335 
the Decomposition of the Earths, &c. 
I delayed for some time laying an account of many of the 
principal results which I obtained before the Society* in the 
hopes of being able to render them more distinct and satisfac- 
tory ; but finding that for this end a more powerful battery, 
and more perfect apparatus than I have a prospect of seeing 
very soon constructed, will be required, I have ventured to 
bring forwards the investigation in its present imperfect state ; 
and I shall prefer the imputation of having published unfinished 
labours, to that of having concealed any new facts from the 
scientific world, which may tend to assist the progress of che- 
mical knowledge. 
2. Methods employed for decomposing the alkaline Earths. 
Barytes, strontites, and lime, slightly moistened, were elec- 
trified by iron wires under naphtha, by the same methods, and 
with the same powers as those employed for the decompo- 
sition * of the fixed alkalies. In these cases, gas was copiously 
evolved, which was inflammable; and the earths where in con- 
tact with the negative metallic wires became dark coloured, 
and exhibited small points having a metallic lustre, which, 
when exposed to air, gradually became white ; they became 
white likewise when plunged under water, and when examined 
in this experiment by a magnifier, a greenish powder seemed 
to separate from them, and small globules of gas were dis- 
engaged. 
In these cases there was great reason to believe that 
the earths had been decomposed ; and that their bases had 
combined with the iron, so as to form alloys decomposible by 
the oxygene of air or water; but the indistinctness of the effect, 
* S.ee page 4.. 
