178 Aluminium. 



been connected by any intermediate metal — that is, by one pos- 

 sessing the most characteristic properties of each ; bnt it is hoped 

 that aluminium may supply such a connection. Like the pre- 

 cious metals, it is brilliant, and little alterable by chemical 

 agents — scarcely at all, under ordinary circumstances. Like the 

 common metals, it is very abundant, constituting one-fourth, 

 by weight, of the most widely diffused bodies. It is malleable, 

 ductile, hard, and tenacious ; its compounds are harmless — 

 which is true of scarcely any other metal but iron : and, unlike 

 both the precious and the common metals, it has the advantage 

 of being extremely light. It is admirably suited to all ordinary 

 purposes : and is one of the best that can be used for those 

 which are artistic and ornamental. M. Christofle, in 1858, 

 exhibited before the Academy of Sciences a group in aluminium, 

 which had been cast and chiseled : and which afforded an excel- 

 lent example of its capabilities, though it was its first appli- 

 cation to such a purpose. 



Davy, soon after he had discovered the metallic bases of the 

 alkaline earths, in 1807, proved the existence of aluminium, 

 from potassa being produced when the vapour of potassium 

 was brought in contact with alumina heated to whiteness ; and 

 he even obtained it, in combination with potassium. It was 

 procured by Wohler, in 1827, as a grey powder; and in 1845 

 in the form of very minute globules : but probably from being 

 more or less impure, it did not exhibit the same properties as 

 when in a massive state. On account of the high price of po- 

 tassium, at the time he made his experiments, and other ob- 

 stacles, he did not obtain it in particles larger than a pin's 

 head: and he succeeded in uniting these, only by great 

 chance, and after many trials : since the presence of minute 

 quantities of other substances, or a slight coating of oxide, would 

 prevent their coalescing. M. Degousse, a gold-beater of Paris, 

 succeeded in preparing it in the form of very thin plates : and 

 he found that, in beating them out, it was necessary to re-heat 

 them more frequently than other metals in similar circumstances. 

 M. Deville has been the most successful of all those who have 

 made experiments upon it. We shall first describe the most 

 convenient methods of obtaining aluminium, particularly on the 

 small scale : and shall then examine its properties and com- 

 binations — omitting nothing of any importance, that has yet 

 been discovered regarding it. As to the mode of procuring 

 it on the large scale, it docs not concern the object we have 

 in view : but it may, in a great degree, be conceived from 

 what wo shall say. 



When wo attempt to get aluminium directly from alumina, 

 with potassium, or sodium, wo do not succeed : most likely from 

 its being necessary that the potash, or soda, which would then 



