NEW METHOD OF ANALYSING AMMONIA. f*59 



to me probable, from the known influence of elasticity 

 in impeding the combination of gaseous bases, might pre- 

 vent the oxigen of the alkali from uniting with hidrogen to 

 form water, and occasion the expansion of both into the 

 state of gas. 



Having failed, therefore, to acquire, in this way, proof Attempt to pra- 

 * dnce water 



of the existence of oxigen in the volatile alkali, I was next f roni j t 



led to seek for some unequivocal mode of evincing the pro- 

 duction of water by the same operation ; a fact, which 

 would be scarcely less satisfactory in establishing oxigen ta 

 be one of its constituents, than the actual separation of 

 oxigen gas. The most careful observation of ammonia, dur- 

 ing and after the agency of electricity, does not discover thu 

 smallest perceptible quantity of moisture. In order, there- 

 fore to subject the gas to a satisfactory test, I had recourse 

 to the following contrivance. Ammoniacal gas, I had pre, 

 viously found, may be so far desiccated by exposure to 

 caustic potash, as to show no traces of condensed moisture Ammoniarai 



on the inner surface of a thin glass Vessel containing it, e as d . ned b y 



° ° ' caustic- potash, 



when exposed to a cold of Q° Fahrenheit ; though the 



recent gas, by the same treatment, is made to depofit water 

 in the state of a thin film of ice. A glass globe, of the capa- 

 city of between two and three cubical inches, was filled 

 with gaseous ammonia, which was then dried hy sticks of 

 pure potash, fastened to pieces of steel wire, so that they 

 could be withdrawn, after having exerted their full action. 

 This point of dryness was ascertained by applying lether, or 

 a mixture of snow and salt, to the outside of the globe. By 

 means of a peculiar apparatus, the gas was next strpngfy 

 electrified, and the cooling power was again applied to tfie and then ejee- 

 outer Surface of the globe. 



In the first trials, that were made with this apparatus, Moi , tllTC ap _ 

 water certainly seemed to have been formed by the elect; i- peared, 

 Ration of the alkaline gas; for the same portion of gas, 

 which was not affected by a freezing mixture before the 

 process, gave evident signs of condensed moisture, when 

 the cooling power was applied after long continued electri- 

 zation. The appearance was not only quite satisfactory to 

 myself, but to Mr. Dalton, and several other chemical 

 friends, to whom I showed the experiment. Eindjng, how- 



