58 Mr. Davy's Experiments on 
The solution of the question concerning the quantity of 
matter added to the mercury in the formation of the amalgam, 
depends upon this discussion ; for if the phlogistic view of 
the subject be adopted, the amalgam must be supposed to con- 
tain nearly twice as much matter, as it is conceived to contain 
on the hypothesis of deoxygenation. In the last Bakerian lec- 
ture, I have rated the proportion at T -i~, but this is the least 
quantity that can be assumed, the mercury being supposed to 
give off only one and a half its volume of ammonia. If 
the proportion stated in page 56, be taken as the basis of cal- 
culation, which is the maximum that I have obtained, the 
amalgam would contain about ytoo new m atter, on the 
antiphlogistic view, and about on the phlogistic view. 
I shall have occasion to recur to, and to discuss more fully 
these ideas, and I shall conclude this section by stating, that 
though the researches on the decomposition, and compo- 
sition of nitrogene, which have occupied so large a space in 
the foregoing pages, have been negative, as to the primary ob- 
ject, yet they may not possibly be devoid of useful applications. 
It does not seem improbable, that the passage of steam over 
hot manganese, may be applied to the manufacture of nitrous 
acid. And there is reason to believe that the ignition of char- 
coal and potash, and their exposure to water, may be advanta- 
geously applied to the production of volatile alkali, in countries 
where fuel is cheap. 
IV. On the Metals of Earths .. 
I have tried a number of experiments with the hopes of 
gaining the same distinct evidences of the decomposition of 
