266 Mr . Cavendish’s Experiments on the 
to fhew, that the foap-lees were then faturated, and that the 
acid was beginning to corrode the mercury. The quantity of 
air abforbed was alfo 6840 meafures, which is about as much 
as I expected would be required. However, as I was perfuaded, 
from the event of my own experiments, that the diminution 
would either intirelv ceafe, or go on very {lowly, as foon as 
the foap-lees were faturated ; and as I was unwilling to flop 
the experiments before that happened, I thought it beft to con- 
tinue the electrification. 
On the fame morning Mr. Gilpin found, that about 120 
meafures of the air in the bent tube had been fpontaneoufly 
abforbed during the night, the quantity therein being fo much 
lefs than it was the preceding evening, though the eleCtrical 
machine had not been worked, or any thing done to it during 
the intermediate time. The reafon of this in all probability 
is, that as the acid was then corroding the mercury, the foap- 
lees became impregnated with nitrous air, which, during the 
night, united to the dephlogiflicated air, and caufed the dimi- 
nution. 
Though in reality the event of this experiment was fuch as 
to eflablifh the truth of my pofition, that the mixture of de- 
phlogifticated and phlogifticated air is converted by the ele&ric 
fpark into nitrous acid, as fully as if the experiment had been 
flopped in proper time ; yet, as the event was in fome mea- 
fure different from that of my own experiments, and might 
afford room for cavil, I was defirous of having it repeated ; 
and as Mr. Gilpin was fo obliging as to undertake it again, 
the materials were, on February u.put together for a frefh 
experiment, in the prefence of moflof the abov.e-mentioned Gen- 
tlemen. The foap-lees employed were the fame as before, but 
a 83 meafures were now introduced. The dephlogiflcated air was 
different, 
