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Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6. il est fiimd A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X wi^^nueVtW^. / u REPOET AND CEITiaTJ:ES . OF E. S. DE ROTTERMUND, Esq., LATE CHEMICAL ASSISTANT TO THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, IN 184G. MONTREAL : PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1850. ^ REPORT. Return to an Address from the Legislative Assem- bly to His Excellency the Governor General, dated the 23d instant, praying that His Excellency would cause to be laid before them, " Copies of any Report or Reports " from E. S. de Rottermund, heretofore Chemist to the " Provincial Geological Department, or to the Provin- " cial Government ; and, also, of all correspondence " between the said E, S. de Rottermund and the said " Department, or between him and the Provincial ** Government." By coi mand, D.DALY, Secretary. Provincial Secretary's Office, Montreal, 29th May, 1846. ' i No. 1. Letter from the Provincial Geologist to Mr. Assistant Secretary Hopkirk, dated 26th March, 184G. No. 2. Letter from the Provincial Secretary to the Inspector General,, and to the Receiver General, dated 27lh March, IS-iG. No. 3. Letter from Mr. Assistant Secretary Hopkirk to the Provincial Geologist, dated 16th April, 1846. No. 4. Letter from the Provincial Geologist to Mr. Assistant Secreiarj* Ilopkirk, dated 17th April, 1846. No. 5. Letter from Mr. E. S. de Rottermund to the Provincial Secretary, transmitting his Report as Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province, dated 17th April, 1846. No. 6. Letter from the Provincial Secretary to the Provincial Geologist, dated 22d April, 1846. No. 7. Letter from the Provincial Geologist to the Provincial Secretary, dated 23d April, 1846. No. 8. Letter from Mr. E. S. de Rottermund to the Provincial Secretary, dated 23d April, 1846. No. 9. Statement of the Provincial Geologist in reference to the late Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province. I Sf No. 1. — Letter from the Provincial Geologist to Mr. Assistant Secretary Ilopkirk. Montreal, 2Gth March^ 181G. Sir, — Mr. I)e Rottermnnd, tho (Jhomical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province, having some lime since inlimalcd to me verbally his Intention of relinquishing his con- nection with the Government and having ever since ceased attendance in his laboratory, \ am not exactly aware how much of his salary may be due him. It will therefore be unnecessary to make out a Warrant in his favour until further notice. A Warrant for my own quarter's salary, and that of my Geological Assistant, Mr. A. Murray, can be made out as usual. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. E. LOGAN, James Hopkirk, Esquire, Secretary's Office. Provincial Geologist. No. 2. — Letter from the Provincial Secretary to the Inspector General, and to the Receiver General. Secretary's Office, Montreal, 'ilth March, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor, by command of the Administrator of the Government, to acquaint you that an intimation has been received from W. E. Logan, Esquire, Provincial Geologist, that E. S. de Rottermund, the Chemical Assistant in his Department, has for some time past ceased to attend to his duties, and requesting that, under these circumstances, His Excellency would be pleased to direct that no Warrant should be passed for his salary to the 31st, until further notice. His Excellency has therefore been pleased to direct that his W^arrant should not be passed or paid until further notice. I have the honor to be, &c. &c. ^c. (Signed,) D. DALY. The Inspector General. Similar Letter to The Receiver General, 6 No. 3.— Letter from Mr. Assistant Secretary Ifopkirk to the Provincial (Geologist. Sf,('ki-:tarv'h Okiick, MoNTMKAL, mth Aprils 1840. Sir, — Willi referenco to your leltor of the 2n(l instant, reporting tlie resi^j^nation by Mr. de Rotterinund, of his situa- tion 08 Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province, I have the honor, by command of the Administrator of the Government, to request that you will acquaint me, for His Excellency's information, at what period Mr. de Rotter- mund's connection with the Geological Survey ceased, and up to what period therefore his salary should be paid to him. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed,) JAMES IIOPKIRK. W. E. Logan, Esquire, Provincial Geologist. No. 4. — Letter from the Provincial Geologist to Mr. Assistant Secretary Hopkirk. Montreal, llth April^ 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 16th instant, requesting information in reference to the amount of salary due to Mr. de Roltermund, for services rendered as Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey. In reply I have acquaint you, for the information of His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, that in the correspondence I have had with Mr. de Rotlermund on the subject, he informed me that he claimed no part of his salary for the last quarter, which in reply to him I have qualified by saying I understand to mean no part beyond such an amount as might be considered justly due in proportion to the time which he had devoted to the duties of his Office. But Mr. de Rottermund has since afforded me no opportunity of ascertain- ing what the amount may be. I have further to state, that on the 20th December last, about four weeks after my return from an exploration of the Ottawa, the IG. Ilant, litua- tho rat or for ftfer- up I, in writing, requested Mr. dc Rottrrmund to furnish mc with a simple list of the substances he iiad analysed and their con- stituents ; that I have since several times verbally, and twice in writing, requested the same list, which would be merely a copy of the register which no doubt has been kept in his Ofiice and might be made out in a few hours. But though this is necessary for the purpose of enabling me to judge of the amount of work that has been performed in the Chemical Department of the Survey, it has not been furnished. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. E. LOGAN, Provincial Geologist. James Ilopkirk, Esquire, Secretary's Office. No. 6. — Letter from Mr. E. S. de Rottermund to the Provin- cial Secretary.^ transmitting his Report as Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province. (Translation.) Montreal, llth Aprils 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to present you my Report on the labors confided to me. If 1 have not been able to make it as complete as I could have wished, it is because various cir- cumstances have prevented me from doing so, and at the same time placed me in the necessity of tendering my resignation. 1 refrain for the present from slating the motives which induced me to suspend my labors. I am far from refusing my services to contribute to the development of this branch of the work ; but at the same time I take the liberty of stating that I will be happy to continue, if the Government will allow me a certain latitude which I find necessary. 1st. That I may receive orders from none but yourself. 2ndly. That I may have an Assistant in my Laboratory, as it is utterly impossible for me to work alone. 3rdly. That I may, for the future, receive no orders from Mr. Logan. My Report will prove to you that the labors of chemists must not be impeded, and are of the greatest advantage to the 8 country. The chemist lequires a certain latitude in his researches which are known to himself alone. In order that he may be really useful, he must not be treated as a clerk, — in which light he has been considered by Mr. Logan in his letter of December. I have had but thirty pounds for my scientific tour ; and offers have already been made to the Government of several thousand pounds, which are solely to be attributed to my chemical labours. I do not ask for any in- crease of salary, but I beg tlie Government to remark that my demands are not unjust. The Chemical Survey costs only £400, and the Geological Survey £700 ; it is not too much then, to ask for £100 to facilitate researches which will be of so great advantage to the country. If it please the Government to order me to make an exploration, let the sum required be determined by the Government ; for it is llie interest of the country that scientific researches should not be controlled by personal feeling. Besides, the Executive Council will know before every one else where the riches of the Country are, and their importance, which is not the case in the present state of things : — there is now no control, — no certainty whatever. The Chemist and the Geologist will then have each their own Department without encroaching upon the rights of each other, and each one will claim the honor due to himself as a man of science. I have the honor to be, Your most obedient servant, E. S. DE ROTTERMUND. Hon. D. Daly, Provincial Secretary, &c. &c. &c. u t MR. E. S. DE ROTTERMUND'S REPORT. After having analysed the waters of the St. Lawrence and of the Ottawa opposite the city of Montreal, I again proceeded up the river Ottawa as far as the " Graisse" River, and from thence continued to the township of Hawkesbury to Caledonia and George's Lake. I came down to Lancaster, and then went i' 9 up the St. Lawrence again as far as Kingston. After visiting the mineral springs on Prince Edward's Island, I went in the direction of Toronto by Belleville and the River Trent. I visited Lake Simcoe as far as the township of Georgiana. I went afterwards to Hamilton and examined its environs. I ntinued as far as Brantford and Woodstock, and then returned Hamilton by St. Catherines and took the direction of iagara, and finally returned to Montreal by the St. Lawrence, he mineral springs which exist in the different localities I ave just mentioned are divided into magnesian, ioduretted, iline, antimoni-ferruginous, sulphureous, and gaseous. The lagnesian and ioduretted springs are principally at Caledonia, n George's Lake, and the " Graisse'' River. Those which I isited in the neighbourhood of Lake Simcoe and at Wood- stock, are magnesian. The saline springs are at Kingston and Prince Edward's Island. Near Hamilton and at St. Catherines the sulphureous springs are very weak, and so are the gas springs, and are always accompanied by magnesia. In fine, the antimoni-ferruginous springs are at Brantford. The name of " ioduretted springs" does not mean that the iodine predo- minates over all the other substances held in solution, but that this substance being very scarce and of great medical value, I have given the waters which contain it, that denomination which is used by several men of science For the same reason I have called the acid springs of Brantford antimoni-ferrugi- nous, on account of the presence of that substance, only recently found in mineral waters, and heretofore unknown in their com- position ; and because it is one of the most remarkable substances as a remedy for several diseases. There are mineral springs called " acid springs," from the presence of carbonic acid, such as that of Vichy in France, where whitelead is manufactured. In order that the above mentioned spring be not taken to be similar to these, I have given it the name proper to its composition. Having described the nature of the various springs and their respective positions, I will now give a description of each one in particular. On the River " Graisse," in the township of Hawkesbiiry, Ottawa District, there are several mineral springs v 10 very close to each other. The first is on the left bank, at a distance of three miles from Mr. Jamieson's residence, and two miles from Mr. M'Nab's mill, on Mr. M'Kinnon's land, lot No. 3, of the sixth concession, and is situate at the foot of a tree a few paces distant from the river. This sjDring disengages in a very small quantity hydro-sulphuric and carbonic acid gases. The water is magnesian, and contains chloride of magnesium and sodium, sulphate of magnesia, and carbonate of lime. It deposits a very small quantity of sulphur on the surface of wooden vessels, which is owing to the decomposition of the hydro-sulphuric acid. This spring is very close to the river, and is covered by the high waters. Its temperature was 46®, that of the atmosphere being 74® (Reamur). The soil is blue clay. At a distance of a quarter of a mile from the first spring there are four others, which are almost in the river ; one ot them disengages carburetted hydrogen gas, and carbonic acid. These springs contain neither lime nor sulphuric acid com- bined, but chlorides and carbonates. Their temperature was 44®, that of the atmosphere 33® (Reamur). At a distance of fifty or sixty paces from the preceding ones, but further from the river, and in the depth of the wood there is another spring which, with a slight exception, is similar to those already mentioned. It contains some traces of iodine and more salts in solution, which is probably owing to its being at a greater distance from the river, and consequently less affected by the high waters. Its temperature is the same, and the gases it evolves, of the same nature. The soil is also similar clay, but not quite so blue. But these springs cannot be brought into use, on account of their being covered by the waters of the river in the spring and autumn. THE CALEDONIA SPRINGS. The mineral springs known under the name of Caledonia are three in number. The first, near the hotel, is a gas spring ; its specific gravity is 1.0038. The second is saline : its speci- fic gravity is 1.0087. The third is sulphnrpous : its specific gravity is 1.0062. The temperature of all three is 44®, and 1^ 11 ihey are situated in a ravine at a few paces distance from each other. The first disengages a great quantity of carburetled- hydrogen gas mixed witli carbonic acid and oxide of carbon. The second disengages the same gases, but in a very small quantity. Tiie third hydro-sulphuric acid also in a small quan- tity. These gases are disengaged in much greater quantity before a storm ; they diminish with the heat, and are in still less quantity in very hot weather. I think this is owing to the atmospheric pressure which may condense the gas by its action on the surface of the water, while another cause may exist with relation to the springs which disengage hydro-sulphuric acid. It may be supposed that it arises from the sulphuret of iron or pyrites with which the country abounds, and which is found in the different beds of earth, being dissolved in much greater quantity by the water in the seasons in which they are most abundant, and in which the decomposition of the sul- phuret is more facilitated than at a period when the spring is fed from one part of the bed only. An analysis of the Caledonia waters had already been made by Mr. Chilton of New York. I am sorry to remark that they do not agree with his analysis, not as regards the quantity of matter, but principally as regards their composition and the existence of substances in them. According to him, these waters contain sulphate of lime, iron, and potassium. I have not even been able to detect any traces of these substances ; consequently I think that Mr. Chilton has taken carbonate for sulphate, and has found the iron and potassium in the ashes which may have been blown by the wind into the springs, or in the bottles which contained the water, if they had not been well cleansed. As magnesian, ioduretted, and sulphureous springs, they are very useful, and on account of the temperature which is always regular, are excellent for rheumatism and gastric diseases ; they are besides useful for diseases in the nature of goitre^ for which iodine is so efficacious a remedy. The soil is reddish clay ; underneath, at a depth of one foot, the soil is blue clay of the same nature as that of Haw'kesbury. The Caledonia springs are in a plain, surrounded by marshes. The 12 atmosphere, however, is always healthy, as it contains nothing of that heaviness generally produced by marshes. The soil is good for the purposes of agriculture, for, though argillaceous, it contains a very thick layer of vegetable earth ; but the coun- try people lose all its advantages by burning it, as by doing so they leave nothing but the clay. The vegetation is very rich before the fire has passed over it, which proves that agriculture would succeed very well in this country if the manner of clear- ing were different. The soil might easily be improved by lime which abounds at a distance of a few miles. Near Caledonia, in the direction of Vankleek Hill, there is a marsh twelve miles in circumference, which contains turf of the thickness of a foot. It might be made use of with great advantage as regards economy, especially when wood becomes scarce. Besides the three springs above mentioned, there is another in the wood at a distance of two miles from the settlement. Professor Williamson, of Kingston, analysed a spring at this place, which he styles intermittent. It must have been of great value ; for according to the analysis, it contained 1.7 gr. of bromine and 0.3 iodine. Unfortunately the spring answering to the description has disappeared. Two paces from its site another has formed itself, of a totally different nature. It is entirely of a gaseous nature. Its gas is carburetted hydrogen, and no tra- ces can be discovered of the hydro-sulphuric gas which the former spring contained. This new spring disengages the gas in great abundance, and not at intervals. It is situate at a distance of about thirty paces from the marsh, near a ravine which is filled with water. The soil is blue clay, a little reddish at the surface. This spring is separated from the Caledonia springs by a marsh two miles in width, and which has no solid bottom, unless at a very great depth. This marsh is full of moss and plants in a state of decomposition, on which various trees grow, of the fir species, and the Labrador tea- plant. I think that formerly a lake must have existed, the waters of which have partly run off, and the surface has been covered with vegetation of different sorts. This spunge-like substance formed of moss and marsh plants imbibes the water, which (with the plants in a state of decomposition,) serves as is 13 a nourishment for the trees, which form a complete forest. If report be credited, severel mineral springs are to be found there. But on account of the great difficulty of making a pas- sage through the wood and marsh, I resolved not to make ex- pensive researches Avhich might perhaps turn out of no use. George's spring. From Caledonia I proceeded to George's Spring by land, so as to judge better of the changes in the soil. Three miles from Caledonia there is a marsh which extends north and south, and through which the road is cut. Before reaching the springs you descend three rocky ledges towards the north, and you then come to George's Lake, to the south of which there is a ihountain. At the foot of this mountain is a mineral spring which flows into the lake. Its components are the same as those of the Caledonia springs, besides a certain quantity of sulphate, and more iodine. This spring flows from under a rock of calcareous shale which contains a very great quantity of iron pyrites ; the water contains no traces of iron nor of hydro-sulphuric gas, which would lead one to suppose that it proceeds from another bed. As the proprietor of this spring does not reside on the spot, and the house which con- tains it being shut, I could not examine nor ascertain the nature and quantity of the gas which disengages itself, nor could I find out the correct temperature. The rust which deposits itself at the mouth of the spring is in consequence of the water discharging itself through an iron tube which is covered with rust. The water which I analysed, though it had passed through this pipe, contained no traces of iron. This spring is situated at a distance of from twelve to fourteen miles from the Caledonia Springs. It is at least two hundred feet lower, and flows to the north ; those of Caledonia flow to the south. Proceeding from Caledonia to Alexandria, I passed by Vankleek Hill, where the streams are very clear and contain carbonate of lime in solution. Limestone which contains fossils is found as far as Alexandria, and the soil is covered with hard wood of different species. 