1865.] Chemistry. 457 



protoxide of cobalt being precipitated. Sulphurous acid is converted 

 into sulphuric, which combines with the protoxide of cobalt. 



The decomposing action of lead upon pm-e water has been illus- 

 trated by an experiment of Stolba,* who found that on boiling pure 

 water with a relatively large quantity of lead in foil or granulated, 

 hydrogen was somewhat freely evolved, and a strongly alkaline fluid 

 remained in the flask. 



Kunge has described j the action of sodium amalgam on some 

 metallic salts. Ferric and chromic chlorides he found to be quickly 

 reduced to ferrous and chromous chlorides ; in time the whole of the 

 chlorine was withdrawn and iron and chromium amalgams were 

 obtained. The chromium amalgam was a fluid and very unstable 

 compound. 



One of the most original and important recent contributions to 

 chemical knowledge we have to notice is the paper presented by Mr. 

 Gore to the Koyal Society " On the Properties of Liquefied Hydrochlo- 

 ric Acid Gas." Anhydrous hydrochloric acid the author found to have 

 no acid properties. Solid extract of litmus dissolved but slightly in 

 the liquefied acid forming a purple or inky solution. Metals which 

 dissolve easily in a dilute solution of the acid were scarcely affected ; 

 even caustic lime remained in the liquid unattacked. Those oxides 

 attacked were but slowly converted into chlorides ; the same was ob- 

 served with the carbonates, but no bubbles of gas were seen to escape 

 from the liquid. The latter circumstance may be easily accounted 

 for, however, since the author has shown in a former paper that hydro- 

 chloric and carbonic acids may be condensed together, forming one 

 liquid. 



The properties of the new metal, Indium, discovered by Eeich and 

 Eichter (see ante, p. 87), have been further investigated by Wink- 

 ler.]: The metal resembles platinum in appearance. It is soft like 

 lead, and may be easily cut with a knife. Heated to bright redness, 

 it volatilizes and bums with a blue flame, forming an oxide InO, 

 which is deposited as a yellow powder. The reactions of the metal, 

 as given by Winkler, are much the same as those given by the dis- 

 coverers ; but the determinations of the atomic weight differ con- 

 siderably. Eeich and Eichter gave the atomic weight as 74*14 

 (0 = 16); but Winkler's experiments lead to the number 35 - 918 

 (O = 8). Further researches on this metal, which has hitherto been 

 only obtained in very small quantities, will, no doubt, clear up these 

 discrepancies. 



A paper of considerable importance was contributed to the Lite- 

 rary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, by Dr. F. C. Calvert 

 and Mr. Johnson, and will be found in the ' Chemical News,' vol xi. 

 p. 171. It relates to the action of sea-water on certain metals and 

 alloys, and therefore will interest all concerned with shipping. We 

 may pass over the laboratory experiments, and quote only the results 

 of those made by immersing plates of the metals, 40 centimetres 



* ' Journal fur prakt. Cheime,' 1865. 

 t 'Chem. Central Blatt,' No. 17, 1865. 

 + 'Journal fiir prakt. Chemie/ No. 1, 1865. 



