Mr Haunter's Notes on a New Compoicnd of Uranium. 293 



obtained in a state of purity. The mixed oxide was then 

 dissolved in sulphuric acid, and the uranic sulphate thus 

 formed reduced to the uranous state by mixing it with water 

 and alcohol, and exposing the resultant solution in a stop- 

 pered bottle to the action of the sun's rays. The alcohol — 

 which by this process is itself changed into aldehyde — con- 

 verts the uranic salt into the uranous form, the solution 

 changing from a rich yellow to a dark-green colour; and 

 from this solution the dark-brown uranous hydrate was 

 obtained by the addition of ammonia. This hydrate, after 

 being thoroughly washed with distilled water, was dissolved 

 in hot oxalic acid ; the liquid so obtained, on being slightly 

 concentrated, deposited a dark-green crystalline powder, whose 

 composition was ascertained by a series of very carefully 

 performed analyses to be that of uranous oxalate, which is 

 the chief subject of this paper. 



The crystals of uranous oxalate are described as being 

 cubical plates, and homogeneous in character, and their com- 

 position is as follows : 



Uranous oxide, . . . . 51'62 51*39 



Oxalic acid, . .... 33-98 34*30 



Water (dried at a temp, of 140° C), . 14*38 14-38 



Their solubility in cold water is one part in 2000, and in 

 warm water it is about one part in 685; but this latter 

 result must be taken with some reservation, because the 

 solution possessed a yellow colour, showing some change in 

 composition. 



Our knowledge of uranium and its compounds is not by 

 any means complete ; but that that condition should obtain 

 is not to be wondered at, when we have it stated in one of 

 our best works in chemical literature that uranium is com- 

 pletely precipitated from uranic solutions by ammonia. It 

 may, therefore, be pardonable in me if, to-night, I give to 

 this Society a short Temcme of the principal oxides and com- 

 pounds of uranium, and their uses. 



Uranium was first discovered by Klaproth, and owes its 

 name to the fact that Herschel — for whom Klaproth professed 

 profound admiration and respect — had in the same year, viz., 