14 KINGSTON. The Kingston mineral springs are of a saline nature, and contain salts of lime and magnesia. The spring belonging to Mr. Morton has been analysed by Mr. Williamson ; he found hydro-sulphuric acid, but I could delect no trace of it, either by the sails of silver or by the salts of lead. Not that I doubt the correctness of Mr. Williamson's analysis ; but on seeing this difference, I could not understand how the nature of this spring could have changed ; and after a more attentive ex- amination I found out the cause. Mr. Morton caused the spring to be dug to the depth of one hundred and forty feet. By this means the orifice became much wider, and allowed the water flowing from the different beds to fill the well. This water being of a different nature from that of the spring, by mixing with the latter has caused the change. He had also inserted a leaden pipe and an iron pump ; it is natural that if the spring contained hydro-sulphuric and carbonic acid, the lead and iron would be attacked and form sulphret and inso- luble carbonate of lead. It is difficult to form exact conclu- sions as to the gas, for, by the motion of the pump, it is separated from the water, the temperature of which is increased by the same cause. But in order to be certain that this sup- position is correct, it would be necessary to know the tempe- rature of the water in the spring ; when it comes out of the pump it temperature is 49-* PRINCE Edward's island. At Bloomfield the spring is situated in a garden at a distance of a hundred feet from Mr. Stewart Christie's house, on the eleventh lot of the second concession. The soil is blue marl, under which lies fossil limestone. The water of this spring is very saline, and may be used with advantage for the manufacture of salt. It contains lime in solution, which diminishes its value in a commercial point of view. Its depth is forty-five feet, and its specific gravity 1.00721. The level of the water in the driest season is five feet below the soil. This spring is in very bad order, filled with pieces of rotten wood and leaves of trees. It was difficult for me to ascertain the nature of the 15 gases which it contains. It is certain, however, that it is not hydro-sulphuric acid. This spring might easily, without ex- pense, be so improved as to serve for the manufacture of salt, inasmuch as there is another of the same nature at a distance of twenty feet further. At Picton there is a spring on the southern declivity of the mountain ; the soil is the same as at Bloomfield, but it only contains water in the spring and autumn. There are several mineral springs on Prince Edward's Island, but they dry up in the very hot weather. If care were taken to prevent evaporation by the rays of the sun, they might possibly be made use of \vith advantage throughout the whole year. Near Belleville, at a few acres distance from the landing place, there are several gas springs in the river. In two places the ebullition is more than two feet in diameter. This gas can be no other than marsh-gas or carburetted-hydrogcn, caused by the decomposition of organic substances. At a short distance there is a marsh covered with water; the presence of fish in this marsh is a proof of the nature of the gas, for if it cojitained any signs of hydro-sulphuric acid gas, no fish could exist in it. Four miles from Belle vile on the road to Trent, there is a saline spring at the foot of a tree on Mr. Leman's property, on the border of Prince Edward's Island, Victoria District. The soil is calcareous. Not far from this spring, on G. Caly's property, there is lead ore. I visited several mineral springs at Trent, among others one on Mr. Ford's property, on the broken fron^ of lots 7 and 8, in the township of Murray, two miles from Belleville. The inhabitants of the locality consider it as the most important one in the vicinity ; I found it to contain magnesia ; the gases are disengaged in very small quantity. Mr. G. C. Bull, a merchant of the place, assured me that in spring and in autumn they are disengaged in much greater qu unties. In my opinion these springs are of no importance, as their strength is not always the same. TORONTO. There is also a mineral spring here, on Lake Ontario, almost opposite the Wellington Hotel. It ismagnesian, but loo weak to be of much use as a medicine. It is more worthy of 16 notice by its low temperature of 42^ (that of the atmosphere being TC) than by the quantity of sahs in solution. This spring is of no use from the manner in which it is kept. LAKE 8TMCOE. In the township of Georgian;!, near Lake Simeoe, there is a mineral spring known as Jefferson's spring. It is near Thorah, on lot No. 10, in the third concession, in a small ravine which intersects the Thorah road. There are two springs there very close to each other ; one of them gives very good drinkable water, the other, notwithstanding the quantity of water it affords in a season so dry at this period, contains enough magnesia to give it a taste ; there are hardly any traces of the presence of hydro-sulphuric gas. The proprietor states that at other seasons this spring disengages a very remarkable quantity of that gas. The soil is the same as that of Trent. It is therefore possible that the iron pyrites or other sulphurets contained in a certain portion of the layers of earth, are decomposed by the organic matter, and the hydro-sulphuric gas disengages itself. Ten miles from this place the inhabi- tants of the locality have discovered three other springs in the woods, also in the direction of the ravine ; but these springs disappear with the clearing of the forests. LAKE ONTARIO. Between Wellington Square and Toronto, in the fourth con- cession of Dundas Street, Township of Nelson, on Henry Sovering's farm, two arpents from the road and three from Lake Ontario, there are two saline springs close to each other, and a few arpents further there are two others. These springs arc in a soil of red shale, and contain a very considerable quantity of chloride of sodium or muriate of soda, without lime, in which they differ from those of Kingston and Bloom- field. The depth of these saline springs is fifty two feet ; it is a great pity they are not made use of. The specific gravity of the water at the surface, is 1.0159. Four miles from Brantford, on the Grand River, in the third concession, lot 26, of the township of Tuscarora, there are springs known as " Sour Springs." I think it would be neces- ,' 17 I sary lo change that name for one more characlcristic, according to their composition and nature. I will therefore call them antimoni-ferruginous. These springs are in the centre of a splendid forest of oak, beech, fir and maple trees, at a few miles distance from the river. They are rather on a table land of the mountain, than in a plain. There are four springs con- stantly filled with water, even in the driest season, and seven in the three other seasons. They are all acid and disengage hydro-sulphuric and carbonic gas, bubbling up with great vio- lence. These springs contain sulphate of protoxide of iron, sulphale of alumina and of potash, chloride of antimony, chlo- ride of zinc, sulphate of magnesia and of lime, resinous substances, and vegetable albumen. The temperature of the water is 47®. These three springs are at the base of a small hillock seven feet in height, which was once covered with trees, which have since been cut down, leaving only the stumps. The earth is filled with sulphur crystallized in very fine grains. It appears to be in the state of decomposition of organic sub- stances. The soil is clay, covered with several inches of vegetable earth. It is so acid that it changes blue paper into dark red, and finishes by destroying it as strong acids do. What is more remarkable is, that the earth which has this property is taken from the summit of the hillock. Notwith- standing the composition of all these springs is the same, they must be of different strengths as regards the quantity of salts in each— for the effect of each is different, and so is the taste. Their relative situation is shown by the following figure : mim^ 04 The numbers are in the order of the quantity of water which each spring furnishes. No. 1 furnishes more than twenty gal- lons per minute. The inhabitants make use of these waters 18 in different diseases; Nos. 1 and 2, internally; No. 3, for in- flanimullon of iIk; eyes ; No. 4, to wash scorbutic and venereal sores. No. 2, is considered very ellicaclous for gonorrha^as. As Nos. 5, G and 7 do not exist at all seasons, tliey are not made use of. I have taken these waters in tolerably large quantities. I have found that they act chiefly on the nervoua system and the circulation of the blood, and cause at the same time diarrhcca. 1 did not at all feel that heaviness and fatigue generally felt after drinking other mineral waters. I know that several diseases have been cured by means of these springs. A woman of Brantford had a disease of the skin, and the epidermis was so attacked and the blood so corrupt, that the flesh under her nails was affected. By drinking No. 1, and washing with No. 4, she was cured, as several persons of the locality affirm. A mechanic who had wounded his hand wilh a piece of glass, more than a year before, was completely cured by washing with No. 4. Another cured a gonorrhoea by drink- ing No. 1. A third a venereal sore by washing with No. 4 ; and there are a great many other examples of various cures. It is to be remarked that the strength and quantity of these waters increase with the moon. It is my duty to call attention to the importance of thcie springs, so that Government, in the interest of humanity, may encourage any person who would provide convenient means for using them, so as to obtain the benefits and advantages which might result therefrom in a medical point of view. It may be useful to remark that if water containing zinc and potash, as well as alum combined wilh potash, is very scarce, water containing antimony is still more important on account of its still greater scarcity and medical power. The salts of antimony are of the greatest value, on account of the great difficulty of preparing them properly ; for the chloride of antimony becomes decomposed in water, while here it is produced by the presence of the acid and of organic matter. The discovery of antimony in a mineral spring is undoubtedly an immense advantage for the science of medicine ; for the same substance prepared artifi- cially is never so efficacious as when found in water, and no one has succeeded in imitating mineral water, such as those 0\ 19 i of Carlsbad, nadcn, Aix-la-Chapellc, Stc, &c., &c. No iinita- llori could have the same medicinal virtue. I will lake llic liberty of explaininj^ the theory of the formation of this anti- moni-ferruginous spring, and of explaining the cause why the antimony is in solution without being decomposed or jjrecipi- tated by the water. According to geological researches it is known that this place contains a great many marslies, iron pyrites, lead ore, zinc and antimony, as well as beds of gypsum. Water running through iron pyrites or gypsum, by some chemical or other phenomenon, becomes decomposed and charged with a quantity of sulphuric acid ; (the waters of this spring prove its presence in a very decided manner ;) the water so acidulated, passing through turf or marsh covered with vegetation, must contain vegetable albumen, (which I have found,) organic acids, resinous substances, &c. If the water thus charged passes afterwards through beds of ore of anti- mony, it is natural that it will dissolve the substance without precipitating it. I will not enter into further details respecting this spring, for as I consider it of the greatest importance in medicine, as well as to the scientific world, I will communicate to you a memomndum when I shall have been able to procure the several instruments which are most necessary for making the complete analysis of these waters, and which I have not in my laboratory at present. I think it would not be useless for me to communicate here my observations on this place, with res- pect to its commercial and industrial importance. The geo- graphical position of Tuscarora, with its fine navigable river uniting Brantford w^ith Lake Erie, is most advantageous. Great benefits would arise if it were occupied by inhabitants having a legal right of possession, and not by persons who seek only to avail themselves of the possession they have obtained without right. For this reason, the Indians ought to be allowed to make legal sales. Several settlers have already established themselves there under the simple protection of the forest, without having any right to acquire lands. Without improving the cultivation of the land, they destroy the forests which are of the greatest value, especially for this country, where wood is 20 required for building and for navigation. If ihey continue, these forests will disappear witliout being of any advantage to any one. The soil as well as the climate of this townsliip is of the highest value for agriculture. I think that if Govern- ment allowed the Indians to sell the land, it would be of great use if it were in the hands of able and educated persons who would know how to turn it to as much advantage as possible, and thereby contribute to the commercial and industrial in- terests of the neighbouring towns, such as Hamilton, Brant- ford and London. WOODSTOCK. The mineral waters near Woodstock are magnesian, and disengage hydro-sulphuric acid. These springs are of little value, being flooded by streams. If the course of these streams were turned, the springs might possibly be of some use in medicine, especially for the inhabitants of the locality. There is a spring in the Brock District, near Mr. Riddell's lands. As it was dried up, I was not able to ascertain its nature. ANCASTER. On the way from Brantford to Hamilton, in the Village of Ancaster, there is a road on the left at the corner of the hotel, which leads to a magnesian sulphureous mineral spring. It is in a deep ravine on the left of the road going up the stream, on Mr. Griffin's property. The nature of this spring is the same as those in the townships on Lake Simcoe. The spring, known as the " Burning Spring," is in the township of Salt Fleet, 4lh concession, six miles from Hamil- ton and three from the road leading from Hamilton to St. Catherines. This spring is on the same stream as that of Ancaster, a hundred feet above that spot. Its gas is carbu- retted hydrogen, and not hydro-sulphuric. This spring con- tains a great quantity of lime ; as there is also carbonic acid in this spring, it would be useful in the manufacture of white lead (ceruse). On the left of the [road leading from Hamilton to St. Catherines, there are saline springs which are used in the manufacture of salt. One of these springs is already aban- in 21 donnd, but that of Mossrs. Dougall and Kent is in full work ; its depth is three hundred and seventy-five feet. It proceeds from ff^'l shale, such as that of Wellington Square. This spring \H near a ravine at a snnall distance from Lako Ontario, in Salt Fleet, Ist concession. ICE SPRING. The lumous spring known as the " Ice Spring," is nothing, or rather does not exist, uuIchs it be as a chemical phenome- non. It is on the right of the road from Hamilton to St. Catherines, near the Red House. When I went to visit it I found neither ice nor water, but a great heap of large rocks which had fallen from the mountain and been stopped by a small ledge. These rocks are sandy, and would be very good for filters, such as are used in Paris by every person who wishes to have the Seine water pure for his table. At this place the rocks form a pretty deep cavern. From the month of July to the month of October it contains nothing but mois- ture. About the middle of October the water coming from the mountain gathers and fills a cavity which contains a half-/i7rc, (a little more than a pint). This water remains there the whole winter. It is a known fact that in this season the tem- perature of caverns does not become lower. As the water remains then perfectly quiet, not even disturbed by the wind, and having no foreign substances suspended in it, it may remain without freezing even in a temperature of five degrees below the freezing point. In the months of March, April and May, the snow in melting absorbs a quantity of caloric, and thereby cools the neighbouring bodies ; then the May and June sun causes a certain quantity of water to evaporate, which oozing out slowly through the rocks, diminishes or lowers the temperature, so that the second drop congeals, and this is the reason why, in the warm season, a small icicle may be seen and a little congealed water in the cavity below, and that there is only water in winter. It is on the same principle that the Egyptians cool water for their use by exposing their jars when filled to the rays of the sun. But about the months of August and September, the heat being very strong and the moisture of the rock being dried up, no water is left to ooze out ; then nothing remains to be turned into ice, and there is only the moisture which exists in all caverns. If my explanation be erroneous, what then is the cause of the formation of the ice? Since ice is formed, there must first have been water, and it is well known that the falling of the temperature causes ice to be formed. If my explanation were contested, recourse must be had to some chemical process — what would this process be? It is known that the temperature may be made to fall 40® below the freezing point by the great dissolving power of a salt, which abruptly diminishes the temperature and thereby produces ice. The spring must therefore first be in a liquid state, and the salt be at its surface ; for if it is at the bottom, the ice being formed cannot ooze out through the rock, or run without being turned into water, and be converted into ice afterwards. Then I do not see by what process the ice is to be formed. I think that this name, given by persons who know nothing of science ought not to be adopted, as it may be incompatible with scientific observations, and create a belief in the existence of something marvellous, where there is only a physical phe- nomenon. Travellers have found what they pretend to be an ice-spring in vSiberia, but as they have not given sufficient explanations, I could not ascertain whether there exists any identity between them in a physical or chemical point of view. ST. CATHERINES. Six miles from St. Catherines to the south, of the left of the great canal which unites Lake Erie with Lake Ontario, there is a mineral spring on the mountain from which the stones are taken for the construction of the locks. It is magnesian, but contains carbonate of lime, and disengages a very slight quan- tity of hydro-sulphuric gas ; its specific gravity is L030i. The soil is calcareous and filled with fossil substances. In the village of St. Catherines, on the border of the canal, there is a saline spring which contains lime in abundance ; this taKes away a great deal of its value for the manufacture of salt, especially as it contains also magnesia. This spring ascends through forty feet depth of earth, and (according to information derived from the proprietor) 407 in the rock. The proprietor uses it for sailing fish, and for baths. I think this salting cannot be very advantageous to the consumer. It might be turned to greater advantage still, by separating the salt of lime and of magnesia from the muriate of soda, by taking advantage of the sahs being soluble at different degrees of temperature, and where fuel is expensive, by using the strength of the solar rays. But in the present state in which this spring exists, it would, in a commercial point of view be very difficult for the proprietor to keep up with the price cur- rent with advantage. There is a ferruginous mineral spring in the lock at the entrance of Lake Ontario. This spring might have been very useful in medicine, as it is ferruginous and magnesian, but as it is in the centre of the lock it is almost certain that it can be made no use of. There is now nothing left for me but to describe the Niagara Spring above the great Falls. It is called the " Burning Spring," on account of the carburetted hydrogen which it con- tains. This spring is of no greater value than any other cold spring. The water is calcareous ; it proceeds from calcareous rocks impregnated with hydrate of iron, which is not, however, in solution in the water. These gases can only proceed from the decomposition of the organic substances existing at dif- ferent depths in the soil. I will now give the description of a mineral spring contain- ing bitumen and petroleum, and which Mr. Logan found in his first trip to Gaspe. According to the specimen