for decomposing the Muriatic Acid, 193 



only in disuniting the elements of water, but in promoting the 

 union of the evolved oxygen with muriatic acid. 



Exper. 5. A mixture of common air and muriatic acid gas, 

 in the proportion of 143 of the former to 116 of the latter, was 

 rapidly diminished by electrical shocks ; 30 of which reduced 

 the whole to 1 11 .* The remainder consisted of muriatic acid 

 and azotic gases, with a small proportion of oxygenous gas. The 

 deposit formed on the tube was of the same kind as before, but 

 much more abundant. 



Exper. 6. The same appearances were occasioned, much more 

 remarkably, by electrifying muriatic acid with oxygenous gas ; 

 and the contraction continued, till the mercury rose so as 

 to touch the extremity of the platina conductor. At each ex- 

 plosion, a dense white cloud was seen in the tube, which soon 

 settled on its inner surface, and was of exactly the same che- 

 mical composition as the one already described. Nitrous gas 

 and muriatic gas, when electrified together, underwent a similar 

 change. 



In order to ascertain whether the mercury by which the 

 gases were confined, in the above experiments, had any influ-r 

 ence on their results, they were repeated in an instrument 

 made, purposely for the occasion, by Mr. Cuthbertson, of 

 London. It consisted of a glass tube, ground at each end, with 

 the view of receiving two stoppers, each perforated with platina 

 wire, which projected into the cavity of the tube. When the 

 stoppers were in their places, the extremities of the wires were 



* This experiment suggests an additional reason, to that already given, for the 

 greater diminution of the first, than of the subsequent portions of muriatic acid gas j 

 for the former may be presumed to have been much more adulterated than the latter, 

 with the atmospherical air of the vessels. 



MDCCC C C 



