the heavy inflammable Air . 6$ 
heavy inflammable air in confequence of the repeated electrical 
ftiocks ? 
3. That the electrical ftiock feparated a fubftance from the 
heavy inflammable air, which has fome leading characters of an 
alkali. 
When inflammable air is decompofed by fulphur, or when 
hepatic air is made from charcoal and fulphur, we have the 
fame appearance of an alkali. That this is the volatile alkali 
is evident from its evaporation, when hepatic air is made from 
fulphur and charcoal. 
4. That the heavy inflammable air, through which the fpark 
has been repeatedly pafled, when burnt with any proportion of 
dephlogifticated air, does not produce fo much fixed air, as the 
fame quantity of inflammable air not eleCtrified, 
Hence it is evident, that apart of the air is actually decom- 
pofed by the fpark. Hence alfo we may infer, that the decom- 
pofed air is not refolved into light inflammable air and charcoal, 
of which fome chemifts have fuppofed it to confift, becaufe the 
charcoal would combine with dephlogifticated air after its fepa- 
ration from light inflammable air, and we ftiould not have fuch 
a defeCt of fixed air.. 
6. That the refidues, after Inflaming the decompofed air, are 
generally greater than thofe from the air in its natural ftate, or 
than can be accounted for from the mixture of the heavy 
inflammable and dephlogifticated airs. 
This affords a ftrong prefumption, that phlogifticated air is 
extricated from the decompofed heavy inflammable air in a 
feparate ftate, befides what enters into the volatile alkali, 
which is formed at the fame time. If light inflammable air 
only were difengaged during the decompofition, the refidues 
would certainly not be greater after inflammation with a fuffi- 
Vol. LXXX. K ' cleat 