he gave me, this spring is composed of creosote, naphtha, petroleum, bitumen and paraffine or suif de montagnc. By means of a chemical process a substance can be formed having a strong smell of musk, and imitating that which comes from China. I think a description of this kind of spring which is found in foreign countries, will be interesting, as I am not acquainted with that of Gaspe; it is of the greatest importance to have more details on this spring, as it may conduce to other research- es very useful for the country and for science. These springs of naphtha and petroleum exist in Persia, on the northern side of the Caspian Sea, at Baku near Derbent. The soil is argil- laceous marl impregnated with naphtha. They may also be 24 found in the Birmcse Territory. The Town of Bainanghong is ihe centre of a small District which contains more than five hundred of these springs. The soil is sandy clay, which lies over alternate beds of sandstone and hardened clay. Under- neath is a thick bed of argillaceous shale of a pale blue, which forms part of the pit-coal strata, and this argillaceous shale rests immediately on the pit-coal, which is impregnated with petroleum. At Coalbrookdale in England, there is a similar spring of petroleum which originates in a bed of pitcoal. Near the Cape Verd Island large mases of petroleum have been seen floating on the surface of the sea. Petroleum has been found in the River Thames, near Lake Erie. It has also been found on Mount Osmund in Dalecarlia, in Sweden, but has since disappeared. The most remarkable feature in this appearance of petroleum, is that the country consists of transition lime- stone, surrounded by granite. It is then probable that the petroleum owes its origin to a bed of aluminous shale on which the limestone of the Osmund Mountain probably rests. These springs exist also in France, not far from coal-pits. As to the soil of that part of Gaspe where the above mentioned spring is found, having nothing to guide me but the specimen furnished by Mr. Logan, I can make no comparison with what is known in the other parts of the world, and thereby facilitate the theory of the formation of creosote. There are several cir- cumstances to be considered, which are of the greatest impor- tance. If the Gasp6 spring comes from pit-coal, where is the bed of coal from which it originates? Can it be accidental like that of Sweden? This might be ascertained from the Indians of the place, and whether it is of old date or of very recent existence ; this would enable me better to explain the theory of the formation of creosote in this kind of spring. And if this spring resembles those of Asia and of Europe, would it not be a sign of the presence of coal. In many points of view this spring is remarkable and may be of great value to the coantry ; for it may furnish naphtha in abundance (more than 60 per cent.) which is very useful for light, varnish, mineral tar for ships, and creosote, which, if it can be obtained in any great quantity, will be of real advantage. Until now creosote 25 had been obtained by treating substances derived from the dis- tilling of wood with phosphoric acid. This is a very expensive process. Creosote is considered as an artificial substance ; I will therefore refrain from giving the theory of its formation in this spring, as it requires more delicate experiments than my laboratory will permit me to make for the present. I had for- gotten to say that the above mentioned spring, from the speci- men furnished to me, contains creosote which might be procured with advantage, especially if the spring be abundant. As it is very reasonable to suppose that these springs must exist in various places, their value for industrial purposes, commerce and the arts, may be very great. The scarcity of creosote, and its high price, prevent its being used in manu- factures, especially for the preservation of wood. In England, where w^ood is so precious, it is found advantageous to use corrosive sublimate, notwithstanding its exorbitant price, on account of the value of the mercury. If therefore one knew how to turn to advantage these natural resources, and knew the real value of this spring, that is, in how many places it may be found, how much it can furnish per hour, what is its geological position, whether it proceeds from shale or from a bed of pit-coal, or since there is such a spring, whether it is not a sign of the existence of pit-coal as in other countries ; in fine, its relation to the carboniferous substances found in the shale clefts between Gaspe and Cape Chat. From my obser- vations on the spot itself, I found it to contain all the charac- teristics of pit-coal. It is possible, and very probable, that the science of chemis- try will gain something by these data ; for there may be means for extracting or facilitating the preparation of creosote so useful for medical and industrial purposes. I have no doubt that the country contains more than one person who will not hesitate to dedicate his money and time to the general advantage. I can say nothing of the oil spring in the River Thames near Lake Erie, as my instructions did not permit me to pass the limits assigned to me ; but I consider it as indispensable to mention it here, for springs of that nature are really valuable to the country, E. S. de ROTTERMUND, Chemist. No. 6. — Letter from the Provincial Secretary to the Provincial (Copy.) Geologist, Secretary's Office, Montreal, 22nd April, 1846 Sir, — With reference to your letter of the 17th instant, in answer to mine of the 16th, on the subject of the Salary due to Mr. de Rottermund, late Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of this Province, I am commanded by the Administrator of the Government to request you will acquaint me for His Ex- cellency's information, whether in your opinion there is any objection to paying that gentleman his salary up to the first of March last. I have the honour, &c. (Signed,) D. DALY, W. E. Logan, Esquire, Provincial Geologist. P. S. — I have the honor to transmit to you herewith Mr. de Rottermund's Report alluded to in your communication which has just been received. No. 7. — Letter from the Provincial Geologist to the Provincial Secretary. Montreal 2Srd April 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yesterday's date, requesting me to acquaint you for the information of His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, whether, in my opinion, there is any objection to paying Mr. de Rottermund, late Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province, his salary to the 1st March last : and at the same time transmitting me a Report from Mr. de Rottermund. I have to request you will do me the favor to represent to His Excellency, that Mr. de Rottermund's principal duty as Chemi- cal Assistant to the Survey, was to make quantitative analyses of such substances as were collected on behalf of the investiga- 27 ovincial 1846 ant, in due to ogical strator sEx- is any irsl of T. de vhich 6. roxxY aint )rof ion the rch \Iv. lis li- es a- tion, and came before him in his official capacity. Until a list of the substances analysed with their quantitative constitutents shall have been received, I am wholly destitute of the means of knowing what work has been performed in the laboratory, and to what amount of salary Mr. de Rottermund may be entitled. The document you have done me the honor to transmit to me contains no analyses of the kind, and the list that is required would be merely a simple copy of the register which no doubt has been kept in the office, and in which the substances analys- ed have been noted, and their constituents entered as ascer- tained, — a list that could be made out in a few hours. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. E. LOGAN, Provincial Geologist. Honble. D. Daly, Provincial Secretary, &c. &c. &c. • o. 8. — Letter from Mr E. S. de Rottermund to the Provincial Secretary, (Translation.) Montreal, 2Srd April. 1846. Sir, — I take the liberty of addressing you my answer to the letter in which Mr. Logan thinks that my Report is not suffi- cient. If the Director of the Geological Survey were acquaint- ed with the science of chemistry, I would not have been oblig- ed to make this explanation. For, in the first place, he would have tried to ascertain whether I had in my laboratory the means of making correct experiments as regards quantitative researches. The confidence which the Government have placed in me by appointing me to this Office, has not allowed me to lead it into error by giving the results of my observations in figures : — let Mr. Logan be kind enough to look again at his Report of the two last years, and he will see that he has not been able to come to any correct conclusion for want of sufficient data, as he says himself. The science of che- mistry has also its difficulties. It must be remarked that 28 Mr. Logan had every assistance he wished for, — while I was alone, without any assistance whatever. My labors, imperfect as they are in Mr. Logan's opinion, offer already a great many advantages to the country. I have discovered the presence of two substances of the greatest utility for humanity, as several persons have already been cured ; for commerce, as several speculators have made offers of considerable sums to Govern- ment ; for science, as these substances were unknown to the scientific world. The Government will be pleased to remark that when I arrived here, several persons, and even Mr. Logan himself, thought that yellow hydrochloric acid was good for analyses : there were also several other circumstances which 1 need not mention here. The ill-timed pretensions of Mr. Lo- gan, who wanted to order me to keep a book in which I would have had to mark down when I began and when I finished an analyses, prove how much he is a stranger to this branch of the sciences ; it is exactly the same thing as if a chemist, who being Director of the Survey, would ask a geologist when he began to clean a fossil and when he ascertained its name. I have never refused to assist Mr. Logan, the Geologist, and I of- ten gave him information which he required on several very important points. As to the analyses which he says I have not rr'ade, 1 will answer, that having more important ones to make, I put off the others to a later period ; for of what use is the chemical analysis of the lithographic stone to Mr. Lo- gan, — it is its mechanical state, or its molecular arrangement which is necessary and essential ; this may apply to other questions of the same nature. I am ready to answer every objection Mr. Logan would like to make, to prove that he has done wrong in wishing to interfere with a branch of the sciences which he knows nothing about, and which was only given to him to assist him in re- searches which might be useful to the country, and not to be subject to his whims. I have the honor to be. Your most obedient servant, E. S. ROTTERMUND. Honble. D. Daly, Provincial Secretary. M No. 9 Statement of the Provincial Geologist. Slalement in reference to the late Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province. Understanding that my late Chemical Assistant, Mr. E. S. de Rottermund, has applied to the Government to be reinstated in the OlHce which he recently resigned in connexion with the Geological Survey of the Province, I consider it right to place before the Government the following facts :— Before the Government determined to permit me to appoint a Chemical Assistant, I was required to state for the information of His Excellency the Governor General (Lord Metcalfe) what his duties were to be ; and on intimating to Mr. de Rottermund his nomination to the Office, informed him, as will be seen by a copy of my letter to him of the 2nd May, 1845, (No. 1.) what those duties were, in the same terms in which they had been detailed to the Government. On my departure from Montreal in June last, on my explora- tion of the valley of the Ottawa, forty-six specimens were placed in charge of Mr. de Rottermund for quantitative analyses ; and he was instructed in addition, to visit various mineral springs, for the purpose of collecting and analysing quantitatively speci- mens of them. On my return from the Ottawa towards the end of November last, I found the whole forty-six specimens mentioned, exactly in the same position in which they had been left by me — not one of them analysed. I was informed by Mr. de Rottermund, that he had visited various mineral springs and analysed them. But I heard also from various quarters that while Mr. de Rotter- mund had been in Montreal, he had very frequently been absent from the duties of his office. I became, therefore, very anxious to know what work had been performed, and I intimated to him, on the 10th December, that I was desirous of seeing a list of his analyses, stating to him at the same time my inten- tion to keep a regular register (nearly similar to one I had, be- fore my departure, requested him to keep) of all the specimens analysed with their constituents. He informed me he had kept such a register, but it was not produced. 90 About the 18th December, Mr. dc Rottermund verbally ask- ed me for permission to absent himself from his duties for ten days. In reply, I verbally informed him to the effect, that I was fearful less time had been spent in the laboratory than the interests of the Survey required. On the 20lh, he made a written application (No. 2.) for leave of absence, on the plea of urgent private business ; and on the same day I gave him a written permission requesting from him in the same letter, a list of the analyses made, as will be seen by the copy of my letter of that date. (No. 3.) Shortly after his return to town, Mr. de Rottermund intima- ted to me that the pressure of his family affairs disabled him from attending to the duties of his office ; that he had made arrangements, or was making arrangements for entering into business connected with his family affairs, and that it was, therefore, his determination to resign his situation in connex- ion with the Government. Very shortly after this he wholly discontinued his attendance in the laboratory. I subsequently pressed him, both verbally and in writing, for a list of the analyses which he gave me to understand he had performed, as will be seen by my letters of the 2nd and 31st March. (Nos. 4. and 7.) That Mr. de Rottermund knew perfectly well what was meant by this list, is evident from the f?ct, that on Wednesday the , he verbally promised to give me a copy of it, stating at the same time that he could not let me have it on Thursday, because he was to dine with His Excellency the Ad- ministrator of the Government, but that he would let me have it on Friday. He subsequently appeared to confound this list with what he calls his intended Report, as if it were a general Report I was so anxious to receive ; whereas what I wished for, was a simple list of the substances analysed with their constituents quantitatively stated, being a mere copy of the book it was his duty to keep, which could have been made iii a few hours. The distinction is sufficiently indicated in my letter to Mr. de Rottermund of the 31st March. (No. 7.) In this letter I drew Mr. de Rottermund's attention to the cir- cumstance, that any Report on the labors of the laboratory was air Y ask- L)r ten ilial I than I do a plea lim a er, a my to be communicated and addressed to me as Director of tlie Survey, as mentioned in my letter to him of the 2nd May, 1845, (No. 1.) in which his duties were pointed out. A document, however, has since been sent by Mr. de Rottcrmund, to the Provincial Secretary, who has done me the favor to transmit it to mo. It is addressed to nobody, id though it is possible Mr. dc Roltermund, in passing me by, may have intended a discourtesy, I should be inclined to smile at the matter, if I did not gather from the document the melancholy fact that it docs not contain one single quantitative analyses ; and without the performance of such, a chemical assistant is of little or no use. By Mr. de Rottermund's letter to me of the 31st March, (No. 6.) it will be seen that he relinquished all claim to his salary for the quarter ending that day ; but without any intimation to me, be subsequently applied to the Government for it. And on a reference from the Provincial Secretary's Office, on the 16th and 22nd April, in regard to the amount of salary Mr. de Rottcrmund was entitled to, I was under the necessity of inti- mating that I could not slate what amount might be due to him without the list of analyses which I have so much desired to obtain. It has, however, since come to my knowledge, that Mr. de Rottcrmund has been paid up to the 26th February, without, however, any sanction emanating from me. Mr. de Roltermund cannot state that the analyses have not been performed in consequence of defective apparatus. All the appa- ratus he required was ordered. The larger part of it has been paid out of my own private funds, and he has frequently stated to me it was sufficient for all ordinary qualitative and quanti- tative analyses. Mr. de Rottermund's conduct in the whole of this matter has appeared to me very extraordinary, and I have been in doubt whether he has wholly neglected his work, and made no quan- titative analyses ; or whether he has deliberately retained in his own possession the results of his labors, which of course are the property of the Government. If Mr. de Rottermund's connexion with the Survey as Chemi- cal Assistant had been continued a little longer, his negligence 33 in the performance of his duties, so soon a I should have liad clear proofs of it before me, would immediately have become the subject of a formal complaint, with a view to his removal. But his resignation, at the moment it occurred, left me as my only course, to attempt to get from him how I could, a list of whatever analyses he might have performed. In this attempt I have not succeeded, and being deprived, by the payment of his salary up to the 2Cth February, of the pecu- niary hold, by means of which I had some hope of obteiining the list of his analyses, (for I am inclined to think there is one) the Survey will be injured to the extent of the time and expen- diture necessary to perform the Chemical Assistant's work over again. The present statement is made in order that the Government in whatever it may determine in the case, may not act without a full knowledge of the facts. But I consider it due to myself under the circumstances which I have detailed to say, that it is impossible for me to place any further confidence in Mr. de Rottermund's diligence or discretion, and that his re-appoint- ment in any relation to the office he has resigned, would be injurious to the Survey I have the honor to direct, and for the proper conduct of which I am responsible. W. E. LOGAN, Montreal, 20th May, 1846. Provincial Geolos^ist. No. 1. (Copy.) {Mr. Logan to Mr. de Rottermund.) Montreal, 20th December, 1845. MY DEAR SIR — It givcs me much satisfaction to inform you, that the Provincial Secretary has communicated to me His Excellency the Governor General's pleasure to direct your ap- pointment to the office of Chemical Assistant to the geological Survey of the Province, at a salary- of £300 per annum. The duties assigned to your office are to make qualitative and quantitative analyses of the various substances collected on 33 the Survey, whether they be mint'rn m\ nera' /atcrs, or soils, and you will have, as occasion .iti s, perst uUy to inspect any mineral springs likely to be of inedicinal .my >ri «!e, for the purpose of determining the quantity and kind ol cs tha' may issue with the waters from their sources, it btii next u impossible to forward specimens of these gases to a li^ '•nco An additional duty will be annually, so soon after the close ol the autumn as circumstances will permit, and not later than the 1st of May, to frame a Report communicating to me, as Direc- tor of the Survey, the result of your researches, and pointing out as far as you can, the application of the substances you have examined to the useful arts and purposes of life. In the performance of these duties confidence is entertained in your skill, and no doubt is felt that you w^ill exert not only that reasonable diligence which is implied in accepting a task requiring constancy and attention, and whose results are of im- portance to the community ; but that more elevated application by which men of liberal mind, distinguish their occupation when they pursue science for her own sake, and feel that their successful efforts bring their own reward. I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. No. 2. (Translation.) (Mr. de Rottermund to Mr. Logan.) 