of chlorine and carbon , &c. 63 
smaller quantities, more accurate results were obtained. 1 
cubic inch of olefiant gas with 12.25 cubic inches of chlorine, 
produced by the action of light 3.67 cubic inches of muriatic 
acid gas, 4,963 of the chlorine having been used. 1.4 cubic 
inch of olefiant gas with 12.5 cubic inches of chlorine pro- 
duced 5.0 6 cubic inches of muriatic acid gas, 6.7 cubic inches 
of chlorine having been used. Other experiments gave very 
nearly the same results ; and I have deduced from them, that 
1 volume of olefiant gas requires 5 volumes of chlorine for its 
conversion into muriatic acid and chloride of carbon ; that 4 
volumes of muriatic acid gas are formed ; that 3 volumes of 
chlorine combine with the 2 volumes of carbon in the olefiant 
gas to form the solid crystalline chloride ; and that, when 
chlorine acts on the fluid compound of chlorine and olefiant 
gas, for every volume of chlorine that combines, an equal 
volume of hydrogen is separated. 
I have endeavoured to verify these proportions by analytical 
experiments. The mode I adopted was, to send the substance 
in vapour over metals and metallic oxides at high tempera- 
tures. Considerable care is requisite in such experiments; 
for if the process be carried on quickly, a portion of fluid 
chloride of carbon is formed, and escapes decomposition. 
The following are two results, from a number of experiments 
agreeing well with each other. 
5 grains were passed over peroxide of copper in an iron 
tube, and the gas collected over mercury ; it amounted to 
3.9 cubic inches, barometer 29.85 ; thermometer 54 0 F. Of 
these nearly 3.8 cubic inches were carbonic acid, and rather 
more than ,1 of a cubic inch was carbonic oxide. These 
are nearly equal to ,5004 of a grain of carbon. Hence, 100 
