ANALYSIS OF AMMOXlA. 1^3 



1 am making preparations for performing the experiment Different 

 In a bored tube made from a single piece of platiiia, and "vUl^be^em- '^ 

 likewise in tubes made of other metals, and I hope to be ployed^ 

 able, in a short lime, to have the honour of laying the re- 

 sults before the Societ}^ 



I shall make no apology for bringing forward the invest!-^ 

 gallon in its present imperfect state, except by stating, that 

 my motive for so doing is the desire of being assisted or 

 Corrected by the opinions and advice of the learned chemi-i 

 cal philosophers belonging to this illustrious body. In an 

 investigation connected with alpaost all the theoretical ar-- 

 rangement* of chemistry, and in operations of so much de- 

 licacy, it will, 1 conceive, be allowed, that it is scarcely 

 , possible to proceed with too much caution, or to multiply 

 facts to too great an extent. 



The different phenomena presented by the processes bf ^l^'c'h ma-r 



T • 1 ■ ■ .«■ 11- 11 present dilfsi- 



distillation in difreient metallic tubes may lead to new ex- en: pheuo- 

 planations of this intricate subject, and though the facts '"-"*• 

 cannot be easily acconnted for, except on the supposition 

 that nitrogen is an oxide, yet till the proportions and weights 

 are distinctly ascertained, the inquiry cannot be considered 

 as far advanced ; for in pm experiment, in which the pro- 

 Cesses are so. complicated and delicate, and in which the 

 data are so numerous, it is not easy to be satisfied, that 

 every source of errour has been avoided, and that every cir- 

 cumstance has been examined and reasoned upon. 



All conclusions on the action of potassium on ammonia, 

 are immediately dependent upon the results of the electri- 

 cal analysis of the volatile alkali. In a letter, which I re- 

 ceived in the course of the lust month from Dr. Henry, Dr. H«ntf. 

 that excellent chemist, has stated, that he conceives I have 

 rather under-rated the quantity of nitrogen in ammonia, 

 according to the proportions given in the Bakerian Lecture 

 for 1807. This notice has induced me to repeat the ex- 

 periment, under new circumstances, and I find not the 

 slightest reason for doubting of the entire accuracy of my 

 former results. . 



In the new trial, I used mercury which had been recently Fresh analy'js 

 boiled in the tube for electrization ; the amtnonia was j^. ^^^^'"^^"'^ 

 produced after being lon^ dried by caustic potash, from a 