20th December, 1846. Sir, — I take the liberty of asking you to grant me leave of absence for ten days, for family matters. I have the honor to be Sir, Your very obedient servant, (Signed,) E. S. De ROTTERMUND. Mr. W. E. Logan. 84 No. 3. {Mr. Logan to Mr. dc RotUrmund. ) Montreal, 20//* December^ 1845. My dkar Sir, — Yon are at liberty to absent yourself from the duties of your office for ten days, agreeably to the request in your letter of this morning. In acceding to your wish, I am persuaded it is the urgency of the affairs calling you away,which induces you to apply for leave of absence, as I recollect with satisfaction the strong determination you verbally expressed to me before my departure on my exploration for the season, of letting no opportunity escape to make up for the very consider- able loss of time which circumstances had occasioned pre- viously. I have to request attention to the enclosed memorandum. It is my wish to commence the book alluded to in it with a list of the substances already analysed ; and I shall feel obliged by your furnishing me with one either before your departure, or immediately on your return, as most suitable with your con- venience. I am, my dear Sir, Yours very truly, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN. E. S. de Roltermund, Esquire. (Enclosure.) MEMORANDUM. It is my intention to keep a book in which is to be regularly entered a list of the various specimens and materials of what- soever description that are in charge of the Survey, and of which intimation has been given to the Chemical Assistant that an analyses is to be made. The specimens are to be numbered in succession, and in the book in question are to be registered the number of the specimen, the date on which it is indicated for analyses ; the person or persons from whom it is received ; a succinct general description of its external appearance and character ; its locality ; the date at which the said analyses is finished ; and the constituents of the mineral or material. 35 If there is a suflicient quantity of ilic mineral or material, a duplicate specimen of it is to be retained and ticketed, and if a mineral, a duplicate of the portion submitted to analyses after being reduced to powder ; the last to be kept in a phial, corked, sealed and ticketed. (Signed,) W. E. L. Montreal, 10th December, 1845. No. 4. (Mr. Logan to Mr. de Rottermnnd.) Montreal, 2nd March^ 1846. My dear Sir, — It has perhaps escaped your memory that on the 20th December I requested you to let me have a list of the specimens which you analysed for the Geological Survey of the Province, from your first connexion with it. I am sorry to say I have been inconvenienced by the want of it, and 1 hope you will let me have it with as little delay as possible. You will oblige me by letting me know in writing, for the regulation of the pecuniary details and other arrangements of my department, from what time I am to consider that your connexion with the Government has ceased ; and I will thank you also to let me have the key of the laboratory, which by mistake you have taken with you. I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. No. 5. (Copy.) {Mr- Logan to Mr. de Bottermund.) Montreal, SOth March, 1846. Sir, — The verbal intimation you gave me about the middle of January, that it was your intention to relinquish your con- nexion with the Government as Chemical Assistant to the 36 Geological Survey of the Province, renders it necessary that I should, without further delay, place before His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, the expediency of making such arrangements in regard to the Survey, as the circumstances may require ; and not having received from you the commu- nication you were informed it was my desire to possess, in respect to the time from which the relinquishment of your ofHce was to date, I shall, unless you favor m^ with an im- mediate reply, be compelled to act without it, and to consider that I am at liberty to represent that your connexion with the Government ceased from the time you discontinued attendance to your official duties in the laboratory. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN, Provincial Geologist. No. 6. (Translation.) {Mr. de Rottermund to Mr. Logan.) Sir, — In your letter of the 30th of March, you ask me to tell you until what period I consider myself to have been in the service of the Government. I have told you vivd voce, that family matters are so serious and of so much consequence, that I have not been able to give all my time to the service of the Government. The very little time which I could devote to that service within the last few days enables me to state that I have not the slightest idea of claiming my salary ; and my Report, which I wish to present to His Excellency through you, will prove to every one who wishes to take an interest in it, that my services are of real use to the country, as well in a :cientific and commercial, as in a mechanical point of view ; and although the state of my affairs has lately obliged me to give them an almost absolute attention, I am perfectly confident that 1 have done much good to the country by my labours, as I hat I 3y the 37 you will be able to judge yourself on examining my Report on my expedition. I have the honor to be, Your most humble and obedient, (Signed,) E. S. De ROTTERMUND. Mr. W. E. Logan. No. 7. (Copy.) {Mr. Logan to Mr. de liottermund.) Montreal, Slst March, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this dale, by which I understand that in resigning your appointment as Chemical Assistant to the Geo- logical Survey of the Province, you do not claim of you salary for the last quarter, beyond such an amount as may be considered just in proportion to the time you have devoted to the duties of your Office. Any Report you have to make on the labors connected with the laboratory, you will be pleased to remark is to be com- municated and addressed to me as Director of the Survey as mentioned in the letter I had the honor of addressing you on the 2nd May, 1845, in which your duties were pointed out. This I now state in order that no error may be made in the form of the Report. In framing it, you are at liberty to take full time to perfect it, but in the mean while I am desirous of receiving with as little delay as possible, a list of the sub- stances analysed, with their constituents, in order that, as Director of the Survey, I may avail myself of the information it may contain in arranging the details of my department. I have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN, Provincial Geologist. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. 38 No. 8. (Copy.) (Mr. Logan to Mr. de Rottermund.J Montreal, Srd April, 1846. My Dear Sir, — It will be necessary for you, as soon as you possibly can, to separate and remove such things in the labo- ratory as belong to you from such as appertain to me or the Government, as it is probable I shall very shortly require the room for the purposes of the Survey. As I shall be soon preparing to leave town for the season, you will oblige me by returning to me such books or maps as you may have borrowed from me, being desirous of putting my house in order before I start. I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. No. 9. (Translation.) (Mr. de Rottermund to Mr. Logan.) Sir, — In answer lo your letter of the Srd of April, I have the honor to remark, that the room of which I have the key in my possession, contains nothing but my Library and that cannot interfere with your labors ; but if it be possible, will you be kind enough to leave them remain for a few days, as the crossing is very bad, and I will not be able to cross on the ice. I will be back again in a few days, and I will give you everything you require. I have the honor to be. Your most obedient servant, (Signed,) E. S. De ROTTERMUND. Mr. W. E. Logan. Excuse the form of this letter, as I have no other paper, and am on the eve of my departure. the J me as 39 No. 10. (Copy.) {Mr. Logan to Mr. de Rottermund.) 10 Little St. James Street, 13/^ Mmjj 1846. Dear Sir, — I shall feel much obliged to you, if you will have the kindness to remove your books and papers from the room they occupy in the laboratory, in order that no difficulty m regard to them may be experienced during my absence on my summer's exploration. I will thank you also to return me such books of mine as you have borrowed from me, and particularly a map on which some portion of the geology of Canada was represented. I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. No. 11. (Translation.) (Mr. de Rottermund to Mr. Logan.) Mr. Logan, — 1 have received your letter, in which you desire me to take my library from the house. I have given orders to have a box made, and as soon as it will be ready, I will give up the room you seem so much to wish for. But if you think your prerogative to be affected, I will ask permission of the Executive Council to retain the room for a short time. I will not forget to return you your books, which I have at home ; I do not know if you are aware that all the Brantford water is mine, and belongs to me by right, and not to the Geo- logical Survey, as I am ready to prove to you, and for that reason 1 alone have any right to give it away. You will oblige me by allowing the bearer of this to take away two large jars 40 which I promised to give to sick persons to whom it has been recommended by their physicians. Receive the assurance of the profound consideration, With which, I am, Mr. Logan, Your most humble servant, (Signed,) E. S. De ROTTERMUND. No. 12. (Mr. Logan to Mr. de Rottermund.) (Copy.) 10, Little St. James Street, Uth May, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of this morning, and in reply I beg to say, I certainly was not aware that all tlie vvaler of Branlford Spring on the premi- ses of the Survey was your property, particularly as expenses on the water of this and other mineral springs have been paid out of the funds of the Survey, and no quantitative analyses that I know of have resulted. I take your word, however, for the fact, and as you seem to consider the ownership of it of some consequence, which I do not, I am happy in having saved the chief part of it from des- truction by the frost last winter during your absence, and I now send you not only the two jars you ask for, but all that I can find of it. At the request of * * * a pint of it was sent by me to * * * *, to whom, I some how or other was given to understand you had promised it ; but if it is your wish I will take the earliest opportunity of replacing it by a fresh supply which there will be no difficulty in obtaining. I should feel obliged if you will inform me whether there are any other samples or specimens on the premises that do not belong to the Survey, as it would prevent mistakes if they were removed also, and at once. I shall be happy to supply you w ith cases to hold your books and papers. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed,) W. E. LOGAN, * Provincial Geolgist. E. S. de Rottermund, Esquire. CRITICAL REMARKS ON THE LABOURS OF E. S. DE ROTTERMUND, ESQ., LATE CHEMIST TO THE PROVINCIAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. By H. Croft, Esq., Prof, of Chemistry, King's College, Toronto. To the Editor of the British American Journal * Some time since you were kind enough to publish in your excellent Journal (Vol. II. No. 2) some of my notes respecting the Tuscarora SourSpring,nearBrantford, in whichi announc- ed the very interesting fact of its containing free sulphuric acid ; but the examination was very imperfect, partly from my want of leisure, but more from lack of material. In a note appended thereto, you mentioned that Mr. De Rottermund had discovered antimony in the same spring ; and, in my letter of the 12th June, published in the August number, I fully proved the incorrectness of his analysis, or (to speak more correctly) ot his statement, for I cannot believe that he ever made any ana- lysis of the water. In my first paper, I mentioned that it was my intention to proceed during the summer vacation to the spot, and thoroughly examine all the circumstances connected with this very curious spring, which may properly be called one of the wonders of Canada. I was prevented from so doing by untoward circum- stances ; and, as I wished my next communication on the sub- ject to be a complete and final one, I should not as yet have put pen to paper concerning it, had it not been for the recent ap- pearance of a pamphlet, entitled, " Report of E. S. De Rotter- mund, Esq., Chemical Assistant to the Geological Survey of the Province, — Printed by order of the Legislative Assembly^''''] — in which this spring and its constituents are mentioned. * Published, March, 1847. \ In justice to Mr. Logan, the talented gentleman occupying the distinguished position of Provincial Geologist, wc must observe, that the report of Mr. De Rotter- mund was not printed with his sanction, nor has he anything, whatever, to do with its appearance. — Ep. 42 Mr. De R. isceiiis to have obtained results widely differing from mine ; and, as my character as an analyst must fall to the ground if his statements should be proved to be correct, I have no hesitation in requesting you to insert the following critical remarks on his assertions. I shall first refute Mr. De R.'s statement contained in that pari of the pamphlet most interesting to myself, and shall after- wards take the liberty of making a few remarks on the other portions of this highly amasing and most extraordinary publi- cation. At page 4, Mr. De R. says, " For the same reason, I have called the acid springs of Brantford antimoni-ferruginous, on account of the presence of that substance (Query, what sub- stance — antimoni-ferruginous ?) only recently found in mine- ral waters ; and because it is one of the most remarkable sub- stances as a remedy for several diseases." Your medical readers who may be fond of materia medica will no doubt be glad to add this new substance antimoni-fer- ruginous to their Pharmacopceas, but I doubt whether any one besides Mr. De R. will ever find it in the Tuscarora Spring. In the succeeding sentences, Mr. De R. objects to its being called an acid spring, and desires that it may be known by the above name proper to its composition. As I have shown it to be strongly acid, from the presence of free oil of vitriol, I do not see any objection to the name, especially as the carbonic acid springs are generally called " carbonated waters." At page 10, Mr. De R. enumerates the substances contained in the spring, viz., hydrosulphuric and carbonic gas, (I quote his words), sulphate of protoxide of iron, sulphate of alumina and potash, chloride of antimony, chloride of zinc, sulphate of magnesia, and of lime, resinous substances, and vegetable al- bumen ; from which no one would conclude that there is any free sulphuric acid present at all. Mr. De R. spea^- ^ of three or more springs. That which I formerly examined was from the middle spring. Its specific gravity was 1.0038; it contained peroxide of iron, arising pro- bably from its having been long kept. // contains no antimony^ as I have again proved by new experiments. Sometime since, 48 through the kindness of Mr. Wiiiiam Boiihon, I was put in possession of three small bottles of the water from tiie north, south, and middle springs. They were well sealed ; but the water contained no trace of hydrosulphuric acid, which, how- ever, does not prove that this gas may not be present in the fresh water. The water from the Middle Spring had a specific gravity of 1.0037 at 50 '^ Faht., and contained no antimony. " from the North Spring, spec. grav. 1.0030 — no antimony. South " " l.OOGO (( u (( Mr. De Rottermund says the water contains zinc. Water from each of the three bottles was treated with ammonia in excess — the filtered solution treated with liydrosulj)huret of ammonium — Middle Spring — contains no zinc. North " « " South " " « Mr. De R. says the water contains chlorine. Water from each of the bottles was treated with nitrate of silver — Middle Spring — a scarcely preceptible opacity, hence little or no chlorine. North Spring — no change, hence no chlorine. South Spring " " " The water from all the three springs contains protoxide of iron, as is shown by the greenish precipitate caused by ammo- nia ; but the south spring contains the smallest quantity of pro- toxide, the precipitate consisting almost entirely of peroxide. Several ounces of water from the middle spring were boiled with nitric acid and precipitated with ammonia ; the precipi- tate washed and digested with a solution of caustic potash, the filtered solution neutralized with hydrochloric acid and pre- cipitated with ammonia, — a slight trace of alumina was found. In my first analysis I found peroxide, and not protoxide of iron, w^hich was most probably caused by the oxidation of the pro- toxide from long keeping. This water was clear and colour- less, while the specimens given to me by Mr. Boulton were of a yellowish colour. 44 I have shown in my first paper that the spring contains lime and magnesia; these were removed (after the separation of iron and ahimlna) by tlie well known process of precipitation by acetate of baryta, &c., &c. The heated residue boiled with water, the solution filtered, evaporated to a symp, mixed with alcohol, and inflamed, communicated a slight tinge of yellow to the flamP) showing the presence of soda ; the residue dis- solved in a very small quantity of water, and treated with bichloride of platinum, gave a yellow precipitate indicati ig potash. I have, therefore, shown that of the substances, (exclusive of gases) said by Mr. De R. to exist in this spring, viz., iron, alu- mina, potash, chlorine, antimony, zinc, magnesia, lime, resins, and albumen, three are certainly not present, viz., zinc antimony, and chlorine. That resinous substances should be present, seems to me to be utterly impossible, for any work on Chemistry will inform Mr. De R. that resins are insoluble in water. The pre- sence of vegetable albumen seems equally problematical, for its sulphate is insoluble in acid solutions, and no precipitate is formed in the Tuscarora water, either by ferrocyanide of potas- sium, or bichloride of mercury (corrosive sublimate). Organic substances certainly are present, for if the iron and alumina be precipitated by ammonia, and the residual solutions evaporated to dryness and heated, considerable blackening takes place ; but we know that crenic and apocrenic acids are fre- quently found in mineral springs, (Berzelius, Hermann), and we know that these acids combine with protoxide of iron to form soluble salts, which then produce insoluble ones by their union with the peroxide ; and knowing, moreover, that these or sim- ilar acids are found in rotten wood, in ochre, and in numberless putrefying vegetable productions, it is easy to account for the presence of organic matters in this water, without reference to such out-of-the-way substances as resins and vegetable albu- men. Of the ten substances found, therefore, five may fairly be presumed to exist only in Mr. De R.'s imagination. At page 10, five lines from the bottom, we read, " The earth is filled with sulphur crystallized in fme grains." I have some of the earth, which, as might naturally be supposed, exhibits 46 notliing of the kind. It contains iron and sulpliuric acid ; but of this more on a future occasion. At page 11, we have a very interesting statistical account of the diseases prevalent at Brantford, and of the cures ('ilecled l)y the water. This portion of tiie pami)hlet I will leave to the critical acumen of your medical readers ; but I may remark that the cures are not to be ascribed to the presence of Mr. Do R.'s " antimoni-ferruginous," but simply to that of free sul- phuric acid, for every one, who is even as little acquainted with medicine as I am, must be aware that sulphuric acid is, or has been, employed in inflammation of the eyes, in cutaneous dis- eases, and in the treatment of sores. At page 12, we have the following passage, which I am sure you will excuse my quoting at length, inasmuch as I am quite certain you w4sh to amuse as well as instruct your readers : — " It may be useful to remark, that if water containing zinc and potash (! !), as well as alum combined with potash (! !), is very scarce (perfectly true), water