some new Objects in Chemical Philosophy. 63 
quantity of basis which an acid dissolves, it would be easy to 
infer the quantities of oxygene and metallic matter from the 
quantities of acid and of basis in a neutral salt. On this idea I 
had early in 1808, concluded that barytes must contain least 
oxygene of all the earths, and that the order as to the quan- 
tity of inflammable matter, must be strontites, potash, soda, 
lime, and so on ; and that silex must contain the largest 
quantity of oxygene of all. 
If the most accurate analyses be taken, barytes may be 
conceived to contain about 90.5 * of metal per cent, strontites 
8b, f lime 7 3.5,* magnesia, 66.J 
The same proportions would follow from an application of 
Mr. Dalton’s ingenious supposition, §, that the proportion of 
* Mr. James Thompson, Nicholson’s Journal, 1809, p. 175, and Bkrthikr. 
f Mr. Clayfjeld Thomson’s Chemistry, Vol. II. p. 626, 629. 
\ Murray’s Chemistry, Vol. III. p. 616. 
§ The principle that I have stated of the affinity of an acid for a salifiable basis 
being inversely, as the quantity of oxygene contained by the basis, though gained from 
the comparison of the electrical relations of the earths, with their chemical affinities, 
in its numerical applications, must be considered merely as a consequence of Mr. 
Dalton’s law of general proportions. Mr. Dalton had indeed, in the spring of 1808, 
communicated to me a series of proportions for the alkalies and alkaline earths; which 
in the case of the alkalies, were not very remote from what I had ascertained by direct 
experiments. M Gay Lussac’s principle, that the quantity of acid in metallic salts 
is directly as the quantity of oxygene, might (as far as it is correct) be inferred from 
Mr. Dalton's law, though this ingenious chemist states that he was led to it by 
different considerations. According to Mr. Dalton, there is a proportion of oxy- 
gene. the same in all protoxides, and there is a proportion of acid, the same in all 
neutral salts; and new proportions of oxygene and of acid, are always multiples of 
these proportions. So that if a protoxide in becoming a deutoxide, takes up more 
acid, it will beat least double the quantity, and in these cases, the oxygene will be 
strictly is the acid. Mr. Dalton’s law even provides for cases to which M. Gay 
Lussic’s will not apply, a deutoxide may combine with a single quantity of acid, 
or a protoxide with a double quantity. Thus in the insoluble oxysulphat of iron per- 
