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XVII. On the Conversion of a Mixture of dephlogijiicated and 
phlogificated Air into nitrous Acid, by the cleftric Spark . By 
Henry Cavendifh, EJf F. R . S. and A. S. 
Read April 17, 1788. 
I N Volume LXXV. of the Philofophical Tran factions, p. 
372. I related an experiment, which fhewed, that by 
pafling repeated ele&ric fparks through a mixture of atmo- 
fpheric and dephlogifticated air, confined in a bent glafs tube 
by columns of foap-lees and quickfilver, the air was converted 
into nitrous acid, which united to the foap-lees and formed 
nitre. But as this experiment has fince been tried by fome per- 
fons of diflinguifhed ability in fuch purfuits without fucctfs, 
I thought it right to take' fome meafures to authenticate the 
truth of it. For this purpofe, I requeued Mr. Gilpin, Clerk 
of the Royal Society, to repeat the experiment, and defired 
fome of the Gentlemen moft €|Dnverfant with thefe fubje&s to 
be prefent at putting the materials together, and at the exa- 
mination of the produce. 
This laborious experiment Mr. Gilpin was fo good as to 
undertake. It was performed in the fame manner, and with 
the fame apparatus, which was ufed in my own experiments, 
and which is defcribed in the beginning of the above-men- 
tioned Paper, and is accompanied with a drawing. The 
N n 2 method 