containing antimony is still more important on account of its still greater scarcity and medi- cinal power. The salts of antimony are of the greatest value on account of the great difficulty of preparing them pro- perly ; for the chloride of antimony becomes decomposed in water, while here it is produced by the presence of the acid, and of organic matter. The discovery of antimony in a mineral spring is undoubtedly an immense advantage for the science of medicine ; for the same substance prepared artificially is never so efficacious as when found in water, &c., &c., S{c. I will take the liberty of explaining the theory of the formation of this an- timoni-ferruginous spring, and of explaining the cause why the antimony is in solution without being decomposed or precipi- tated by the water. According to geological researches, it is known that this place contains a great many marshes, iron pyrites, lead ore, zinc, and antimony, as well as gypsum. Wa- ter running through iron pyrites or gypsum, by some chemical or other phenomenon, becomes decomposed, and charged with a quantity of sulphuric acid ; (the waters of this spring prove its presence in a very decided manner ;*) the water so acidu- * Here mentioned for the first time. — H. C. 46 lated, passing through turf or a marsh covered with vegetation, must contain vegetable albumen wliieh I have found, organic acids, resinous substances, &c. If the water thus charged passes afterwards through beds of ore of antimony, it is natural tliat it will dissolve the subtances without precipitating it." In the first placic, the statement of any preparation of anti- mony prepan!tl artificially not being as eflicacious as when found in water, is, in ahslrado^ a decided fallacy. I believe (sj)eaking under correction) that the idea of springs possessing peculiar virtues, not to be imitated by artificial means, is now entirely exploded. But let us look at Mr. De Rottermund's theory, and we will suppose that all the substances he requires do really exist in the neighbourhood. Did any one ever hear of water being decomposed when in contact with sulphate of lime and becoming charged with sulphuric acid ? In that case half the springs known in the world should contain it. Mr. De R. very properly adds, " by some chemical or other phenome- non." But by means of iron pyrites, sulphuric acid might be formed : this, says our author, passes through turf or marsh covered with vegetation, and becomes charged with vegetable albumen (?), organic acids, (here mentioned for the first time), resinous substances (?), &c. &c. &c. Now, this solution, " pass- ing through beds of ore of antimony, will naturally dissolve the substance without precipitating it ;" that is to ray, water containing sulphuric acid, resins, albumen, and crenic acid, will dissolve an ore of antimony (probably the sulphuret). I am afraid Mr. De Rottermund is like the facetious old gentleman who, hearing a friend cry out, " lapsus lingucB^'^ when his ser- vant let fall a boiled tongue, caused his own attendant to be equally awkward with a round of beef, and expected to gain great applause by a repetition of the witticism. Mr. De R. has heard that when the oxide or sulphate of an- timony is boiled with bitartrate of potash, the oxide is dissolved and that the precipitation of the oxide, or basic salt of anti- mony, by means of water, is prevented by the addition of some organic acid, and he wishes us to believe that something simi- lar takes place in the present instance. Let him believe it who can. Besides, he need not have given himself the trouble •)y 47 of accounting for t ho antimony, because there is none there; which puts me in mind of the twenty-fourth reason for not ring- ing the bells, viz., because there were no bells to ring. In the preceding remarks I have sliown the utter fallacy of Mr. De Rottermund's statements with regard to the Urantford Springs; and in my next comnumieaticm I shall take the liber- ty of end(!avouring to prove similar inaccuracy in the remain- ing portions of the pamphlet. I may, however, remark, that it is scarcely necessary to attempt a refutation, for Mr. De ll.'s statements are unsupported by experiments, or the description of one single analysis either quantitative or qualitative. I have not found in the whole pamphlet so much as a statement re- garding the specific gravities of the waters spoken of, except in one place, and in that the numbers had, 1 believe, been deter- mined by other chemists. Without some such guarantee, Mr. De Rottermund cannot expect that any one of his statement:-;! will be believed by the scientific portion of the people of Canada, although it is pro- bable that so flourishing a report may obtain credence among those who may have as inaccurate a knowledge of chemistry as even Mr. De Rottermund himself — a portion of the commu- nity which, it is to be hoped for the credit of the country, will be found to be exceeding small. Toronto, 9th Jan., 1847. To the Editm' of the British American Journal* Sir, — A friend has this moment placed in my hands the March number of your valuable Journal of Medical and Physi- cal Science. In it I notice some critical remarks (as they are rather amusingly and pompously termed) on my labours as Chemist to the Provincial Geological Survey, by H. Croft, Esq., Professor of Chemistry, King's College, Toronto. As Mr. Croft is not satisfied with making some very petu- lant and silly allusions to his loss of reputation^ and to my ca- pacity as a chemist, but has also questioned, in his peculiar style, the accuracy of my qualitative analysis of the Tuscarora spring, it will become necessary for me to reply to his stric- ' Published, April, 184'7. 48 lures, and to offer a few ohscrvalions upon his altcinpts, as ex- liiblted in the colmniis of your journal in its nuriihers ol" June and Aujjust, 18 10, and in tlu- last. I trust you will permit ine to avail niyselCof your eoliiinns for that purpose. Unavoida- ble al)senee from town, and a variety of pressing oeeu|)ations, will prevent my prej)arint( anything for April ; I am therefore reluctantly eompelled to postpone my remarUs until your May number. In the meantime, I would remind Mr. Croft, (an im- portant truth which he seems entirely to have forgotten), that a contemptuous mode of expression is no proof either of capa- (tity or attainments ; and, moreover, that his attempts to show what ingredients arc not to be found in the Tuscarora water, may simply illustrate the fact that under the most favourable auspices, he is of himself, Mr. Croft, Proft.'ssor of Chemistry, King's College, Toronto, incapable of determining the ele- ments of which it is composed. His efforts pretty plainly de- monstrate this incapacity, when he is unassisted by others. I remain &c., E. S. De Rottermund. Montreal, 15th March, 1847. REPLY TO PROFESSOR CROFT'S "CRITICAL REMARKS." By E. S. Db Rottermund, Esquire. To the Editor of the British American Journal* Sir, — I trust Mr. Croft will understand distinctly, that if I have been unwilling to notice his analysis of the Brantford wa- ters, or to bestow any serious attention upon them, I was not deterred by any fear of entering into a scientific discussion ; but simply because I observed in them errors of such magni- tude, and so extraordinary, that I was disposed to regard his articles rather as the pretensions of a man desirous of exhibit- ing his ability to read and sign his name, than as the efibrts of •Publiehed, May, 1847. one capable <»f prodncing original mntt«^r, or ovon of copying correctly. Since, however, Mr. ('rol't, w itii si^MiiHe.'Uit poiiipos- ify, assails nie, under liis title of" Professor of Kiiij^'s C'oll('t hav- free. I r blind mc to )inion, Croft's ientific lires a an pos- quanti- would rsing a certain base b, le, can iresent ; of those B same •proved r is not sations, ght find d. Mr. oreover, stead of ? spring, the sui- th other hy anti- snlphu- ation of heory in 'he earth, [ are al- 53 lowed to the disciples of science, viz., their intelligence based upon scientific information. If Mr. Croft is more capable, he can propound another theory. Many phenomena were at one time explained by the phlogistic theory, which has given place to the one based upon the action of oxygen. Neither theory, however, prevents mercury from becoming oxidated, by contact with air. Mr. Croft, in June, 1846, states that the nitrate of silver did not detect anything in the waters of Brantford. He is mistaken ; as there must have been formed a white precipitate of sulphate of silver. In March, 1847, he finds a white precipitate with nitrate of silver, and he takes it for chloride. He would have done better to inform us what means he adopted to separate sulphuric acid from the chlorine, in order to be certain that the precipitate obtained by the sulphate of silver was cliloride and not sulphate of silver. Mr. Croft has had the goodness to admit, after reading my analysis, that he found some traces of chlorine. I thank him, also, for having found potassa, rt/w?/J2/?a, and soda. But this I regard as mere civility on his part, because he must permit me to doubt, if he saw these bodies by the method which he employed. He saw the yellow flame of the spirits of wine, but it was produced by organic matter, or by some other salt than pure soda, because he did not obtain it in a state of purity to render that test unexceptionable. Who knows that Mr. Croft may not also have mistaken a sulphate, phosphate, bromide or iodide, &c., for the chloride, when the so- lution was tested by the nitrate of silver ; inasmuch as all these salts yield the same white precipitate with the nitrate of silver. Thus, what opinion can or ought to be formed of a chemist, who, after publishing three quantitative analyses of the same min- eral water in June and August, 1846, and in March, 1847, at last finds six additional bodies, and all diiferent from the first, which he supposed to have existed exclusively there ? What ought we to say of a chemist who discovers a resemblance between two analyses, in consequence of the presence of a body which exists in nearly all the most common substances ? Mr. Croft, in Jane, 1846, publishes diflercnt quantitative analyses, in 54 which he states he found sulphuric acid. In the 1st Experiment, 21.670 grs. 2d do. 23.597 " 3d do. 22.049 " without stating the quantities of matter upon which he operated. He only assures us that he for.nd 7.G80 gTf<. in one pint of water. In the month of March, 1847, he apologises, admit ling that he was mistaken, and declaring that he had not had the time to make a complete analysis, and that, in fact, he did not pos- sess the necessary materials. If such were the case, he ought to have acted with the prudence and integrity of a man of sci- ence, and not advanced and published what he could not sus- tain, much less prove. Mr. Croft supposes the soil of Brant- ford, where the spring is situated, to be volcanic ; r^nd, singu- larly enough, it is the presence of sulphates of an acid charac- ter which leads him to this conclusion. If Mr. Boussingault has declared that the bed of the spring near Papayon is volca- nic, his opinion rests upon the fact that he found hydrochloric acid ; — hydrochloric and sulphurous acid may be indications of volcanos, but sulphates are not. After criticising with so little gentleman-like courtesy, after having so flippantly remarked upon the labours of another chemist, acknowledged as such by authorities in science pos- sessing rather more celebrity in the scientific world than Mr. Croft, notwithstanding his title of professor — after having bedaubed and exposed himself to ridicule, in his own ambitious but utterly worthless publications, and that by his own showing, I put it fairly to Mr. Croft whether or not he is entitled to any further reply ? I would add, that were I sure that he had the intention or the will to persevere in the study of chemistry, I should earnestly advise him to continue his investigations of the Brantford waters. This spring, or in 1848 at the very lat- est, he will hit upon some new ingredient, which has hitherto escaped his triple and thrice contradictory analyses. You say with truth that my report was not sanctioned by the signature of Mr. Logan. I may remark, however, that Mr. Logan, not being a chemist, could not in any way sanction that 55 report. Be that as it may, I am most certain that that eminent geologist, whom you justly regard as a savant of high ability, would not consent to sanction Mr. Croft's analysis, nuich less would he uphold the supposition that the soil of Brant ford \h volcanic, because it contains sulphates of iron, of lime, and of magnesia. I should have terminated mj reply to Mr. Croft, but being assailed by the Argus^ a political, literary and scientific journal of Toronto, which so loudly applauded Mr. Croft's article against me, I feel myself bound, through respect for the j)ress, to offer a few more observations. As I have already said in my report, and I repeat it again, I could not give to tlie public any quantitative analyses ; for notwithstanding every care in my investigation, I had not the necessary means of making them correctly ; and as I regard the word of a man of science when he advances any fact connected with his labtmrs as most sacred, I preferred publishing the qualitative analyses only, and lo keep in my own possession the quantitative ; because, al- though they appeared to be correct, they might have been inex- act, for want of the necessary apparatus. Mr. Croft expresses his astonishment at my finding zinc and potassa in solution in the water. He makes use of the printed signs of admiration, which so well depict his thoughts. If Mr. Croft does not know the existence of double salts of sulphate of zinc and of potassa, yet as a professor he should recall lo mind that the salts known under the name of halhydrates, form double salts only with salts in which the acid has h)st its water. If, having the wish to attack the labours of chemists, he knew a little of the science, he would have placed the exclamation thus, zinc and lime ! I would have had the trouble only to object to him that he is mistaken in his reproductions ; for he would be right in saying, that sulphate of zinc cannot form a double salt with the sulphate of lime, inasmuch as botli are halhydrates ; but the sulphate of zinc forms a double salt witii the sulphate of potassa and others not halhydrate. The sul- phate of lime will form them with the same salts. And here is ihc formula, according to Licbig, which perhaps will serve to talm Mr. Croft : SOaZnO, (SOyKO), + 6 HO. 66 Other cliemists give seven atoms of water. As to the antimony, I obtained it in the state of sniphuret, of an orange red eolour, giving with the blow-pipe a white smoke depositing itself on the coal in a circle. And to convince Mr. Croft that I take great precautions in my analysis, I would re- mark, that, fearful lest the presence of the antimony might liave been due to the hydro-sulphuric acid, which might have con- tained some traces of thatmetfd, derived from the material from which it was obtained, I expressly prepared some sulphuret of iron myself; and when I again obtained the orange coloured precipitate, I was convinced that antimony was contained in the solution. I am free to confess the extent of my surprise at this discovery ; for I was aware that that body had not been previously detected in mineral springs. But Mr. Croft would never be able to find it, even if I were to point out to him the method of doing so, inasmuch as practical skill is necessary. As to the proof of vegetable albumf . let Mr. Croft read the analysis of the waters of Barege, and afterwards examine the waters of Caledonia, if perchance another fit of chemical ana- lysis should seize him. He will, no doubt, suppose that there are broken eggs in the soil, if he should discover vegetable albumen. As to the solubility of resinous matter in water, Mr. Croft is nearly perfectly correct in his position. It is insoluble as iron is, as also zinc and other bodies, and which neverthe- less we find in solution in many springs. But since I am com- pelled to adopt language more practical than scientific, in order to be more intelligible to persons unacquainted with the science, I would mention certain daily practises, adopted by manufacturers to increase the weight of their articles, to the prejudice of the public. They mix resin with potassa, which, in the form of soap, is soluble in Avater. / lyse such a water, and you will not be surprised to find resinous matter in it in a state of solution. Since the manufacturer, in order to carry on his trade more successfully in a commercial |X)int of view has found out the means of overcoming or concealing the inso- luble nature of resin, why should we doubt that nature, so mysterious in her existence, and frequently so in her operations which often seem incompatible to ordinary intelligences, might 5t not also form some combinations, which, wc can reasonably suppose, would escape Mr. Croft's scientific altainmenls. Mr. Croft finishes his article thus : " Mr. De Roltermuml cannot expect that any one of his statements will be believed by tlie scientific portion of the peo})le of Canada, although it is possible that so flourishing a report may obtain cred<'n('e among those who may have as inaccurate a knowledge of eliemistry as even Mr. De llottermund himself, a portion of the coinniunily which, it is to be hoped, for the credit of the country, will be found to be exceedingly small." A direct answer to this is scarcely neces- sary, and would be of very little importance ; but I will merely take the liberty of subM ting a problem which can be solved by the latter " portion oi the community" just as well as by the " scientific portion of the people of Canada" — could not the combinations produced by nature be as well concealed from Mr. Croft's understanding, as are the preparations of an able artisan from the ordinary purchaser? I prefer saying nothing to refute the assertion, that we can expect more in our laboratories than nature in her combinations, because the apothecary who has the recipe for a preparation, may defy us to prepare his ointment. His skill in turning the pes- tle produces that which a chemist the most expert in the theory of combinations, could not imitate, and nature possesses far greater means and secrets of preparation than the most skilful chemist. The only correction which I expect to receive in regard to my labours, is, that I may have been deceived in the state of the salts. But if that error does exist, it does not arise from any want of exactness, but from the want of those necessary means which no chemist engaged in delicate analyses, can dis})ense with. In the beginning I declared frankly, that I w^as not possessed of what was necessary. In order to determine the state of the salts, an analysis more accu- rate than Mr. Croft could make would be required. Errors frequently arise from the calculations and the figures arising out of the theory of the laws of combination. Thus a man corrects himself if he sees that another chemist has seized the truth with more accuracy than he has ; but on that account a man is not less a chemist. Thus M. Liebig corrects M. Du- 58 mas, and M. Dumas corrccls M. Liebig. And it is immnloiial what iny labours aro, and bo thoir merits what they may, I defy Mr. Croft to make that analysis, without my shewing him at every step errors in prineiple, and inaeeuracies; and I will prove to him that he has mistaken water for an aeid, pn)toxidc for peroxide, paper for voleanie matter, and who knows but gome other substanees, similar to tliose of the sour si)rini^ near Papayon, and others again still more remote, with wiiieh Mr. Croft would rejoiee to compare them. But to bring this eom- munieaiion to a close, take care, Mr. Professor, not to do " as the facetious old gentleman did, who, hearing a friend cry out ^ f//j)sfts liin^iia'^^ wlienhis servant let fall a boiled tongue, caused his own attendant to be equally awkward with a round of beef, and expected to gain great applause by a repetition of the witticism ;" the pretty story which you cite in your admirable crili(pie, i i th'^ INlarch number oi iha British American Journal of Mrilical and Plnjsicial Science, in answer to my labours. St. Cesaire, March 30, 1847. REPLY TO Mr. DeROTTERMUND. By Henry Croft, Esq., Prof, of Chemistry, King's College.