254 Dr. Beck on the Chlorides of Soda, Lime, fyc. 



These views are controverted by Richard Phillips, who 

 contends that admitting no such compound as chloride of 

 soda exists, the explanation of Dr. Granville cannot apply 

 in the case of chloride of lime. As a proof that the action 

 of chloride of soda does not depend upon the mere gas 

 which it holds in solution, he adduces the fact that it does 

 not, even by ebullition lose its bleaching properties, and that 

 it also retains its power, to a considerable extent, after evap- 

 oration to dryness. He also offers some other objections to 

 the results of Dr. Granville's analysis, which it is not import- 

 ant to detail.* 



Upon Dr. Granville's paper Mr. Faraday remarks — " Un- 

 fortunately Dr. Granville has mistaken M. Labarraque's di- 

 rection, and by passing chlorine ' to complete saturation,' 

 through the carbonate, instead of using the quantities di- 

 rected, has failed in obtaining Labarraque's really curious 

 and very important liquid ; to which, in consequence, not 

 one of his observations or experiments applies, although the 

 latter are quite correct in themselves."! 



Having mentioned these names it may be considered pre- 

 sumptuous in me to interfere in the controversy. But it is 

 proper to remark, that the views I am about to offer were 

 formed long before I was aware that the subject was under* 

 going discussion abroad, and were matured without particu- 

 lar reference to it. I claim attention to them only so far as 

 they are supported by facts and experiments. 



To arrive at correct conclusions concerning the nature of 

 the substances under investigation, it is necessary that we 

 should accurately examine all the circumstances which at- 

 tend their formation, and the conditions which appear to be 

 essential for this purpose. 



The first point deserving of attention is, that chlorine will 

 not combine with the oxides of the alkaline or earthy metals 

 when perfectly dry. In the case of lime this has been abun- 

 dantly proved by Dr. Ure. He states that he exposed dry 

 lime in fine powder to a copious stream of chlorine for four 

 days, but that even at the end of that time the powder had 

 not sensibly increased in weight.J The same may be said of 

 the oxides of the other above named metals : I believe it is 



' "Philosophical Magazine and Annals, vol. 1, pp. 377, 378. 

 | Brande's Journal, New Series, vol. 2, p. 92. 

 | Chemical Dictionary, 2d edition. 



