368 Royal Society* 



the decomposition of sulphur, phosphorus, the boracic, 

 muratic, and fluoric acids ; and to astertain the-nature of 

 the diamond, plumbago, and charcoal. 



The second section was upon ammonia and its elements. 

 — In this, he particularly examined the action of ammonia 

 and potassium ; a process, from uhich M. M. Gay Lussac 

 and Thenard, had concluded that potassium might be a 

 compound of hydrogen and potash. lie showed, by a va- 

 riety of experiments, that their conclusions cannot be ad- 

 mitted ; and that in this operation, it is the ammonia, and 

 not the potassium, which is decomposed. 



Mr. Davy described in the course of this investigation, 

 two new substances, one a compound of the oxide of po- 

 tassium and ammonia, and the other a compound of the 

 oxide <n potassium and nitrogen. This last inflames spon- 

 taneously by exposure to air, and produces potash and ni- 

 trogen j and it acts violently upon water, and by its action 

 upon water, generates potash and ammonia. 



From the general tenour of these experiments, Mr. Davy 

 seemed inclined to infer that nitrogen in its aeriform state, 

 is not a simple body ; but that it contains oxygen, and in 

 its combination with the oxide of potassium it possesses me- 

 tallic properties. 



Dec. 23. The reading of Mr. Davy's Bakerian Lecture 

 was continued. The third section was concerning the de- 

 composition of sulphur. Me detailed a number of elaborate . 

 experiments, made upon it by means of Voltaic electricity, 

 and by the action of potassium ; from which he inferred, 

 that it is a triple compound of oxygen, hydrogen, and a pe- 

 culiar basis. 



In this section he detailed an account of a most curious 

 fact, of the brilliant combustion of potassium in sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen gass, proving distinctly that this gas which 

 ha? long been known to possess acid properties, contain* 

 ox v gen. 



The fourth section was on the decomposition of phospho- 

 rus, which, like sulphur, enters into ignition, out of the 

 contact of air with potassium, and emits phosphuretted hy- 

 drogen gas when acted on by electricity. 



