made in straight glass tubes of various diameters, armed at the sealed end with a metallic conductor, through which the shocks were introduced, the gas being at the other end confined by quicksilver.
The experiments, eighteen in number, are arranged under two heads, the first of which relates to the effects of electricity on muriatic gas, either pure or with the admixture of common air and oxygenous gas; and in the second are recorded the effects of electrifying the muriatic acid gas with inflammable substances.
The results of these experiments, which in the first set were generally a diminution, and in the second an expansion of the aerial fluid within certain limits, plainly evinced that no decomposition whatever of the muriatic acid had ever been effected, the residue always exhibiting the characters of hydrogenous or carbonic gases, whence it was reasonable to infer that with all the precautions that were used, the muriatic gas had never been perfectly freed from some admixture of Water or other ingredient.
The following general conclusions are deduced from these results.
1) The muriatic acid gas, in the driest state in which it can be produced, still contains a portion of water. The most decisive of the experiments indicating a proportion of 1'4 grain of Water to 100 cubical inches of muriatic gas, long exposed to a sufficient quantity of muriatic lime.
2) When electrical shocks are passed through this gas, the watery portion is decomposed; the hydrogen of the water which unites with the electric matter, constituting hydrogenous gas; and the oxygen which combines with the muriatic acid which at the same time acts on the quicksilver, composing muriate of mercury.
3) The electric fluid serves as an intermediate agent in combining oxygen with muriatic acid; while the really acid portion of the muriatic gas does not sustain any decomposition by the action of electricity.
4) When electric shocks are passed through a mixture of carbonated hydrogen and muriatic acid gases, the water held in solution by these gases is decomposed by the carbon of the compound inflammable gas, and carbonic acid and hydrogenous gases are the result.
5) When all the water of the two gases has been decomposed, 'no effect ensues from continuing the electrization.
6) And lastly, since carbon. though placed under the most favourable circumstances for being separated from the muriatic acid, and combining with its oxygen, evinces no such tendency, it may be inferred, that if the muriatic acid be an oxygenated substance, its radical has a stronger affinity to oxygen than is possessed by charcoal.
Although this investigation have proved unsuccessful as to the particular object for which it was instituted, the author however thinks the communication of it cannot but be productive of some utility; since, besides some material facts it has brought to light, it may prevent others from engaging in most laborious processes of a similar nature, being thus cautioned against the fallacy of their results. All
