318 v Mr. Hatchett’s Analysis of 
The decomposition of the nitrate of ammoniac is also well 
known ; and I have no doubt but that muriate of ammoniac 
suffers a similar decomposition in a smaller degree each time 
that it is sublimed ; for whenever I have had occasion to 
sublime muriate of ammoniac, I have always found some fum- 
ing muriatic acid ; and from whence could this be produced, 
but from a portion of the salt which was' decomposed during 
the sublimation. 
The distillation of the blue triple salt, composed of molybdic 
acid, muriatic acid, and ammoniac (§ VII. and IX.), places 
this in a stronger light ; for whenever this salt was distilled, 
a certain portion of molybdsena was left in the retort de- 
prived of oxygen, and muriatic acid was found in the receiver. 
Moreover, from several repetitions of this experiment, I am 
well convinced, that by a great number of sublimations the 
whole of the molybdasna might have been obtained in the pro- 
portion that the muriate of ammoniac was decomposed. 
When all these facts are considered, it appears to me more 
than probable that most, if not all, of the ammoniacal salts 
suffer different degrees of decomposition whenever they are 
treated in the dry way. 
As the molybdic acid was my principal object, I did not 
make all the experiments I could have wished on this neutral 
salt ; neither have I as yet exactly determined the proportion 
of azotic gas produced from a certain quantity. 
I have found, however, that the sublimed undecomposed 
part of the salt amounted to 183 grains when an ounce of the 
salt had been distilled, and that the liquid in the receiver 
weighed 145 grains ; so that 152 grains had escaped, which 