* Sir, — (1) In the last number of your Journal, received yes- terday, I find a letter fro? a Mr. UeRottermund, purporting to be a reply to my criticisms on his report, published in the March number. This is probably the communication promised by Mr. DeRottermund in the number for the previous month, and in which I had fully expected to receive a complete account of Mr. DeRottermund's qualitative experiments — but in this I am most lamentably disappointed; for, as far as regards that gen- tleman's own researches (with the exception of one experiment) we remain exactly in sfaiti quo. By far the greater part of the letter is directed personally against me, and consists of good, strong, wholesome abuse ; to which branch of polite literature I would recommend Mr. De Rottermund to direct his entire attention, for he succeeds infi- nitely better with that, than chemistry. * J'uWished, Juno, 1817. I 59 I sliuU rofrain from m.iking any romarks on lliis pari of lil^j coininuniealion, and will confine myself to the seientifie por- tions ; anil wlien I have proved Mr. DeRottermiind's iiller and palpable^ ignorance, I will leave it to your nnprejmlieed readers to determine how much truth there may be in the allegations advanced against mc. (2) Mr. Dellollenrmnd's first attack on me is for not giving Boussingault's analysis of the water in Papayon in full. This was not done for two very good reasons, Istly, IJecause it was entirely unnecessary u> mention more than had direct referent o to the subject on hand; and 2dly, Because 1 do not posses-s a full account of the analysis, having taken the numbers from Hoffman's Physikalishe Geographic. In paragraph 13, Mr. DcRottcrmund says, (alluding to me,) "after having so flip- pantly remarked on the labours of another chemisl, possessing more celebrity in the world," etc., etc. If by t'.iis Mr. Dellot- lermund alludes to himself, I have nothing to say; but if he refers to Boussingaull, he is guilty of a mis-statement, to use the mildest word. 1 1 rcijuires the acumen of a Mr. DeRotteruuind to discover how quoting from the works of a great philosopher can be accounted "remarking llippantl^ on his labours." (3) Mr. DcRottcrmund ihvAX branches olf at a tang(^nt and attacks my use of carbonate of ammonia in testing for magniv sia, "a mistake (as he calls it) unpardonable even in a student of medicine," and he then gives me a h'cture u))on various points of analytical chemistry, which I will now proceed to elucidate. As, however, Mr. DcRottcrmund retjuires to have conviction forced upon him, I have taken the trouble of refer- ring him to certain portions in the works of Berzelius and 11. Rose, ho})ing that the statements of the greatest chemist, and the most accurate analyst in the world, will have sulHcient wxvight to convince even Mr. DcRottcrmund. (4) " Phosphate of soda (says Mr. DeR.) forms, with a neu- tral solution of magnesia, a double insoluble salt of phosphate of soda and of magnesia." Thi-^ salt, I must allow, is entirely unknown to mc. At page 304, vol. 4, of Berzelius' Lehrbuch ler Chemie, you will find, "phosphate of magnesia, 2 MgO + P3O5, is produced when hot solutions of phosphate of soda and eo KiilpliJito of magnesia aro niixod together, tl>e sjilt crystalizcs on cooling ; " and words to a similar ejleet, in Hose's llandbucli der Analytiscluui Cliemie, vol. 1, p. 41. The salt mentioned by Mr. DeK. is, therefore, not formed under sueh eireumstanees, and phosphate of magnesia which is produced, is tolerably soluble in water. "In acid solutions, ammonia is added to neutralize the acid, and facilitate the formation of the doable pliosphate." Now if ammonia be added, another entirely dill'erent salt is procured, viz., the ammoniaeo-magncsian phosphate. Vide Rose, p. 42, and fierzelius, vol. 4, ]). 305. That either ammonia or its carbonate may be used in preci- pitating this latter sjUt, is mentioned by Rose and Berzelius in the same pages. " If in acid solutions, (says Mr. DeR.) car- bonate of ammonia be used, another salt of anunonia will be formed, and the carbonic acid being set free, will produce in- soluble carbonate of lime, magnesia, and alumina." In the first place, every beginner is aware that such a thing as carbonate of alumina does not exist, (Berzelius, vol. 4, p. 333 ;) secondly under such circumstances, carbonate of magnesia would not have been precipitated, — one of the fundamental rules in testing for magnesia, and of which Mr. DeRottermund may convince himself by a simple experiment, (easy to one who possesses his vaunted practical dexterity). Let him make a solu- tion of any salt of magnesia, add a few drops of acid to it, and then an excess of carbonate of ammonia — he will find no precipitate, owing to the formation of a soluble double salt ; and, thirdly, had Mr. DeRottermund taken the troubh; of read- ing the cipcriment, he would have found that all the lime had been previously removed by oxalate of ammonia. From this portion of the paragraph, we may deduce five con- clusions with regard to Mr. DcRottermund's knowledge, which I will presently enumerate. (5) Mr DeR. also says, " He should have known that carbon- ate of ammonia yields white precipitates, with salts of baryta, strontia, magnesia, alum, zinc, antimony, lead, tin, etc. ; that as phosphate of soda gives white precipitates, with salts of mag- nesia, lithiaj baryta, alumina, iron, sjinc, antimony, tin, lead, 61 etc., and as he had previously juMed carbonate of amnion la, he mi][Tht just as w<'ll have had a carbonate of lithia, aUiniiua, etc., etc., (all the above bases,) as of niaii^ncsia." It is scarcely necessary to remind yotir readers of certain facts unknown to Mr. Dfdlottermund, viz., tluit salts of baryta and strontia are decomposed by sulphates, that lithia is not pieeipi- tated by phosphate of soda alone, that the oxides of iron, alu- minum, tin, lead, and antimony, are precipitatetl hy anuuonia; and salts of zinc and manganese, by oxalatt; of anuuonia.* But we may deduce nine more conclusions from this latter portion of the paragraph, which I will now enumerate, together with those already mentioned. 1. Mr Dellottermund is ignorant of the action of i)hosj)hatc of soda on salts of magnesia. 2. Do do of the action of phosphate of soda on a salt of magnesia, when ammonia or its carbonate is present. 3. Do do of the action of carbonate of ammonia on acid solutions of magnesia. 4. Do do of the non-existence of carbonate of alumina. 6. Do do of, or cannot understand, the method of sepa- rating lime from magnesia. 6. Do do of the insolubility of the sulphates of baryta and strontia. 7. Do do of the precipitation of these earths by oxalate of ammonia. 8. Do do of the precipitation of alumina by ammonia. 9. Do do of the precipitation of oxide of iron by ammo- nia. 10. Do do of the precipitation of oxide of lead by ammo- nia. 11. Do do of the precipitation of oxide of tin by ammonia. 12. Do do of the precipitation of oxide of antimony by am- monia. • I adopted the usual plan in my analysis, first precipitating with ammonia, then with oxalate of ammonia, and afterwards with phospliatc of soda and carbonate of ammonia, as is recommended in all gooii works on analysis; and yet Mr. DeRotter- mund argues, as if all the above mentioned substances might have been still pre- sent. 62 13. Do do of the pre(''n)ii;itit)n of oxides of zinc and nian- gan(!si! by oxahitf^ of aniiiiouia. 14. Do dt» of the action of pliosplialo of soda on nails of litliia. Vide Hose, vol. 1, p. IG; Hrr/elius, vol. 1. |>. 191. We have here fourlecn of llio eoininonest facts, of which Mr. Dellolleniuind, l>y his reasoning, siiows himself to be utterly ignorant, anil were 1 desirous of spariiijL,' myself uuich useless trouble, I iiiiijhi here conclude; for from the above, any one can form an esiimalc of the reliance to be placed on his asser- tions. (G) In parai^raph 1, he ridicules me for saying that the bed of the IJrantford s])ring was volcanic, because I had found some sulj)hatc9 in the water; whereas Uoussingault had found sul- phuric and hydrochloric acid in volcanic spring's. This asser- tion of Mr. DeRottennund contains a double misstatement, — Istly, lJecaus(» 1 not only found sulphates, but also free sulphu- ric acid ; and 2dly, Because I never said anything aljout the Branttbrd formation being volcanic — but expressly stated that the sulphuric acid must have been produced dillerently from what it is in the springs of Java and South America. The plain fact was that having found free sulphuric acid in a mineral spring, I mentioned all others that I knew of containing the same substance — to which last I have now to add a sj)ring in the Genessce country, found to contain sul})huric acid by Profes- sor Eaton. (7) In paragraph 5, I am blamed for not determining the re- sidue left on evaporating a certain (plant ity of the water, a pro- cess which could not be adopted as it contains free sulphuric acid ; and sulphates of iron lose part of their acid with the last traces of water ; a fact which should certainly not have been unknown to the late chemist to the Geological Survey. (8) In j)aragraph 6, I am accused of denying the jiossibility of antimony being discovered in springs — wliereas, 1 not only mentioned some chemists who had never discovered it, but also proved that it was not present in the water then in my possession, as I have since done with several other specimens. (9) Mr. Dellottermund wants to know how I detected free sulphuric acid, and reads me a long lecture upon tlic way in wliicli It nhould be doin^ viz., I)y ciilciiliiiion. 11" Mr. DcKotlcr- miuid had taken tlit; trouble to read niy [)ai)('r, lie would liuvc found that this very proet^MS wiis adopted ; hiil he doen not appear to be 8o well oil" us thowe individuals to vvhoni he com- pares me in his first parafjraph, for he (hies iiol scern to be able to read, eertaiidy not to und(M>taiid a plain Nlat<'Uient. Let hiru ealeulate the whole of tlie iron us peroxide, (inelud- insf the aluHiina, as in my first analysis;) le; hiui, [\n the nakc of brevity, add the majS^esia to the lime, and eak.ulate how mneh sulphurit; aeid these bases will neutrali/.c, lui will find it to be about 13 grains — the remainder is more than siUlieientto supersaturate iIm^ small amount of alUtdi present ; or, if he wishes a practical test, let him notice the violent corrosive action of the Tusearrora w iter f iron, lime and magnesia would ever possess. It is scarcely neci>ssary fo, mc t explain why, in my first analysis, I found jH-roxide of iron, and a p- :ture of it with the protoxide in my latter ones — I have don >o already; but Mr. Dellottermund takes every oppo';.iiaty of negU ing some of my statements, and perverting oliiers, according iirs it suits his own convenience. (10) Paragraph 10, I must allow, is almost beyond mycom- preliension. If Mr. DeRottennund wishes me to give a theory explaining the presence of zinc and antimony in tlv spring, I must beg to be excused, for I do not wish toattempl lo ac<'ount for things that cannot be found. A theory, as Mr D.-Uotteriruind says, " must be based on scientific knowledg.-," fcr which I would substitute "acq '^mtancc with facts," a species of infor- mation in which he appears to be rather dt>fi(ient. (11) Mr. Dellottermund says, that with nilrnte (/f silver, I should have obtained a white precipitate of sulp!;ate of silver. Now, as this laiter salt is considerably ^;olub]e in cold water, if the solution tested be dilute, no precipitate will be formed, of whicii lie may convince himself by a simple experiment, or by reference to Berzelius, vol. 4. (12) lie says, that in March, 1817, I found a white precipi- tate ; another perversion, as my words were, " a scarcely per- ceptible opacity." 64 He insinuates lliat llic yellow flame of alcolio), which I sup- posed was j)roclnee(l by soda, was owing to organic substances, while, if he had been able to read, he would have found all organic substances had been previously destroyed; he requires that the soda should be separated in a state of purity before uiaking the experiment, not knowing that if one part of soda be mixed with twenty or thirty parts of potash and burned with alcohol, the yellow flame will predominate. Mr. De Rotlcruuuid, in the same paragraph, shows that he is not aware that phosphate of silver is yellow and soluble in acids — that Jie is ignorant of iodide of silver not being white. In j)aragra[)h 12, he blames me for not giving the quantities of water operated on in my analysis, while in the very line befi)re, I had stated that the (|uantity in each case was one pint. lie states that I found 7'C80 grains in one pint ; mistaking, with singular obtuseness, the figures 7G80 n^prescnting the i^umber of grains in a pint of water, for a part of the analysis : he states that /nr sidphuric add is present in the most common substances, (for it was the presence of this substance that ren- dered my analysis similar to Boussingauh's ;) he states that, in 1817, 1 found "six additional bodies, diflerent from all those disct)vered at first which I had imagined to exist there exclu- sively," this is Lgain a double mis-statement. In my first paper, I mentioned the possible presence of alumina and alkalies, and my inability to test for them from want of material ; — the onl) additional substance is an organic matter; and lastly, the statement that I retracted my former statements, is as unfound- ed as the rcMuainder of the llth paragraph, the part of the 13th which asserts my analysis to have been thrice contradictory, and in fact as the greater part of Mr. DeRottermund's commu- nication. (13) In paragraph 17, we get the solitary experiment describ- ed. Mr. DeR. seems to take great credit to himself for the same, and in the conclusion launches out into a brilliant eulo- gium on his own practical dexterity. I have already stated that I performed the same experiment with four specimens of the Tuscarrora water, without finding a trace of antimony — a result owing (as Mr. DeR. says) to my want of practical dex- terity. 65 (14) In paragraph 16, Mr. Do Rotlcrrnnnd cxplaiTis tlic pre- sence of zinc in the water, (as I understand hini,) by the fact that a double salt of sulphate of zinc and })otassa can be pre- pared artificially; he makes no experiment to prove its pre- sence; he does not tell us how he discovered zinc in the first instance — but he gives us a learned disquisition on halhydrates which has nothing whatever to do with the subject. In paragraph 18, he is very facet ions about /fmAy// (",<,'•<,'*.? in con- nection with r(';^cfahfc alhunwH^ and then j^roceeds to ex|)l.'iin, or rather not to explain how resins got into the water. lie ad- duces as a parallel case, (if I understand him rightly,) that soap boilers adulterate their produce with resin soa[)s. Most che- mists are aware that some resins will unite witli strong caustic alkalies, forming compounds analogous to soaps — but they are also aware that these bodies are very easily decomposed by acids, and by earthy and metallic salts. We must therefore suppose, that the resin soap has been formed, which is exceed- ingly improbable ; and that it has been decomposed either by the free acid or by the salts, which is more improbable still. Lastly, in paragraph 19, Mr. De R. charges me with an asser- tion I never made, and excuses himself for errors he may have committed, etc., etc. In conclusion, I must apologise to you and your readers for being so exceedingly prolix on so trilling a subject. Mr. De Rottermund's reply is made, however, with such assurance, and with such loud-sounding abuse, that I hope you will ex- cuse my retorting somewhat at length. For the abuse I care nothing; and, as far as regards the scientific objections, I tliink I have answered them in the preceding pages. And I will now leave it to your readers to judge my case — declining (should Mr. De Rottermund still remain unsatisfied,) any further com- munication on the subje(;t, as I have neither leisure nor desire to occupy space in your valuable Journal, which might be de- voted to better jmrposes than the continuation of so useless and futile a discussion. Toronto, May 7, 1847. CRITICAL REMARKS ON THE LABOURS OF I^IR. ])E ROTTER- MUNI), LATE CHEMIST TO THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. By Henry Croft, Prof, of Chemistry, King's College, Toronto, No. H. * In my first paper, I elucidated those parts of Mr. De Rotter- mund's re})ort which relate to tiie Tuscarora Spring, and it was my intention to have treated the remaining portions in a simi- lar manner ; as on first perusing tlie pamphlet I thought they were fit subjects for criticism. On carefully re-perusing the report, however, I am induced to alter my opinion; for, if I were to attempt to write a full criticism on the work, I should have to make a dozen remarks on eacii page, and should occu- py more space in your valuable journal than the subject merits. There are, however, a few points on which I may be allowed to make a few observations. In the commencement, Mr. De Rotterinund says, " After hav- ing analysed the waters of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa ;" (this refers to a paper published in the 1st volume of your jour- nal, No. 5, in the 3d paragraph of which you will find the fol- lowing statement) : — " I obtained so small a quantity of residue from a litre of the Ottawa water, that I found it dillicult to weigh it with perfect precision, but I estimatf'd it at 1.5 grains." To allow the weighing accurately 1.5 grains to be an operation of dilliculty, is rather a curious admission for an analytical chemist; but it apjicars that although Mr. 1)(^ R. is unabU' to weigh with precision 1.5 grains, he is able to ascer- tian that in the quantity are contained 0.G2 grains of sul[)hate of magnesia, and 0.38 grs., 0.27 grs., and 0.31 grs. of other salts. As he does not say that these weights were also estimated, we may take this statement as a fair criterion for the credibili- ty of Mr. De R's quantitative analyses. Mr. De Rottermund classifies mineral waters under the British Awericnn Joumal, July, 1847. 67 beads of niagncsian, iocluratotl, salino, antimoni-fcrruginous, sulphurous, and gaseous springs — a elassiiiealion of no value whatever, as many saline springs may contain variable quan- tities of iodine and magnesia, and a wiitrr docs not cease to Ik, i'lacrnesian if it contains a litth^ iodine. At pag«' 7, the George's Spring is mentioned. This water has been analysed by Dr. Hal), MHiiil College, and found to be somewhat difVerent from theCaUulonia water; to which, ac- I'ording to Mr. De R., it is precisely similar as regards its com- pounds. It contains, he says, neither iron nor hydro-sulphuric acid ; whiU; in the preceding page he stat(;s that the Caldonia water contains the latter substance, and Mr. Chilton had found iron. Mr. Dc R. occasionally contradicts himself. In his analysis of the Kingston water. Professor Williamson found both carbonic and hydro-sulj)huric acids. Mr. De R. finds neither, and accounts for it l)ythe water of the original spring becoming mixed with that of others — and this, says Mr. De R., has caused the change. What other change than dilu- tion could have taken place does not exactly appear. Moreover he calls into play a leaden pipe and an iron pump, and adds, "by the motion of the pump the gas is separated from the wa- ter the temperature of which is increased by the same." This is a beautiful rationale ; the gas is separated from the water, and, in so doing, must, of co'.irse, produce a diminution of tem- perature, br.t, by the friction of the particles of water on e;icl) other, and on the pumps, so much heat is generated as to over- come this and to raise the t'^mperature. This is something en- lirely new, and we hope soon to have a calculation of the pro- bable quantity of heat evolved by the falls of Niagara. At page 10, Mr. De R. gives us a profound dissertation on the *' Ice Spring," (on the road frotn Hamilton to St. Cathe- rinc^'s) which he says is /?(>//////•,'•, and he then procxuls to explain this jiof/iifi'^. I must candidly confess diat the paragraph is utterly beyond my conij)rehension. I have endeavoured in vr.in to arrive at, and may, perhaps be mista- ken in the meaning, but the only points which Mr. DcR. seems to have made out (}uite clearly, are Istly., "that ice cannot be formed without water." 