communicates with 1; so that we have a re-entering series subject to both the restrictions.

The whole course is represented in Fig. 9.

It is not difficult to find other similar ones by the same method; and this course might be transformed in several ways, some of which are,

ART. VI. Some Experiments and Observations on a new Acid Substance. By M. FARADAY, Chym. Assistant in the Royal Institution.

SIR H. DAVY, during his investigations on flame, discovered

a method of exhibiting those combinations of bodies, which he had ascertained to take place at temperatures below that sufficient to inflame them; and whilst pursuing his inquiries on these new and singular phenomena, observed the formation of a peculiar acid body from ether. He has mentioned this body in a Paper read before the Royal Society, which will shortly be published; and he requested me to make some experiments on this substance, the results of which I shall now at his desire detail.

When a fine platina wire is heated and placed over the surface of ether, in an open glass, a pale lambent flame plays around it, and peculiar pungent fumes arise. Generally the heat of the wire is increased; it becoming at last red, and even white hot, and frequently inflaming the ether. If a heated glass or earthen-ware rod be placed over the surface of the ether, the pale flame is seen, and the vapours arise, but the effect soon ceases, from the cooling of the heated substance. The production of these fumes takes place at all temperatures, from a heat a little above the boiling point of mercury, until the ether is inflamed..

The vapours are very acrid and pungent, and very much resemble chlorine in smell: they affect the eyes in a manner similar to azotane: they redden moistened litmus paper. When a rod dipped in ammonia is held in them, they combine with the alkali, producing white fumes.

Sulphuric ether produces them most abundantly, but they may be obtained from the other ethers also. When nitric ether is used, as it inflames at a much lower temperature, it is more difficult so to manage the wire, as to produce the vapours: but if it be previously mixed with solution of potash, or other alkalies, then it succeeds as well as sulphuric ether, and the vapours formed, being unmixed with any nitrous vapours, are unequivocal in their characters.

Muriatic ether mixed with potash also produces the peculiar vapour, but not so abundantly as sulphuric or nitric ether. The wire easily retains its temperature, but does not very often inflame the fluid.

Acetic ether requires to be warmed before it will succeed well in preserving the wire at a red heat; and I have never yet observed the formation of the acid fumes from it.

I endeavoured to obtain a quantity of the acid in a pure form; for this purpose, some ether was thrown into a bladder, which was then filled with common air, and the mixture of air and vapour made to traverse a heated glass tube, containing pieces of platina wire and foil; the end of the tube descended into a bottle placed in a freezing mixture, and after passing many bladders of air slowly through the tube, the results were examined. Some charcoal remained on the pieces of platina; much carbonic acid had been formed and dissipated; and there was found in the bottle an aqueous solution of the peculiar acid.

The quantity obtained in this way, even after the process had been continued for some hours, was very small. The solution was clear and colourless, of a slightly acid taste and strong irritating smell. It reddened litmus paper, as did also its vapours. When heated the acid was quickly dissipated, leaving, on being evaporated to dryness, a slight coally mark on the capsule.

I distilled some of the solution from fused muriate of lime, hoping to procure the acid in its pure form, but obtained no decisive results. No permanent gas was given off, nor did any fluid distil over, until the acid was decomposed by the heat; but the quantity was too small to present distinct phe

nomena.

The solution of the acid added to ammonia, combined with it and formed a neutral salt, which, by careful evaporation, was obtained in the solid form. This was very volatile, rising at temperatures even below that of boiling water, and producing a peculiar fetid smell, not much like the acid, but quite as unpleasant.

Muriate of lime decomposes the carbonate of ammonia, a triple muriate being formed, and carbonic acid separating; and as the new acid appeared to possess affinities in some cases not even so strong as those of carbonic acid, I hoped to obtain it pure by a similar decomposition; but on making the experiment, was still unsuccessful. The salt being distilled with fused muriate of lime, nothing came over but a small quantity of a fluid, possessing no acid properties, and appearing to be water: a decomposition had however taken place; for, on increasing the heat, ammonia was driven over; but here, as before, the small quantity I could use was against the experi

ment.

