A 



JOURNAL 



OF 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, 



AND 



THE ARTS. 



SUPPLEMENT TO VOL. XX. 



ARTICLE I. 



The Bakerian Lecture on sotne nezo Phenomena of Chemi- 

 cal Changes produced by Electricity ; particularly the De- 

 composition of the fixed Alkalis, a?id the Exhibition of 

 the new Substances which constitute their Bases ; and on 

 the general Nature of Alkaline Bodies. By Humphry 

 Davy, Esq. Sec.R.S. M.R.LA. 



(Concluded from Page 314.) 



VII. Some general Observations on the Relations of the 

 Bases of Potash and Soda to other Bodies. 



OHOULD the bases of potash and soda be called metals? Are these base? 

 The greater number of philosophical persons, to whom this i^etals^''^** 

 question has been put, have answered in the affirmative. 

 They agree with metals in opacity, lustre, malleability, 

 conducting powers as to heat and electricity, and in their 

 qualities of chemical combination. 



Their low specific gravity does not appear a sufficient jj^ . ... 

 reason for making them a new class ; for among the metals not a sufficisnt 

 themselves there are remarkable differences in this respect, objection 

 platina being nearly four times as heavy as tellurium *j and 



in 



* Tellurium is not much more than six times as heavy as the 

 bases of soda. There is great reason to believe, that bodies of a 



Vol. XX.— Supplement. Y similar 