2ndly., "That ice is produced by the temperature ol water being lowered" 3rdly., " that salts, by 68 disMoiving, produce cold." These are certainly very novel facts, but not of such a nature as to require discussion. Mr. De II. attempts an explanation on scientific princii)les, but, as he scarcely mentions what it is he wants to explain, and the whole paragra|)h is most illogically written, it is quite impossible to ascertain his real meaning. In the next page he seems inclined to assume that salt may be separated m the surface of the water by evaporation ; that this salt may th , d'-. -^jve again and cause the water to freeze. The lirst qu^'stion to be answered is, — Does such a pheno- menon real y exist ? and 2ndly., What are all the circumstances attending it ? When this information has been obtained, I have no doubt an explanation may be oHered in more intelligible language than that used by Mr. De U. At page 16, we have a notice of the Petroleum Spring at Gaspe. This, according to Mr. De R., " is composed of crea- .sote, naphtha, petroleum, bitumen, and j)arailine." It would be desirable to obtain from Mr. De R. his ideas concerning the characteristics of these bodies, viz., bitumen, naphtha, and pe- troleum, for, according to most chemists, the latter contains naplitha, and bitumen. Mr. De R. then gives us (without acknowledgement), a lib- eral translation from Berzelins, (Lehrbuch der Chemie. Bd. viii. s. 465), concerning the petroleum springs found in other countries. Not one has yet been discovered containing crea- sote, and as Mr. De R. finds antimony, zinc, and chlorine where they do not exist, it is most probable that his creasote belongs to the same class, — a supposition which can be easily decided by experiment. Lastly, Mr. De R. mentions an oiV spring, and says, '■'•such .yrrini^s are reallij valudble to the country ;" a statement which no one would be inclined to deny, if they really did exist. In concluding, it is scarcely necessary for me to make any remarks on this most singular production. The few extracts and quotations I have made will enable your readers to form their own conclusions concerning it, and I think they \wi\\ agree with me in considering it a tissue of the most glaring ab- 69 surdities, ihe most erroneous statements, nnd the most trashy reasoning. It eannot but be regretted that suehawork sliould be printed by order of the Legislative Assembly, for when pub- lished under sueh authority, and by tlie chemist attaelied to the survey, under the superinten(hui(;e of so talented a geolo- gist as INIr. Logan, it must necessarily acquire a character for correctness among the mass of the people, to which it ' unnol, in reality, have the slightest pretension. Toronto, April 24, 1847. OBSERVATIONS SUII LA PAUTIE ClIiMIQUEDU RAPrORT DE PR0(;RES pour L'ANNEE 1817-8. DE L'EXPLORATION GEOLO(;iQUE DU CANADA. Par E. S. De Rottekmund, Ecr., Yamaska. * Jc viens de recevoir le Ra])|)orl de I'Exploration Geologi- que du Canada, intitule, " Rapport de progres pour Pann^e 1847-8." Quant a la partie geologique proprement dile, qui decrit avec une grande precision I'etat du globe, depuisPAtlantique jusqu'au Lac Superieur, et du nord au sud d(?s possession.*? Britaniques, chaqu(! cpaissenr, chaque inclinaison des difVerentes couches de terre, de roclu?, etc., etc.Je laisse au jugement de ceux, cpii ont plus d'experience scien- tifi(iue et pratique d;uis cette partie des Iravaux de Pexplora- tion ; mais je vais aborder la partie; qui a rapport a la cliimie, a laquelle je suis oblige particulierement d(! porter attention, non-seulement comme simple citoyen, mais (^omme liojmne de science qui a fonde I«? Laboratoire on Mr. Hunt a fait toutes ;ros pour I'annoo 1H47-8. Dopjiis le commonooniont du Raj)j)ort du Chiuiiste juscpi'a la page 144, je ne poux rion on di'c, soit on favour on conlro; eVst la des- cription de son voyage, je laisso an lootour a jugor s'il on est content ou non. J'aurais pour mt^nio de lo controdiro : il de- vinera pourquoi je voux ros})octor sans poul-Otro partagor son opinion ; mais arrive a la page 145 jo vais suivrojus(|u'a la fin du rapport. Je ne doute pas que Mr. Hunt a pris tons les moyons et pre- cautions pour omportor tons les ochantillons, ot faire en sorte, comme il lo dit lui memo, "(pielosoaux parvinssont sans avoir eprouvo de oliangoment an laboratoiro, ou lour analys<» a (x;- cupe la saison d'iiivor, ot qu'on n'a opargno aueuno peine pour rendre les rosultals dignes d'etre envisages avoooonfianoo sous tous les rapports. (On vorra s'il y a possibilite de oroire aces resultats.) Plus loin, Mr. Hunt dit, " C'ost vme opinion gene- ralement rocue panni les Philosophos Cliiuiistes, (pi'il y a re- ellemont sej)aration dos acides et dos bases dans la solution. Par exomple, dans I'eau de la * source intormittonte de Caledo- nia,' on trorvo du ehlore ot dubr6meaveo potassium, sodium, oal- cium,et magnesium, etc. olo." Illaut (pie nous nous ontoudions snrce principo plus anti(|ueque laphl()gisli([U(;;jo no saispasde quelle espooe on (\c quel siook* do Pliilos()j)}tie il vent parlor, car je vcux demontHM' I'impossibilite do ootte doctrine. C'haque fois qn'il y a nne oombintiison de denx corps, il y a une oma- naticm de la elialeur ; ot par consequent, oliacjue fois que deux corps sont mis on prosonoo, s'il y a une augmentation de la cbaleur due a cette circonstancc, il y a la combinaison. Cost une 71 loi do Cliimio jT'-nC'ralp ; prcnvo, si on mot (juelquo soil acide et hi base, cliaenn st-paremenldansune raudistilk''(',(]ui nci'on- ticiU aiicun autn; corps, on reinanjuc! l'au;::^in,.ntali(»n do la loinprnitiiro suivant I'allinite pins on mollis frantic, paroxem- pie, ([lie I'on vorso I'acide snirnriiiiu; snr I'ainmoniaipic, on l'ainni()nia(pi(! sur I'acide snltnriquc, la li'inprralnro est presque colle dc Pobnllition, ct so fori no snl late d'aminonia(pU! ; pronez lo nilralo d<; polasso en dissolntion ct snlfato do sonde elondu d'oan, ot si vons les versez ensemble vons avezl'ani^mentation do la tomperalnrc. Ponrqnoi ? c'est qii'il y a nne decomposi- tion et la formation d'lin autre sel, celiii do sulfate de j)otasse et do nitrate de sonde;, et non pas de I'azote, dn soiifre, dn pot- assium, du sodium, do l'oxigene,comme on ponrrail It; preton- dro en so basant snr lo principo de Mr. Hunt. La loi est eta- blie, que les acidos les plus forts s'unissent avcc les bases les pbis fortes, ot les acidos les plus faiblcs avcc les bases les plus faibles ; c'est sur cette loi quo la eliimie analytiipie so base dans plusiours cas. Done, Mr. Hunt no pout pas dire avoc sosPhi- losoj)lios, qu'on no |)out pas savoir dans ([uol etat est la combi- naison ; mais pour la connaitro, il fan t avoir dosconnaissancos justos snr tons les principos dos lois fondamontales, ot snr la nature dos corps. Si Mr. Hunt, commo il le dit, atrouvedans son analyse du chlore et du bromo avoc le potassium, il doit savoir, commo vrai chimisto, si c'est du chloruro do potassium ou bromnre a I'etat do combinaison, ou commo simple me- lan<^e ; sinon, c'est moins (juo pardonnablo,surtout pour colui qui pretend de so poser commo juge, ct (jui a aussi la pretension de no pas fairo dos erreurs a y^^j^futto' J'ospere done (pie nous allons mettre do cote ces Phi/osnplies qui no ])ouvont pas so decider snr I'etat dos combinaisons, et si Mr. Hunt les a suivis, je lui demontrerai dans chacuno de ses analyses subsequentos I'errour de ce principo. Venons aux nnalyses des eanx mine rales ; je snis tres content do voir que Mr. Hunt a nne balance si delicate, qu'ollo est, comme il le dit dans son rap[)ort, scmihic (Tun (kmi-milUiJ^mmme snr deux cents ii;r((mmcs ; il me permettra done do m'en servir, et de refaire avoc lui les caieuls avoc la memo precision, en admettant qu'il a bien posi'*, d'apres son propre aveu. Mr. Hunt dit avoir trou ve dans 1,000 parties d'eau. Mr. Hunt. Verification par calcul. Chlorc, 4.24-2810 4.218876 Rrome, 0.01 IT.U) 0.0lir.2l Io(l(>, 0.{)(l04r.| 0.00()4()7 Aciiic sulfuriquc, 0.00 > 100 0.002425 Sonde, .3 726100 3.746.'ir)4 Potasse, 0.0221(H) 0.022421 Chaiix, 0.0S2.S80 0.08.3^09 JSTasiiesie, 0.2516(K) 0.2M207 Almnine, 0.004400 Silice, 0.031000 Fer et Manganese, traces, Acide carboniquo, 0.705000 0.705799 9,083781 Mr. Hunt dt'duit dc ccs inn^redients troiivos, que 1,000 par- ties d'eau doivent avoir les scls dans les combinaisons sui- vantes : — Chlorure sodique, 6.967500 " potassique, 0.030940 Bromure sodique, 0.015077 Indure sodique, 0.000.530 Sulf.ite potassique, 0.005-280 Carbonate sodique, 0.018570 '< calcique, 0.148000 " magnesi(]ue 0.526200 " ferreux et manganeux, traces, Aluinino, 0.004400 Silice, 0.03 KKK) Acide carbonique, 0.349000 Eau, 991.873503 1000.000000 Chlornrc do sodium est eompose de 39. 6G de sodium et do 60.34 pour cent dc chlore ; done dans 6.967500 on doit avoir 4.204189. Clilorure de potassium est composee de 52.53 de potassium, et de 47.47 pour cent de chlore ; done dans 0.030940 on doit avoir 0.014G87 de chlore, lequel ajoute au chlore du chlorure de sodium ne fait que 4.218876. Mr. Hunt a trouve 4.242810 ; qu'a-t-il fait avec la difference ? on devrait done trouver du chlorc a I'etat gazeux dans 73 I'ean mlni'ralc, scion I'analyse qnanfitativc dos coips fsiito par Mr. flunt. Lc leclenr voit (|uVn cxnminant cliaqne itotn de la compo- sition des sols, donnco ])ar Mr. Hunt, il n'y a pas un scnl corps qni a son poids exact, ct si on ndnict (pic la colonnc \o. 1 soil veritable, cclle No. 2 est erronec, (it .si le No. 2 est vrai, ([ue pcnt-on penser du No. 1 ? Pour plus grandc prcuvc que les cliillrcs nc sont pas exacts, c'cst qii'cin ajoutant a la colonnc No. 1,991.873503, (jui est la quantitc d'caii qui sc trouvc dans 1000 j n.rties, on a 1000.- 967284. Jc ne crois pas qnc Mr. Hunt aurait ajoute dc I'cau lui- memc pour augmcnter la quantitc. D'ou vicnit-il que Mr. Hunt trouvc dans 1000 parlies d'eau une (pianlilc dc 1000. 967284 a part des traces dc fer et nianijancse. Un cliimistc lc plus conscicncicux ct lc plus cxpcrimentc pent fairc des pcrtes, niais jamais trouvcr plus dc vc qu'il a pris pour fairc des analyses, commc il dit : '■'' dignes (Tctre envi- sagces awe conjiancc sous toifs ics rajtports.'''' Mr. Hunt nc croirait-il pas (jnc I'augmentation si grande dans scs analyses, liii aiderait a exi)liqucr les grands ])licno- mencs qu'il a cru dccouvrir en parlant dc la silicc en dissolu- tion, que cc n'csl pas dil a la presence des alcalis dans les eaux mincralcs, mais a la grande poussUrc failc dans son lafjn ratoirc. On voit done que les cliilTres faitsparMr. Hunt sont des plus errones, rnenie en admettant (jue les pesees etaient bien faites, ct que chaquc corj)s ctait bien determine. Si la pesec ctait cor- rccte, on aurait drt dire que dans telle quantitc d'apres I'cvapo- ration on a cu tant dc rcsidu, et on aurait vu ou ctait Perrcur, tandis qu'avcc la mcthode que Mr. Hunt a suivic, il y a Pim- pos..ibilite, vA qu'on pent ajouter la quantitc d'eau necessaire pour fairc paraitrc ks chifl'res ronds. A present, vcnons a la nature des corps qui figurcnt dans les analyses dc Mr. Hunt. L'acide carbonique a la proj>ricte d'cteindre les corps en ignition, tandis que Phydrogene carbonc brAlc lui-mcme. D'ou cela vient que Mr. Hunt qm fait des analyses si corrcctes 74 cju'il no fail pas (rcrrcur a ,^^)^j^j^^ nn millionit'^inf' dt- ffrtiin, nous (lonnc lii (luaulit*' d'acidc ('arl)oui(|iU! a I'rlat ija/riix a Tn(7(\(T(Tir 6 pariics cic (rarlMinatr. La (liirrrciKu? 2()IH ('orrcsjjond a IT' 'W r.oiuI«; pure, ce (|iii pent dtrc rc^ardr comiiu! lonnant iiti silicate avcc Ics OHIO de silirc. Vii la coniiaissancc? iniparfaitc <|ue nous avotis dcs silicates, et |)articulierement dcs silicates soliiblea, il est 6vi- , 0.01004 lodure .so(li(|iit), tracus, Sulfate socli(|Mc, 0.0IS:i3 Carbonate su(li(|uo, 0.45380 " ca'ciqiie, O.liKMM) " ina^'iiesique, 0.'i!HOO " I'orruux, traces, 0. Aluiniiio, 0.00-265 Silioe 0.08100 Acide carbonique, 0.14100 Eau, 994.91818 lOOO.OOOOO " La qnnntite do matieres solides dans 1000 parties de eette eau est de 4.940G parties, et la composition d'une livre de 7000 grains est cornme suit, etc., etc." Mr. Hunt dit qu'il a trouve dans 1000 parties de eette csn 4.9406 de matieres solides; pins haut il dit que dans mille parties de oette eau il y a 994.9181, ajoutez ensemble matie- res solides a eette eau, on a 999.8587. Que le lecteur juge s'il y a de la verite dans leseliillres. J(; crois (pie de eette de- couverte I'on ne rctirera pas plus d'utilite ni de connaissanccs, que I'enfant d'une bulle de savon (pi'il voit en plusieurs difle- rentes coulears, mais s'il veut la saisir, il n'a que des goutelct- tes d'eau pour certitude. Mr. Tlnnl dit que la grande quantite de silice que I'eau con- tient est une particularite interessante et qui so rattaelie natu- rellement a la nature furtemvnt alm/ine de Vccm. Comment cela } Pcur que I'eau soit alkaline, il faut qu'il y all des al- 77 usances. calls lil)ros on dos s(!ls basi(|ues, co qui n'oxistc pas d'aprrs sa propre uiiulysc. Ia' cliloriirc, hroimin , lodiire, vA h- siiHal*' ne soiit pas (Ics scls alcaliiis; dc plus, Mr. iliiiit si Irouvi' I'acide (•arl)oni(jii(; iibrt; tlaiis (.'cltc (!aii, done clle no pciil pas rlro al- calinu ; la silii'o nVst jamais soluble dans aucuni; t-au alca- lino ; nnais lo silicate dc sonde. C'cst snr CCS principcs (pi'cst fondcc I'anrdysc* dcs silicates. Car, si c'est coiumk; Mr. 1' int voudrail prctcndrc, on aurait |)U dissoudie les <(rcnats, cristaux do roclic, ruhis et divers autn?s niincraux dans l'(!an alcaliiu', landis (pi'il laut les mcttre an leu, avec cin(| a dix I'ois leur poids de carbonate dc sonde. Dans son analyse (piantitative il a eu seidcment hi silice pNrfy ct 11 n'a j)as de sonde pour Ibrnjcr Ic silicate alcalin pour les rendre solubles. Mr. Hunt trouve dans toutcs les e.aux sans distinction, la silice pure avec I'aclile carboniipic, et ja- mais la sonde pour rendre I'eau alcaline. II dit : " conune ia silice est capable de decomposer une solution de carbonate sodi- que, 11 est probable iju'une portion d(^ la sonde existe a I'etat de silicate." C'est bien anuisant ceci. II est vrai (juc le provcrbe dit " Toute verite n'cst pas bonne a dire," mais en chimle il n'y a pas de proverbes — mais deslois. Aussil'ondit : " La silice decompose le carbonate de sonde av feu," car les carbonates sent decomj)Osables an feu, et la silice jouant le role d'un aci- de qui est stable, forme le silicate plus ou moins soluble sui- vant la nature de la base, leqiiel silicate de nouveau se decom- pose en presence de I'acide carbonlque. Allons plus loin, il dit que : " Vu I'incertitude ([ui regne encore, etc., etc." Mr. Hunt aurait micux fait de dire, vA que je ne sais pas, moi personncllcmenf, quelle est la nature des silicates ni pour- quoi la silice est en dissolution dans les eaux que j'analyse,ni comment m'y prendre pour resoudre cet accident, quoique j'aie rant evapore, j'aie tant filtre inutilement, que j'aie rendu tous mes ballons inserviables, tellemcnt je les ai attaques par les acides qu'ils sont dcvenus presquc niats, el uses a moitie : si quelqu'un pent me dire, je lui serai bien reconnaissant, car par ordre du directeur de rExploration GCologique, je dois refaire 78 les analyses de inon pivdt'cesseur, qui n'apas vonln se sonmet- tre a ocrirc dcs chillVcs : en attendant je vais mettre cela 8ur le dos de la science et »le mes p/ii/osop/ics, " (m'il y a reellc- inent separation des acides et des bases, dans la solution :" (juant a inoi, je ferai mes cliillres ronds de 1000, et (pie le Gou- vernenienl s'airanL,'(^ eornme il le voudra. A cela j'aurais donn'' le conseil d'lin eliiiniste, r/ia?fjft'z vioins^ Jillnz jdus rare- incut ^ surtout qitdnd il iCif a pas de hcsoiti^ H nc vnits senrz pas dr verrcs qui out des si/icatcs de soade^ a faire les rcmanpies suivantes sur I'analyse de IMr. Hunt, mais j'y suis force par la nature dc sa publication. .le donne la copie tex- tut^Uc de I'examen de I'eau par Mr. Hunt coimne preuve de scs conuaissances en chimie, afui (jue le lecteur puisse juger si la personne est capable d'autre chose (pie peser de I'eau, et faire ai)outir scs comptes en chiJlres ronds de 1000, au lieu de corriger les travaux d'un chimistc; (pii est reconnii conime tel par les premiers chimistes de I'Acadcmie des Sciences do Paris. E.mmcn dc Vcau par Mr. Ilanl. " La pesanteur specifiquc s'est troiivee de 1005.583. Unc solution de nitrate argenticpie ne I'allbcta pas sensiblement, montrant l'ai)sence de clilore, mais des sels baryti(pics soluble,^ produisirent d'un coup un prt'cipite copieiix., insoluble dans un acide quelconque, indiquant (pic I'acide present dans I'eau etait 79 le snlfnriquc." Mr. Hunt dit (jn'il ii'a pas en de pn'cipilc avcf* le nitrate d'argent ; il est plus (ju'en erreur; ear s'il n'en avail j)ns en, il ri'aurait pas dit : "' nne solution dc nitrate d'ar- gent ne I'alleeta pas scnsibleiiient," c'esl-a-dirc, (ju'll y avail tonjonrs ponr les chirnistes, (juolcpie nun pour les (lr()i,Must<'s. Sulfate d'argent est anssi insoluble, done il a dn y avoir un preeipile; en se i<(!rvant du nitrate arg('nti<|ue le premier an lieu de sels de barvte, il a eoniondu le elilore avee I'aeide s»d- furifpie. Plus lard il dit (ju'il a en du ehlornre alealin, comment cela ? on ne voil pas (ju'il Pail eonvJMti en clilorun! par aucun proeede dlreel, si ee n'est (ju'il s'est servi du elilo- rure barytique; mais comment ])eut~il elre certain (|ue lout son alcali anrail pu elre convert i en chlorure, s'il ne sV-st pas servi de I'aeide chlorliy(lri(|ue ; eertes, ce n'est pas le moyen sOr et correct d'avoir du chlorure pour doser, surtout pour nn savant cliimiste qui [)retend ne pas se tromper pas meme a un billionieme de gramme. " Let- reactifs ordinaires apjiruiues a I'eau reeenfe montre- rent (pie le fer etail dans un etat dc; prolo-sel, condition necessaircment lice, (m ellct, a la presence! de I'liydrogene snlfure. Conccmtre par I'evaporation el mele d'un pen d'acide nilri([tie, l'amni()nia((U(; donna nn copicux preeipile brun- ronge : une portion de maliere organi(jue dans le li(|uide em|)echa la parfaite precipitation du I'er, et le sulphydrate anuuoniaqut! fut en eonse([uen(!e ajoute en meme temj)s. Le p'-ecipite ainsi obtenu, apres av(;ir etc com])Ietement lave, fut dissous dans de I'aeide liydro-cliloricjue, puis bouilli avec dc I'aeide nitri([ue, fillre et precij)ite par rammoniaepic avec l'addil'')n prealabh^ do. sel anwnoniaipie, I't encore iillre. La transparenc(! du licjuide (iltre, ainsi obtenu, ne fut j)astroul)lee par 1<^ sulphydrate d'ammoniacpie, circonslanee i;)di(|nanl Pab- sence du manganese et autres metaux de cetle classe, y coin- pris le zinc, le nikel et le cobalt. Le preeipile so. trouva en partie soluble dans une solution de potasse ; la portion soluble fclail I'alumine, et le residu le peroxyde fenitpie avec nn pen de magnesie." Eh bien ! que Mr. Hunt montre done (An a un cliimiste, mais a un veritable ehimiste, non pas a cen\ (pii sacliant un 80 pen filtrcr, t'vaporer, et (iii«"l(|n('s nnrns proprcs dc n'ju'lifs, por- tent do suite le noin do chiinistos, ((jiiolcpios I'ois iiioino de minC'raloi^islos, nslroiionics,) et il verni si, apres avoir In son rapj)ort, il oscM'a donner aucuiie valour (piolcontpic a s(^s analy- ses. Coinnient ! il a on d'apres liii-nienio un prooipito oopioiix par Painiiioniaciuo avaiit de so sorvir do sidphydrate d'aiiimo- niaipie, et il a pris tout cola setdouiont pour du peroxide de for. Puis (piand il a obtenu eo prooipito oopi(Mi\ (ju'il a (a eo qu'il dit) traile par le sulpliydrato d'ainiuoniacjuo sans monlionner si ee sulpliydrato d'amiuoniaiiuo a produil un prooipito on non, il roprontl oo ]irooij)ito pour dissoudri^ dans Paoido liydro- cldori(|Uo, j)uis il le [ail bouillirdans Taoido nitri(|U(^, encore il tiltre, il pro<-ipite, j)ar I'aninioniaciuo, il iiltre encore et no dit (pie CO (pi'il a obtenu par cos deux iiltralions, souloiuonl il dit (juo la trans))aronce du liipiide filtre n'etait pas troubh'o par le sulpliydrato d'anunoniacpie, onsuitt; il ajouti; (pie le pr(''cipito se trouva en parlio soluble dans la jiotasso, sans dire (|uel pre- cipitc''. Ks1-(U! le pircipite obtenu par I'auiiiioniaciuo, ou celui de sulpliydrato d'ainiiionia(]ue, ou celui (pi'il a du oblonir sur le (iltro apres avoir dissous dans Paoido olilorliy(lri(iuo et ensuite bouilli avec do Pacide nilri(|uo, ou du second Iiltre (piand il a traite la dissolution de Paeid(! clilorliydri(pio par Paiiunonia- (pie ? II (lit souloiuonl (juo le preoipilt'' traitt'' j)ar la potasse lui a donne pour le rosidii le juMoxydo de fvr avec la luai^iK'-sic et Pacide j)liosp!iori(pie en dissolution avec Paluniint;, sans dire par (juol nioyen il s'ost assiirt' (pie Ions cos pn'oipiten abandonni's sur los lilt res no contenaiont j)a> (Paiilros iiiatit'res. De grace, (jue Mr. Hunt ouvre done los ouv raises eleiiiontai- res, cpii lui en diront asso/ sans (pie je sois force de lui eiter un traite coiiiplet de cliiiiiie. Plus bas, il dif ; " L'arsenic, /V//////y/o/.v^, le ploiiib, P(''tain et lo ouivre ont tous etc deooiv'orts ri'ceiiunont dans diHorontes eaiix ferrugi- nouses de PKiiropo ; mais la pr(''senoo do Pliydroi,'('no siilCureux libre dans Peau rt'oonte d(; la pn'-sf^nte source est incompatible avec l(!ur exist'Mice en solution." Le Profosseur Croft, dans unc^ p()l(''ini(pie par rajiport a, eette sounto, ni'a traite ave(! de beaux sarcasines, me dosi^nant conime un ignorant coinplot dans la science de cliiniie, a cause 81 a (M'tte quo. j'avais oho dire qu'un scl (rmilimoino sc Inmvo en dissc- liition dans imo can iiiinerali! ; il citait a I'appui dc son juge- mcnl tons Irs oiivrsjgi's qu'il avail dans la cDlica-lion do .sa l)il)li()ll»t'(Hi(', (pii nc disai«'nt ri«'ii sur rexistcnce; do cc corps dans Ics cauv iiiinrralcs, ct j)ar la il a vonln prouvcr (|u'il est in)p()ssil)|(; (|ur Ics scLs d'anliuioinc piiissc cxistcr dans I'cau riiincralc c\<'cpt»'' (avcc?) la chanx, la j)otass(;, la iiiai^ncsic, etc., ct HK 1,'kau kn ahondanck; taiidiscpic iMr. Hunt parais- 8ant on voidant ctrc pins a la lianlcin* dcs nonvcantcs scicnti- fi(|ncs dc l'cpo(|nc, dil xydc j)ar rarntiiouiatiuo, lesuUato .d"ment comn»e 81 c'etait snllato forrfuix pour avoir la faci! ■•'' de meltre un ohiflre rond do iOOO. Comnyji.t. Mr. lo eliimiste peut-il faire des analyses quaii- 83 tativep, sans fairo altontion aiix mntiiTcs orgnniciiios ct plus encore dans Ics analyiscs (luanlilatives? INfr. Iliinl no sait-il pas (luc plusieiirs nialiorcs niineralos en presence dcs niatiercs oii^aniqiics no peiivenl pas elre decou- verles i)ar awt'un iraelif cliiiiiiciue ? Mr. Hunt dil (jiiMl a Iroiive do. Paeidc ))li()sp!iori(|U(' ; je t^iiis laclie (jiril n'ait pas voulu donner la dusjcription par ([lul reaclif et dans {jucllc periode de I'analy^ie il i'a rcinanine, car je crains (|ue la |)re- sencc dc I'acidc plu)sphori([iU! resseniblc a Thistoire de la siliee. Que Mr. Hunt reinaras voulii condoj^cfndre a en faire rm'iilion. Je rogrcttc (ju'il n'alt pas etc capable d'apprtv-icr Ic motif demon silcncj?. L« docuriKJiit non-oilicicl donne pour fttre son Rapport, comme assiatant do I'Exploralion pour Ic departcmciit chimicine, a d«^ja etc examine dans ce journal, par le rrolosscur Croft de Toronto, dans une critique dciU la justice, quant a la science, est manifeste a tous ceux qui sont en etat d'en juger, el il m'a semble (ju'apres luie exposition si complete de ses erreurs et de ses abaurdites*, toute allusion de ma part, n'aurait etc que le souvenir inolHcieux de sa malheu- Tcuse controvcrsc et de aa defaite.