Mr, Tennant’s Accouni of an easier Mode^ 579 
passage of the alkali has, in England, been generally effected 
through a small perforation between the two barrels, being 
poured very hot into the smaller barrel, which is then closed 
with a ground stopper. 
The process conducted in either way requires the construc- 
tion of a particular furnace, and the correct fitting of the barrels 
by grinding, so as to be air tight, and being somewhat com- 
plicated is not always performed with success. 
As it was very desirable to facilitate the mode of obtaining 
potassium, which is so powerful a chemical agent, I have at- 
tempted to simplify the process, and having so far succeeded 
as to render it capable of being performed in a common smith’s 
fire, and without the junction of the iron barrels by grinding, 
I have thought it might deserve to be communicated to the 
Royal Society. 
If it was absolutely necessary to heat the alkali and iron 
separately, and in that state to unite them, no material im- 
provement in the simplicity of the present apparatus could be 
reasonably looked for; but upon considering that the alkali 
frequently passed through the short barrel in a few minutes, 
it did not seem probable that much of the potassium was then 
formed, since the whole operation required a continuance of 
the heat for near an hour. 
In order therefore to learn whether potassium might not 
be produced merely by distilling turnings of iron and potash, 
I put the two together into a piece of gun barrel, the lower 
end of which was closed by welding, and the upper end by a 
cork, having a small glass tube through it to admit the escape 
of air. 
The lower end of the barrel being coated as usual with lute 
