, that if the muriatic acid be 

 an oxygenated substance, its radical has a stronger affinity for oxygen than charcoal 

 possesses. 



Though the first impressions excited in my mind by the total failure of the 

 above experiments, in accomplishing one of the greatest objects of modern che- 

 mistry, have induced me for some time to withhold them from the society, I am 

 satisfied by reflection that this communication is not without expediency. The 

 means employed in attempting the analysis of the muriatic acid, were such as, 



