I 
nearly a-kin to Vitriol. 105 
the fame Sort *. It tallies exactly like Alum , 
and in the South Sea Year, 1720, a Quan¬ 
tity was imported in Hopes of making it 
turn to good Account: but the Mifchiefs 
fuffered from other Proje&s at that Time, 
difcouraged People from embarking in this, 
and we have heard no more of it lince 5 
nor indeed, as Alum can be made lb cheap 
from Materials found at Home, does it feem 
worth while to fend fo far on the fame Ac¬ 
count. 
Alum feems fo nearly a-kin to Vitriol, that 
the Addition of Copper or Iron is only want¬ 
ing to make it the fame Thing ; as may be 
proved by a Diflillation of it into an acid 
Spirit with either of them, whereby it be¬ 
comes good Vitriol. On the other hand. 
Vitriol, when freed from its metallic Parti¬ 
cles, becomes aluminous, and yields on Dif- 
tillation a Spirit undiftinguiihable by the 
niceft Scrutiny from that of Alum -f*. 
* I have alfo an aluminous Earth brought from Maryland 
snd given me by Mr. Brook . 
t Vid. Phil Tranf, N° 104, p. 67. 
1 * « 
CHAP. 
