Sir H. Davy, who refers to this experiment in his Elements of Chemical Philosophy, p. 267, urges the uncertainty attending it, on the same grounds that Morveau himself had done; and now that the strength of the vapour of dry liquid ammonia is known, it cannot be doubted that M. Morveau had obtained in his second balloon only a very concentrated solution of ammonia in water. I find that the strength of the vapour of ammonia dried by potash, is equal to about that of 6.5 atmospheres at 50° F[1]. and according to all analogy it would require a very intense degree of cold, and one at present beyond our means, to compensate this power and act as an equivalent to it.
Sulphurous Acid Gas.—It is said that sulphurous acid gas has been condensed into a fluid by Monge and Clouet, but I have not been able to find the description of their process. It is referred to by Thomson, in his System, first edition, ii. 24, and in subsequent editions; by Henry, in his Elements, i. 341; by Accum, in his Chemistry, i. 319; by Aikin, Chemical Dictionary, ii. 391; by Nicholson, Chemical Dictionary, article, gas (Sulphurous acid); and by Murray, in his System, ii. 405. All these authors mention the simultaneous application of cold and pressure, but Thomson alone refers to any authority, and that is Fourcroy, ii. 74.
It is curious that Fourcroy does not, however, mention condensation as one of the means employed by Monge and Clouet, but merely says the gas is capable of liquefaction at 28° of cold. "This latter property," he adds, "discovered by citizens Monge and Clouet, and by which it is distinguished from all the other gases, appears to be owing to the water which it holds in solution, and to which it adheres so strongly as to prevent an accurate
- ↑ Philosophical Transactions, 1823, p. 197.
