308 EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS, &C. 



ture of muriatic and ox ymuriatic acids, it remains equally con- 

 clusive. In the doctrine of the undecomposed nature of chlo- 

 rine, muriatic acid gas contains neither water nor oxygen, and 

 the metal employed certainly contains none. These are the only 

 substances brought into action, and it is impossible that water 

 should be a product of their operation. On the opposite doc- 

 trine, water is held to exist in muriatic acid gas to the amount 

 of one-fourth of its weight ; and it is conceivable, that by some 

 exertion of affinities, a portion of it may be liberated. If we 

 were unable to explain the modus operandi, this would remain 

 a difficulty no doubt, but not, as in the opposite system, an im- 

 possible result. 



It is to be admitted, indeed, that in none of these cases, is 

 the entire quantity of water which must be supposed to exist 

 in muriatic acid gas obtained ; and so far the proof is deficient. 

 But neither from the nature of the experiments is this to be 

 looked for ; and I give more weight to the argument, from ha- 

 ving always found certain portions of water to be procured, 

 while, on the opposite doctrine, there should be none. In 

 those cases where supposing water to be present in muriatic 

 acid gas, it ought to be obtained in the full quantity, it uni- 

 formly is so, though the proof from these is rendered ambigu- 

 ous, by the result being capable of being explained on a differ- 

 ent hypothesis. 



PART 



