THE CHEMIST; OR, REPORTER OF DISCOVERIES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ANALYTICAL, MANUFACTURING, AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. EDITED BY JOHN HIGGS NEWTON. VOL. VII. LONDON: GEORGE PEIRCE, 310, STRAND. 1846. INTRODUCTION TO THE SEVENTH VOLUME. SEVEN years have now elapsed since the publication of the first number of "THE CHEMIST," and, during the whole of that period, it can boast of the constant and steady support of its subscribers, notwithstanding the establishment of rival publications, which have sprung up in the interim, and endeavoured, in some cases with all the recklessness by which modern competition is so strongly marked, to outbid it in public favour. Grateful are we to our readers for the continued confidence they have conceded to us; and we promise, that in following out the course we have traced for ourselves, no pains or diligence shall be spared to keep pace with the vast progress of chemical and philosophical knowledge, by taking the earliest notice of such new discoveries as those for which the present age has been so highly distinguished from every former period of an equal number of years. At the same time, our pages shall always be open to such of our correspondents as may have new or interesting subjects to describe. How rapidly has one new fact succeeded another, each more pregnant with knowledge than its predecessor, and more likely to be serviceable to mankind; for the vulgar error that chemistry and philosophy possess no common interest with the world in general is now almost exploded. To whom at the present day does the manufacturer apply for advice as to the preparation of his material, whether 325009 intended for textile fabrics, or for works in metal or glass? The engineer, also, seeks his assistance to ascertain the laws by which the elastic force of steam is regulated. Again, agriculture is indebted for most of its modern improvements to the scientific knowledge imparted by the Chemist. The fact of the vast importance of this science in the onward progress of human civilization, is becoming every day more apparent; and the universality and simplicity of the laws by which the universe is sustained, are more clearly evinced by the result of the laborious researches of the Chemist. Unfortunately, until within these very few years, England was almost unprovided with schools in which this science could be deeply and advantageously studied; happily, this omission is now partly rectified, and we have lately seen the foundation of several Colleges of Chemistry, which bid fair, in a short time, to compete with the older establishments of the Continent. One great element of success in every undertaking of our countrymen, is the fact, that, although they may at times be slow in commencing a good work, when once they have fairly began it, their exertions are seldom relaxed until every competitor is distanced; and we have no fear that the newlyestablished colleges will be an exception to this rule. In watching the progress of these institutions, we shall not fail to give every publicity to their proceedings that our pages can afford, and to this end we are always ready to insert any well authenticated communications on the subject. THE CHEMIST. I. CHEMISTRY. REPORT ON AN ESSAY BY M. FRE The three first are so composed that each MY, ENTITLED, RESEARCHES of them may be represented by- WHILE examining, during his experiments Guided by this observation, M. Frémy endeavored to produce double acids resembling the preceding, by substituting nitrous for osmious acid, which possesses a marked analogy with it. The results to which he was led are very important; we are about to notice them. When you pass sulphurous gas through a concentrated alkaline solution of nitrate of potash, you produce, successively, four new salts, very easily distinguished, which are deposited in crystals the instant they are formed, and which are separated without difficulty. The first, which the author calls sulphazite of potash, is extremely alkaline, very soluble, and crystallises like grape-sugar. The second, which he calls sulphazate, is less easily soluble, and less alkaline than the former, and crystallises in beautiful needles like sulphocyanuret of potassium. The third, still less alkaline and soluble than the second, crystallises in beautiful rhombohedrons; it has received the name of sulphazotate. The excess of alkali may be removed by a current of carbonic acid, and the salt then becomes but little soluble. The fourth, neutral, and almost totally insoluble in water, crystallises in silky needles, like sulphate of lime; it is called sulphammonate. * Comptes Rendus. 1 equivalent of nitrous acid Az03 by adding To the first, acid, 3SO2. 3HO 3KO equivalents of sulphurous To the second, 4 equivalents of sulphurous acid, 4SO2. To the third, 5 equivalents of sulphurous acid, 5SO2. Whence it follows, that for the same quantities of nitrous acid, water, and potash, the proportion of sulphurous acid may be as 3, 4 and 5. The fourth salt, that produced in the last instance, would contain like the others1 equivalent of nitrous acid Az03 3 equivalents of water 3HO but it would contain, also ...... 8 equivalents of sulphurous acid 8SQ2 4 equivalents of potash...... 4KO. Are these elements grouped, as we here imagine them to be for the sake of distinctness, or is it rather merely an acid formed: of sulphur, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen? We will discuss this presently, after having examined the principal properties of the salts. In any case the names the author has employed cannot become the object of fair criticism; he does not disguise this, and it was on account of the difficulty of finding others more suitable, that he admitted them, at least provisionally. A question presents itself at the very outset since the preceding salts contain 3, 4, 5 and 8 equivalents of sulphurous acid, may it not be possible there may be others that contain 1, 2, 5, and 6 equivalents of sulphurous acid, and perhaps even more than 8; in such a manner that the series of equivalent acids shall not be interrupted, and may form an arithmetical progression, the difference between the two terms of which would be unity? This observation has not escaped the notice of the author; it will be the object of his future experiments. B N.S., VOL. IV.-No. XXXVII., January, 1846. |