The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-08-13
CHEMICAL ENQUIRIES

notwithstanding cheniiltry has within ,heGe Ian
twenty or thirty years received fuch immenfe acou
'ohs as To become an almof entire new fcience with
complete revolution in its nomenclature H;ll on. or
It's mo" important branches, that of Alkaes remains
enveioped in doubt and obfcurty The negligence &C
ohentts on the competition of the fixed alb liz :;
iurpr,zing hnee we appear have nearly obtained
as perfect theory on this branch as ON that of ,cd
The experiments of Berthollet completely prov b,L
by analysis and iyuheis, that vnlatile aba e
OF Azot and Hydrogen He, & other cbemiHs b,ra
ao nearly demonitrated that c,ia or the mineral Ill
II IS compelled OF Azot and Magneiia There then or.
~ remains to aicertain expernentally the con,poG-
ton oil Totals, or fixed vegetable aiIa 70 arr;y. -,
avery important and defirable change in the lapgpa
OF ehentry tor ihoud it be proved by Deceive ard
wen conducted experiments, what has long been ,r
peed that Potais is the refult of the chemical un;
vi <'Z'' ana Lime, the change in the term Azot !.
term not only applicable to it but to every o,bs 49,
except oxygen; and which has often been
10 ne changed, as 10 nitrogene &c &c yyonJd n, o
become evident and placed on as firm a BATS nc ,h
OF oxygen itfelf For by receiving name. -
OF Its being the principle OF Akalization the
oil cheniitry would become more exact and ire ,L,
DRY more extenfve and confident
IhafEAzot and Lime are the com,o,.,. -. r
fosals, there is every reafon to eonclude nor on1
from analogy, but from fevera Operations in r,,rs
"hich cannot be accounted for on any other G,n,of
non. am well aware theoretic concIuco,s or 40
Kind will have but little weight with cher,;o IS ~
pFeient day, who very properly admit nn.hino ria,
- ho proved by the mott exact and icrupuous expe
l'n,en's ne writer OF tl'is would be happy if his
P'elent htuation allowed hin, co conduct i.r;e f
exPer ments on the principle of AlkaIizaton and
"iieh he would gladly communicate to IN. ruhI;
put iince from different laborious avocat;ons he H.
ieit prevented, he will be efficiently repaid Co,Id
theie ooiervaous, Parti ularly thofe that follow in
dIee others more fortunately uated TO coptter the
III It1.H lt,Is -b.l.-
ND,ee' al" 'ro the medium of the Enquirer make
known 5he reiult of their experiments.
No iitustion would be more likely 70 euc;d,+s ,ho
iubJeet than reidence the caves producer, Nj
ire III the Weitern parts of Virginia for when WOO
sltehtiVelT con'lder the competition of Saltpetre y
e'o' account Tor Its formation any other pr;nr;
pie tnan that part of the in the atmoCpbere Of Tho
cave uh'tes with the lneitone of its iurroundng des
p"'s's' ana another part with oxygen produ
eng prous gas, nitrous nitric acid lai;oetra j. :
well known, being competed of Potafs and tho NJ;
trous acid The circumstances attending this con,nIi
eateu Proces are highly worthy the ferious armenian
OF every chenff Gtuated in their neghbourhooJ !,
Is aiio worthy OF obiervaton that the proceG is BENIN
on under c'rcun!sances very different from
W.'ae taxes place iii other chemical combinations
quo e'or'c' thoie powerful agerts in mon che
ea changes, are II this generally below tb. nate rs
me atmosphere on the urface of the earth tb;s lC
IS the Gale III other places where ftpet-e is fo-r,I 80
on the walls OF our plaftered cellars.
:, Gentlemen with tate for chemical purfuits ref.
ding in the Gineitone country, near one Of ,beIc
caves would aid the cauie of fcence by aten,ively
tne alterations that take place in the air Of
theie caverns particularly if he poG;,s. ~ -onId
procure, good Eudiemeter and Hydrorleter. Tbs
nature OF the country and the crcumaances undsr
which altpctre is formed in Bengal and Bear has
oefn nnaceountaby neglected alth,' the country bas
been long in poiIeion Of the Britif, and cnlcuusnt
much trequented BY learned Europeans,