' 
| 
\ 
water by diftillation. 
QA New Aas of the Britih Legifatur® 
from the friking variety of colours which 
it gives while diffolving in marine acid. 
The othef metal he calls o/tum, from its 
fmell, which is one of its molt diftinguith- 
ing charafters, and which arifes from the 
extrication of a very volatile metallic oxide: 
this may be expelled from the alkali by 
any acid, and obtained in folution with 
The oxide of of. 
mium may be obtained in a {mall quantity, 
but in a more concentrated ftate, by diftil- 
ling with nitre the original black powder, 
procured fromthe platina. In its conceh- 
trated ftate, this oxide ftains the fkin of 
a dark colour, which cannot be effaced, 
and its moft firtking teft is an infufion of 
galls, which produces a purple colour, that 
foon turns toa vivid blue By this mean, 
the prefence of both metals may be ob- 
ferved, when the two are mixed together. 
‘The folution of the iridium, is not altered 
by being mixed with the oxide of ofmium, 
but on adding an infufion of galls, the red 
colour of the firft is inftlantaneoufly taken 
away, and foon after the purple and blue 
colour of the latter appears. 
The oxide of of{mium becomes of a dark 
colour with alcoho] : -the fame effect is pro- 
duced by either, It appears to part with 
its oxygen to all the metals excepting gold 
2nd platina. When diffolved in water and 
fhaken with mercury, it foon lofes its 
{mell ; and the metal combining with the 
mercury, forms a perfect amalgam. 
The next paper read to the Society, was 
by Dr. Wotvaston, entitled, 4‘ Oz a 
new) Metal found ix crude Platina.” 
[April 2, 
Dr. Wollaton, aware that M. Defcotils 
had aferibed the red colour of certain pré- 
cipitates and falts of platina, to the pre= 
fence of 4 new metal, and being apprifed*’ 
of the difcoveries made by Mr. Tennant; 
which we have juit defcribed, neverthelefs, 
conceived that the.more foluble parts of 
this mineral might be deferving of further 
examination; the refult of which, is the 
difcovery of another metal, which he dif- 
tinguifhes by the name of rhodium, on ac- 
count of the rofe-colour of a dilutg {olution 
of the falts containing it. The experi- 
ments made by this gentleman are minutely 
defcribed, and may be readily repeated by 
practical chemifts ; and from thefe he con- 
cludes that the metallic fubRance which 
was about a year and a half ago offered for 
fale, by the hame of palladium; is contain- 
ed in the ore of platina ; and he thinks it 
is not unlikely, that this may have been'a 
-conftituent part.of fome of the compounds 
obtained by Mr. Chenevix, which may 
have mifled him into the fuppofition that 
he had formed palladium: For Dr. 
Wollafton has made many attempts to 
unite pure platina with mercury, But 
without fuccefs. Befides upon comparing 
the fpecific gravity of palladium (11.8) 
with that of mercury or of platina, he was 
always firongly inclined to doubt the pof- 
fibility of its being compofed of thefe me- 
tals, becaufe in no inftance is the fpecifie 
gravity of a compound lefs than that of its 
lighteft ingredient. For this and other 
reafons, Dr. Wollafton confiders the pals 
ladium as a fimple metal. 
- 
NEW ACTS OF THE ‘BRITISH LEGISLATURE. 
Being an Analyfis of all A&s of General Importance, paffed during the loft 
Sefion of Parliament, a4. Geo. Il. 
s¢ An A& for eftablifhing and maintaining a 
permanent additional Force for the Defence 
of the Realm, and. to provide for aug- 
menting his Majeity’s regular Forces, and 
for the ereduz] Reduéiion of the Militia 
of England. 44 Geo. 3; cap. §."? (Paffed 
June 29, 1504. 
(Continued from p. 265 of the laff Number.) 
FXO prevent the evils attendant upon 
| parochial balicts, itis, by this At, 
dire&ted, :bat_a permanent additional force, 
for the defence of the realm, fhall be raifed 
bv the d:f- rent counties, according to the 
population of each; and the numbers {pes 
cifically appointed in the Act; are to be 
~ 
procured by bounties, to be paid by the 
refpective parifhes, and not by the op- 
pteffive courfe of a ballot, as und Te 
Addington’s Ad. ; sine 
The following are the claufes moft ge- 
nefailly interefting in this A€t:— | 
From and after the 13th of July, the 
militia fhall be gradually reduced, in each » 
of thé counties in England, to the origt= 
na] quutas. 
No man ‘hall be ballotted, or be enrolled 
to ferve, in the militia, in which the num- 
ber fhall- exceed or amount to fuch origi- 
nal quota, until the militia fall be-res 
dticéds Cs i 
Bue 
