254 On the Chemical Examination of 



strong smell of ammonia was given out. At first it was sup- 

 posed that this might originate from the decomposition of 

 the nitre, but on further investigation it was observed that 

 the kelp when ignited without the nitre, produced the same 

 odour. A quantitative determination of the nitrogen, hydro- 

 gen, and carbon, was therefore made. 



Estimation of Nitrogen. — The nitrogen was determined in 

 the usual manner by combustion with soda lime, and passing 

 the ammonia through muriatic acid. The muriate of ammo- 

 nia thus formed was precipitated, by means of the bichloride 

 of platinum, as the yellow ammonia-muriate of the bichloride 

 of platinum, which was thrown on a weighed filter, washed 

 with alcohol, and dried at 212° Fahr. 



ijg&fiSSi Ni » JESS 



20 grains gave 2-1 -1317 '6585 



Carbon and Hydrogen. — To prepare the carbonaceous mat- 

 ter for analysis, 300 grains of the kelp were carefully washed 

 with distilled water, by which process the soluble salts were 

 removed. The matter which was insoluble in water, was 

 digested in dilute acid, when the insoluble salts were taken 

 up, and organic matter with silica remained unacted on. The 

 carbonaceous matter and silica in 300 grains were equal to 

 14-46 grains. This residue was then subjected to combustion 

 with oxide of copper. The following are the results : — 



Carbon, 

 Carbon. 



per cent. 



Amount of carbonic acid obtained 10-12 2-76 -920 



Hvdro-en Hydrogen, 



J fa ' per cent. 



... Water obtained 3-47 -433 -144 



i'fuif qfire 



When the matter insoluble in water was subjected to 



ignition in a platinum crucible it lost in weight from the 



dissipation of the organic matter ; but along with organic 



matter a minute quantity of sulphur and carbonic oxide from 



the decomposition of the carbonate of lime were also driven 



off, which rendered the results, as far as concerns the organic 



matter, not strictly accurate. 