The acid solution added to potash and soda saturated them, and rendered them neutral. The solution with potash bore the application of heat for some time, until a certain degree of concentration being obtained, it began to decompose, and soon became strongly alkaline, the acid flying off. When in this state, if suffered to cool, it crystallized; and if left exposed to the air, soon deliquesced. If evaporated to dryness and heated, the subsalt was decomposed, and the acid destroyed.

The neutral alkaline solutions precipitated salts of silver and mercury, but not of other metals; the precipitates were soluble in a large proportion of water.

The acid solution decomposes the carbonate and subcarbonate of potash, soda, and ammonia, giving off carbonic acid:

it also decomposes the bi-carbonate of magnesia. It has no action on the carbonate of lime, even when newly precipitated; and in several other cases I have thought its affinities were weaker than those of carbonic acid.

The salts which it forms with the alkalies are decomposed by the common acids, and the peculiar vapour flies off; so much however is generally decomposed by the acid or heat (if evaporated,) as to discolour the residuum.

From the small quantities in which I have been able to form it, I had no hope of ascertaining the proportion of its constituent parts; but from some minute experiments, I judge it be composed of oxygen, hydrogen, and charcoal. A neutral solution of it with potash was evaporated to dryness and distilled, 2.17 cubical inches of gas were received over mercury, and much charcoal remained with the alkali in the retort. The gas rendered lime-water turbid, and being agitated with a solution of potash, became 1.6 cubical inches. This was inflammable, and burned with a light flame; four volumes of it detonated by the electric spark with six of oxygen, became two, which with four of nitrous gas became two; so that it appeared to be a mixture of carbonic oxide and hydro-carbonate. Oxygen, hydrogen, and charcoal may therefore be considered as the elements of the acid; the latter, from the quantity left in the retort, appearing to be in very great proportion.

The peculiar character of this acid is the irritating effect it produces on the eyes and nostrils. In this it somewhat resembles the oxalic acid, but is more pungent. This character belongs in part to its salts; at least its combination with ammonia, when volatilized, possesses similar powers, though not so strong.

Among other fruitless attempts to obtain it, I used an atmosphere of oxygen and carbonic acid in place of common air, and receiving the gas over mercury, was in hopes of separating the carbonic acid by lime or some other agent, which would leave the new acid. I also distilled the neutral solution of it with potash, until rendered alkaline; but the very small quantities in which it is formed, and the ease with

which it quits its compounds, have prevented the performance of any decisive experiments upon it; and until some other process has been discovered for producing it, there is little hopes of its being obtained in the pure state.

ART. VII. Natural and Statistical View of Cincinnati and the Miami Country. By DANIEL DRAKE. Cincinnati, 1815.

CINCINNATI, the metropolis of the Miami country, within

the Ohio state, is situated on the northern bank of the Ohio, 7° 24′ 43′′ west of Washington. The Ohio state lies along the right bank of the river from which it takes its name, and its soil is the richest of North America; and is bounded by Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky, the Indiana and Michigan territories, and Upper Canada. This state was admitted into the Union in 1803. The capital is Chilicothé, about sixty miles up the Ohio.

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It was not till the year 1788 that any settlement was begun within the present limits of the state of Ohio, in which year settlements were commenced, and were extended along the Muskingum and Miami rivers, but which, till the Indian treaty of Greenville in 1795, they proceeded slowly the causes, however, which precluded a rapid increase of population being removed, the advancement of both the population, and the extent of land brought into cultivation, since that time, has been beyond example; the former amounting to more than 300,000, and the latter extending over nearly 20,000 square miles, already rising in many parts to refinement.

Of the different towns in this state already far advanced, Cincinnati is one of the most important, and one which has already made the most rapid strides in the extended course of civilization of this part of the American continent. We consider Mr. Drake's work one of considerable interest: he has with great good sense and apparent care furnished the outlines VOL. III.

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