ott 
da the metals of the alkalies approach to 
the lightest class of oxidable metals? 
With regard to the alloys, it is probable 
that they may be formed in many metal- 
jurgical operations, and that small quan- 
tities of them may influence materially 
the properties of the compound in which 
they exist. In the conversion of cast 
into malleable iron by the process of 
blooming, a considerable quantity of 
glass separates, which seems to be chiefly 
sitex, alumine, and lime, vitrifed with 
oxide of iron. . Different specimens of 
east iron make different kinds of iron for 
working, which may be owing to the cir- 
eumstance of their containing different 
metals of the earths, which, in compound 
alloys, may be more oxidable than in 
simple alloys, and may be more easily 
separated by combustion. Copper is 
said to be hardened by silicium; and, in 
some experiments made on the action of 
potassium and iron and silex, the iron 
was rendered white, very haftd, and 
brittle, byt not more oxidable. ** Re- 
searches on this subject do not appear 
enivorthy of pursuit, and they may possi- 
bly tend to improve some of our most 
muportant manuiactures, and give new 
instruments to the nseful arts, 
In atheoretical view, Mr, Davy ob- 
serves, that hydrogen is the body which 
eombines with the largest proportion of 
oxygen, and yet it forms with ita neutral 
compound. This, on the hypothesis of 
electrical energy, would shew that it must 
be much more highly positive than any 
ether substance ; and, therefore, if it be 
nu oxide, it is not likely that it should 
be deprived of oxygen by any simple che- 
yaical attractions. ‘The fact of its forming | 
@ substance approaching to an acid, 
when combined with ametallic substance, 
tellurium, is opposed to the idea of its 
being a gaseous metal, and perhaps to 
the idea that it is simple, or that it exists 
iw its common form in the amalgam of 
ainmonium. Muriatic acid gas is a com- 
pound of a body unknown 1n a separate 
siate, and water. The water cannot be 
éecompounded unless a new combination 
is formed; but it is decomposed by the 
ngtals; aud: in these cases. hydrogen is 
elicited in a manner similar to that in 
which one metal is precipitated by ano- 
ther; the oxygen being found in the 
pew compound, That nitrogen is not 
a metal in the form of gas is almost de- 
nonstrated by the nature of the fusible 
substance from afimonia, and the general 
analogy of chemistry would lead to the 
potion of its beng compounded, 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
[Jan. 1 9 
“Should it be established by future .. 
researches that hydrogen is a protoxide- 
of ammonium, ammonia a deutoxide, 
and nitrogen a tritoxide of the same me= 
tal, the theory of chemistry would attain 
a happy simplicity, and the existing ar- 
rangements would harmonize with all the 
new facts. The class of pure inflamma- 
ble bases, would be metals capable of | 
alloying with each other, and of combi-~ 
ning with protoxides. Some of? these 
bases would be known only in combinas 
tion, those of sulphur, phosphorus, and - 
of the boracic, fluoric, and muriatic acids ; 
but the relations of their compounds 
would lead to the suspicion of their being 
metallic. The salifiable bases might be - 
considered either as protoxides, deutox-~ 
ides, or tritoxides.” The tenour of the an- 
tiphlogistic doctrines points to such aa 
order, but Mr. Davy suggests another 
theory: ‘¢ If,” says he, “ hydrogen he | 
considered as the principle which gives _ 
inflammability, and as the cause of me. 
tallization, then our list of simple sub- , 
stances will include oxygen, hydrogens 
and unknown bases only: metals and ine 
flammable solids will be compounds of 
these bases with hydrogen: the earths, 
the fixed alkalies, metallic oxides, and . 
the common acids, will be compounds of . 
the same bases with water.’” The argu 
ments in favour of this theory are as . 
follow : iii 
1. The properties which seem to be 
inherent in certain bodies, and which are © 
either developed or concealed, according 
to the nature of their combinations; . 
thus, sulphur dissolved in water manifests 
acid properties; and the same quantity. 
of sulphur, in its simple state, or in com. 
bination with hydrogen or oxygen, seems 
to combine with the same quantity of al- | 
kali, 
2. The facility with which metallic. 
substances are revived, in cases in which. 
hydrogen is present. reek salah 
3. Oxygen and hydrogen are bodies 
that iu all cases seem to neutralize each 
other, and, therefore, in the products of 
combustion, it might be expected that. 
the natural energies of the bases would 
be most distinctly displayed, which is the 
case: and in. oxymuriatic acid, the acid _ 
energy seems to ke blunted by oxygen, . 
and is restored by the addition of hydro- | 
gen. The solution of the general question 
concerning the presencé of hydrogen in. 
all inflammable bodies, wall be influenced 
by the decision upon the nature of the 
amalgam from ammonia; and a matter 
of so much importance cannot be hastily | 
decided 
