294 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
a hindrance, but to the many an insuperable objection. The thought 
had occurred to me, that, as the constituents of sea-water are known, 
it might be practicable to manufacture it; since all that seemed neces- 
Sary was to bring together the salts in proper proportion, and add pure 
water till the solution was of the proper specific gravity. Several sci- 
entific friends to whom I mentioned my thoughts, expressed their doubts 
of the possibility of the manufacture; and one or two went so far as 
to say that it had been tried, but that it had been found not to answer; 
that though it looked like sea-water, tasted, smelt, like the right thing, 
yet it would not support animal life. Still, 1 could not help saying, 
with the lawyers, “If not, why not?” 
Experientia docet.. I determined to try the matter for myself. 
I took Schweitzer’s analysis; but as I found that there was some 
slight difference between his and Laurent’s I concluded that a very mi- 
nute accuracy was not indispensable. Schweitzer gives the following 
analysis of 1000 grains of sea-water taken off Brighton: 
Water, - - - - - - 964°744 
Chlorid of sodium, —- - - - - 27-059 
Chlorid of magnesium, - : - 3°666 
Chlorid of potassium, - - - - - 0°765 
Bromid of magnesium, - - - - 0:029 
Sulphate of magnesia, - - : - 2-295 
Sulphate of lime, - - - - - 1°407 
Carbonate of lime, - . “ : - 0-033 
because M. Laurent finds it in excessively minute quantity. The com- 
ponent salts were then reduced to four, which I used in the following 
quantities : 
Common table salt, - - : 34 ounces. 
Epsom salts - - - - i) 
Chlorid of magnesium, - . - 200 grains 
Chlorid of potassium, — - - - 40 - } nue 
The cost of the substances was—sulph. mag. ld.; chlor. mag. 34. ; 
chlor. pot. 1d. ; salt, nil;—total, 54d. per gallon. Of course. if a 
hed, so that’ we may set down 5d. per gallon as the maximum cost of 
sea-water thus made. The trouble is nothing, and no professional skill 
1S requisite, d 
By Semcon tate was made on the 2lst of April. The following 
day | poured off about half of the quantity made (filtering it througt 