* (2) A I'egard de mes remarcjucs, page 131), sur la re|>artiticn dcs acides et des buses dans une solution, comme une opinion generaicment rc(^ue parmi le.^. pliilosopiies cliiinistes, M. de Rottcrmuud observe : " 11 faut que nous nous entcndions sur ce principe plus antique que le plilogi.siiqiu;. Je ne sais paa de quelle espece ou de quel siecle de j>li!losophie (il?) veut parler, car je veu > demontrer rimpossibilitc de cette doctrine." Et ceci est sui* i d'une demonstration qui prouve clairement que M. de Kottermuud est absolument incapable de compren- dre le langage conimun. Mais je ne veux pas (jue ce qu'il atlirme de ratitif[uite de cette doctrine induise ses lecteurs a croire (pic les d6couvertcs des temps modenies ne Von! pas confirmee, et qu'elle n'est pas admise par lea |)liilosop}ies cliimistes de la pri'sente epoque. Je citerai ce que dit Sir Robert Kane, dans ses Elcmena de Cliimie, pubiiei-? (mi 1842. '* Si les acidcs et les bases ne dilR'reiit pas grandeniL-nt en energic d'aflinite, ils s'arrangeist de maniero a ce que chaquo base soit partngee enlre tous les acides, el cliacpie acide entrc toutcs !( s h;i'-jes, en quantites qui dej)endent des (jiiantiti's do cliaque acide et de 'liaque base (jui peuvenl «jtrc prescjUes, el de sa force d'afTinite/' Edit. Am. p. 1G8. On ne s^exprime pas aulrement dans la derniere edition deg Elemens du Dr. Turner, rediget; par Justus Liebig, de. TUni- versite de Giessen, et publiee en 1842. *' QuanJ deux acide? et deux bases se reruontrenl ensemble en proportlon.s neutralisantes, on en doit inferer que cliacuu • Uaih 1847, p. 289 ; aussi Mai 1847, p. 10, et Juiii, p. 36. .■ M 85 des acidcs s'uuit avec Ics doux l)ascs, d'apres uii mode rcgli' par lours forces ruspeclives d'alfiiiitt'', et (pic tpiatre sola si' Irouvcnt coiitt'nnM dans la solution. I)c iiumiic, la pres-ciuu! de truis ac.iiics et de trois bases duiin* la uaissance a lieuf sel:*, et quand cpi.ilrc de I'mi et do I'autre jsont pres;enl!«, seize seU seront produiis. Celle maniere do voir ollVo la theorie la plus piausiible ile la ( oiislitutioii des eaux iniiioralos et despruduita cju'elles dotJiKMit par revaporation.'' p. 1 i8. (3) Le c-ritifpie parail dispose a ^'etjayer aiix depen» dc ma balanee, doiit l.i doliealesse le frappe, coniiue etaut extraordi- naire ; riiislruiuenl fait cerlaiuemeiit honneur a Deleuil mtimo, dont les balances out a Paris la reputatiou de no pouvoir pas etre !?urpassees en juslot^so ; mais la maniero dont il s\'n scrt peul douner lieu a une plus graude liilarite. (iuieoiu[UC est au fait dcH analyses quant italives, sait que les cblrnistes ont pour habitude d'oxposer sous une cerlaine foruie, qui est de convention, les quanlites rc^fpectivcs des dillerentes substances Irouvues dans Teau : ainsi, par exemple, les sels de sodium dans une eau minerale, soitcomme carbonate, sulfate, chlorure, bromure on iodure, sont changes en un compose d'uno consti- tution definie ct conime, comme chlorure sodique ou sulfate sodique ; et c'est d'apres la quantite de ce compose que la quanlitc de hi soudv est calculee.* La quantite du clilore et des autrcs radicaux combin«*s avec le sodium est alors d»!'ter- minee, et comme le chlore se combine directement avec le sodium, I'equivalcnt d'oxygt>ne qui e«t represonte comme combine dans la sonde est soustrait de la somme des puids du chlore et de la sonde, jioiir doinier le montant du chlorure de sodium. Les autres caleuls sont faits de la meme maniere, et les proportions dans lesquelles toutes ces combinaisons sont ert'ectuees, sont dcterminees par les nombres e(iuivalenta, qui, dans le fait, sont les piopoitions relatives de combinaison de dilFerentes substances. Ces nombres ne sont encore determi- nes qu'approximativement ; mais les rafrmemens dans la manipulation chimicpie, nous meuent, d'annee en annee, en etat de corriger les determinations prtcedentes, et d'ofirir un calcul plus approximaiif. * Voir Fresc^nius; ^al>a« (^wnL p. 4Si), et Annaleo Uej CLeaiie und ritarmitcit| Jii, p. GO. 86 hn compo.^itioii dos dillVTontCH coinbinjiisons donnr(>s dans lOOO parlies d'cau, a tfe calcuk' d'aprt's Ics iioinbrcs conifer's rfccnimoiit v\ posus par FrrscMiiu.s, (M-drvaiit dc I'diivrrsit''; dc (iiesson, maintcnatit dn \Vi(;sbad(Mi,dan.s!>t)n Traitc', puhlic on IHK). Soii;^ CCS '.;iicoiistaru;os, M. do II, en vieiit a oxainiiior I'exatlitiidt; do mos rosiiltats, ot pronant iioii pas rnos dolonni- tialions originalos an inoyon do la balaiico, rnais los calouls fails d'apios cos drtorininatioiis, do la inaiiiere qui vionf d'oJic doorito, 11 oiitroprond de I'airo la prouvo do cos oalciils, niais inalliouronsoinoiit, il a rccours, non aux nombrcs do IS-IG, inais {\ coux doniios par lloso, dans la proinioro t'dilion tio s^on Trailo Praticpio d'Analysc Cliirni(|Uo, sous la date de 1S32 ((pii sont cenx qii'il oito,) et donne les rcsultats ainsi obtenus counnc servant a corrii,'(.'r les miens I II ajonlo do plus, " (lu'en examinanl eliaijuo item de la com- position des sols, donno par M. Hunt, il n'y a pas un seui corps qui a son poids exact.*' lis doivont comnio do raison, 6tro dillcronts de coux qn'il a di'duits dos anciens noinbros atomifiuos, inais ils sont ans«i exacts (jue possible, pnis(iu'il8 sont ealoules en striete conformite aux tables corrigoes des proportions de combinaisons. La romartiuc qu'il fait, (jue suivant mon analyse, " on dovrait trouv(»r du chlore a I'otat gazeux dans I'oau minoralo,'' est une illusion provenanl de la meme erreur dans ses eljiUVos, bien (ju'il puisse t^tre domontr^ qu'un exoos de soude comme carbonate, on carbonate ot sili- cate, 6te memo pour M. de II., la neccLMitc d'une telle sUj)po~ sition. Mais les remarqnes snr cetto analyse sont term i noes par line bevue bien eaj)able d'exciter I'admiration ; pour fo\ui)ir une prouve encore plus convaintjuante de I'inoxaotitude do mos resultats, il a addilicuine los (piantilos, dounoos conformomont a I'usago ordinaire, de soude, de chaux, do magnosie, de clilore^ d'acide sulfuri(juo, etc., el ayant ajouto a la sommo !a (piautitc d'eaii donnoe oor.iine vosidu en 1000 parlies, il Irouve, a sa grando surprise^ lOOO.OCIHil parties. II seinblo ignorer que la sonde et lo chlore eliminent, on so combinanl, 8 parlies doxy- ;;ono sur 58.5 parties du crhlorure dt^ sodium forme, et (pie cVst la la diHeronce, quand au poids, entre le elilorure tie siKJiuin) ()ui cxiste dan.s les eaux rninerales, et la combiiiaisoii iiicoik> 87 nnc dn flilore avpo I'oxydt' do sodium, snr Irunicllc M. dc Uot- tcrmuiid base sa mrmfion! " L'auginiMitatioii si i^raivlo" dans nics analyses u'a done dVxistcncc (nio dans scs ridindos mrprisrs. Pour ce (iii'il est dt? la (inanlitiMrcau ajoul.'c " pour fain^ paraiiro Ics cliiliVcs roiids," j'ai siMdcmcnt a din' (pio, t|nant an plan di; donncr la coniposiiion dc 1000 parties d'oan, j'ai cu pour Padopter, I'autoriU'' du Dr. Sciiweit/cr, doiit Ics analvscs d'canx nunrralcs sont conmics di; Ions los cliiinisles. L'analy^«e di? I'ean do mcr du l*as-dc-Calais, cilt'c par inoi, p. IGl du rapport, vn csl un oxemple. Pour ce (|ui est des i^az, M. de IlottcrniUnd aurait pu f-'epar- gnor la f|U('sti(Mi, '* M. Hunt croit-il (pic I'acidc carhonitpie on (ot?) l'liy(lroi;('n(! carijonu sonl la uictnc cliosc, etc.,?" sM avail lu la description du proeede adopte pour Pexactc; deter- mination du i;;\'A {ieid(! caiboniciue a la soureo, lecpud, etant I'onile sur le fait (pi'il est de la nature de co gaz de lornier un sel avec la cliaux, ne permet pas (ju'il soit eonfondu avec les gaz adventiees, I'oxygene, le introgene, et IMivdrogene earhiire, qui sont presents dans ccscaux on quanlitespeu considerables ct variables. (1) Mais pour passer a la " Source au Soufre IJIano," dont je renianjiK; (jue " bii'U (ju'elle porto le nom d'eau sulfureuse, son titre a celte denonii nation n'est |)as tres fonde ; ello a une savour et une odour faibi ernonl suliureuse, e t ell o noireit leu^o- rement les sels do |)lomb et d'argont ; mais la (piantite de liydrogi ivno sullure, soit comme souU're exislanto soit eommo sullure alealin, est Ires pen considerable, et ne pent pas etro estimeo ([uant:itivemenl par le.s proeeUes ordjuaires ») H len que je donne comnic viih^^iirc lo nom par iecpul eette source est generab'inent designe<', M. do II. dil : " M. Hunt hii-memc donnc lo nom do SoulVo lilaiie a la source," et puis il s'ed'orce de faire douter de I'exactiludo de mon expose, (piant a la petite proportion de soullVo (lu'ello contient. .rai parlo dubitativo- ment (plant {\ la condition du soulVe, parce (pi'il est admis par les ecrivains les plus vecents, que rexactitude, ou la justesse des procedi''s proj)osL's jusijuTi present pour determiner, est tres- douteiiso,* et ''c()mp()S(? Ic carbonale de sonde nn /) ■ \ inais c'osl aussi un lait (pi'il aurait pu a|)prendre diins un onvrai;;c 61c- nuMitaire (pielcoiKpu', (pio la silicc est laeilement sohil)Ie dans unc solution bonillanle do carbonale do sonde, proprietr qtu^ Ic chimisic analyli(pic appellc trcs sonvcnt a son aide . et c'est aussi un fait (pii no ' vrait pas eire ii^Mioiv do mon pred('co9- sour, (pjc (piand u solution diluec dc silicc, ainsi ol)teinic, est neulralist'e par un acidc (pieloonqiio, la tolalilc do la silicc domeurc en solution, en ce (pio Herzelius a deerit coinme " la modification soluble," soluble lant dans I'cau pure (pie danw les aeidr's.* II prend sur lui dc parb'rdola mt'tliode d'analyscr Ics rniiK'raux silieicux, mais tous b^s resullals cpi'il obtiendra, sans tcnir comptc dc; ccs reactions, scront bicn eloignes de la vC'rite. En v(Mdant eorrigcr ines cliiflVcs, dans I'analyse dc la " Source an Soul'rc blano," il est tombc dans unc t'Mninge ni(% ))riso, dont il est aise dc s'apcreevoir sans I'trc cliimiste. La tabic montrc 1c;j divers ingrt'-diens salins avoc I'acide earboni- quc, en sus dc cc cpii est necessairc pour former des carbona- tes, cl lo roste est Tcau cpii complete Ics mi lie parties. J'ai doime au-dessousdc ccttc table, la sommc de Ionics les matieres solidcs: eetic sommo, lo savant crili(pie I'ajoute j\ cellc do I'eau, r// onl)li(nif Pacidr airhaniqiie^ cttrouvc, commede raison, (pie la sommc est 1000 parties, moins Ic montant dc I'aeidc carboni(pio ; mais, no s'apcrcevant pas dc sa b(' vuc, il s'ecric : " Que Ic lecteur jugc s'il y a de la vc'ritc dans les c'liirres!" (5) M. dc Rottermund en vicnt onsullc a Texamen des ana- lyses que j'ai faites de la Source Sure dc Tnsearora, et trouvc, tout d'abord, line difficultc dans cc (juc jo dis, (pio I'eau, non seulemcnt no donnc luisde precipite avcc une solution dc nitrate Voycz aussi Graham's Chem, p. 315, et Rose, Tnut«5 I'ruti«iue, toiii. ii. p. 227. •b^ ^ sf-^ ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^.4i. <. ^° %^ 1.0 I.I 2.5 «.,. I 2.2 1^ 1^ iS. L25 |||,.4 |,.6 .« '■ 6" ► m / 4W % '^ ^*> ''# 9: * '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) S72-4S03 6 ^ % 6^ dO d'argont, mais que meme elle n'eii est pas affedee semiblcment^ c'esUi-dir^ qu'il n'y a aucun changemeut visible. II dit, " (le?) sulfate d'argent est aussi insoluble; done il a dil y avoir un precipitu ; en se servant du nitrate argentiqiie Ic pre- mier, au lieu de sel de baryte, il a confondu le chlore avec I'acide sulfurique." II n'a qu'a ouvrir un ouvrage elementaire quelconquG, pour apprendre que le sulfate d'argent est soluble dans 88 parties d'eau bouillante, et a un degre tres considerable dans Teau froide, et il pourra se convaincre aisement par I'ex- perience, qu'nne eau contenant une beaucoup pins grande pro- portion d'acide sulfurique ou de sulfate soluble que la source de Tuscarora, ne donnera pas de piccipite par I'addition d'une solution de nitrate d'argent. II apprendra de plus que la me- thode meme qui est recommandee par Rose et Fresenius, pour separer le chlore de I'acide sulfurique, est basee sur la solubi- lite du sulfate, et I'insolubilite du chlorure d'argent.* Quant a ses comraentaires sur le cours de I'analyse quanti- tative, j'ai seulement a observer qu'il a eu lieu exactement d'apres la routine proposee par Rose et Fresenius, dans dea cas semblables,f et que I'omission d'une seule filtration ou precipitation aurait rendu le resultat incoraplet el indigne de confiance. Les difficultes qu'il y trouve nc temoignent que d'une ignorance deplorable des notions les plus elementaires dans la chimie analytique. (6) Venons en maintenant a la pretendue decouverie faite pai M. de Rottermund, de I'existence de I'antimoine dans cette source. Ce metal a ete decouvert, depuis son annonce, avec I'arsenic, I'etain, le plomb et le cuivre, dans quelques sources ferrugineuses d'Allemagne, et il dit, " M. Hunt voudrait-il me dire quand et par qui Texistence de I'antimoine dans I'eau a ete trouvee, et il verra que j'ai ete le premier qui a fait cette imporlante decouverte pour la science de la chimie et de la medecine ; mais je lui dirai que pour le trouver, quolqu'il est (soit ?) plus facile quand on est prevenu, qu'il n'est pas capa- ble meme de le constater ; car la marche qu'il a suivie et qu'il decrit parle par elle-meme." D'apres le ton de ce paragraphe, le lecteur qui n'en saurait * Fresenius anal. Quant, p. 352. t Rose, Traits, torn. i. 432, et seq. ; et Fresen. Anal. Qual. p, 223. 91 pas d'avantage, pourait supposer que M. de Roltermund a 6lc reconnu par les autorites scienlifiqnes do I'Europe, commc I'auteur de cette decouverte. Mais tel n'est pas le cas ; la premiere annonce de ce fait aute faite a TAcademiedcs Scien- ces de Paris, a la fin de i'annee 1849, par M. Walchncr.ij: M. Trepier avait, avant cette epoqiie, tronve de I'Arsenic dans line eau minerale apportee d'Algcrie, et M. Walchner reussit a Ic trouver dans des sources ferrugineuses d'Allemagne, associe avec du cuivre, du plomb, et de I'etain, et dans la source de Weisbaden avec I'antimoine, Cette interessanle decouverte a 6te peu de temps apres, confirmee par M. Wili, qui a trouve tous ces cinq metaux dans les sources ferrugineuses de Rip- poldsau.§ Selon lui, 10,000,000 parties des trois sources con- tiennent respectivement 0'16, 0*10, et 024 d'une partie d'oxyde d'antirnoine. Si M. de Rottermund est, comme 11 s'en vante, reconnu comme chimiste par les premiers chimistes de TAca- demie des Sciences de Paris, comment se fait-il que sa pre- tendue decouverte ne soit pas reconnue par ce corps, et que Phonneur en soit attribu6 a un autre ? M. de Rottermund aftirme que je ne suis pas capable d*en decouvrir la presence, "comme le demontre la marche que j'ai suivie." A-t-il lu mon rapport? Je n'ai suivi aucune marche particuliere, ni de- crit aucun proc^de pour cette fin. Suivant Rose et Fresenius,[| le seul reactif sur lequel on puisse compter pour la separation complete de I'antimoine d'avec toutes ses solutions, estl'hydro- gene sulfure ou Pacide hydrosulfurique, qui precipite un sul- fure orange. Mais Peau minerale en question contient deja de I'hydrogene sulfure, comme je Pai fait voir au moyen des reaclifs ordinaires ; de sorte que le seul procede auquel on pouvait recourir pour la separation du metal, avait dej-\ ete employe dans le laboratoire de la nature. Le fait que la pre- sence de I'hydrogene sulfure est incompatible avec I'existence de I'antimoine en solution embarrasse M. de Rottermund, mais il essaye de se tirer d'embarras en s'effor^antde demontrerque I'hydrogene sulfure ne pent pas etre present, en autant que, suivant lui, 11 est incompatible avec le protoxyde de fer, ••' car J Comptes rendus de I'Academie des Sciences xxiii, p. 612. S Aniialen der Chem. und Pharm. torn. Ixi, p. 192. If Rose, Trait6, torn, ii, p. 214 ; et Fresen. Anal. Quant, p. 23Q. i ■ 92 1 ; Thydrogone sulfure, ou I'acide sulfhydrique pr6cipite le pro- toxyde de fer." Quant a )a verite de cette assertion, tout com- meii^ant sait que les solutions de protoxyde de fer ne sont nullcment precipitees par Thydrogene sulfure. Pour me servir des paroles de Rose, I'hydrogene sulfure " ne fait pas naiire de precipile dans les dissolutions ferreuses neutres.*" La raison en est que la plus faible trace d'acide pent dissoudre immedia- tement le sulfure de fer precipite, et Ton se prevaut de cette propriete dans le cours ordinaire de I'analyse, pour separer le fer, du cuivre, du plomb, de I'antimoine, &c., qui sont precipi- tes facilement par I'liydrogene sulfure, mfime de solutions acides.f Ceci ne prouve done pas que j'ai eu tort d'affirmer que I'eau contient reellement de I'hydrogene sulfure et un sel de protoxyde de fer ; mais s'il m'en fallait une nouvelle preuve, j'ai pour moi Pautorite de M. de Rottermund lui-meme. II dit, p. 10 de son rapport d6jt\ cite, que les eaux de cette source contiennent les gaz hydrosulfurique et carbonique, du sulfate de protoxyde de fer, du sulfate d'alumine, de la potas^se, &c. ; mais maintenant qu'il convient a son but de prouver que I'hy- drogene sulfur6 ne peut pas exister avec un sel de protoxyde de fer, il oublie ses premiers exposes. " Soyez-donc compa- tible" avec vos assertions, M. de Rottermund. II parle ensuite de confusion dans le procede suivi pour la determination du fer, et montre, pour en dire le moins, une ignorance inexcusable du langage ordinaire ou des proced6s de la chimie. Je ne dis pas que j'ai trouve dans la source, soit le protoxyde, soit le peroxyde de fer, mais que lefer yexiste comme proto-sel, que je le determinai comme peroxyde^ d'apr^s la methode ordinaire, J et le calculai ensuite comme proto-sulfate, ou sulfate de protoxyde de fer. Je n'ignore pas les obstacles ofFerts par des matieres organi- ques h, la precipition de certaines substances minerales ; mais la chimie moderne a des moyens bien simples pour surmonter cette difficulte.§ Plus bas, M. de R. parle de I'acide phospho- rique, dont j'ai dit qu'il existe des traces dans cette source, et * Rose, Traits Pratique, torn. i. p. 69. t Id. Traite Pratique, torn. ii. p. 131, etM6moires de Will et Walchner, d^ja cit^3. \ Rose, Trait6 de Chimie, torn. ii. p. 61. § fd. Trait6 Pratique, torn. i. p. 72 ; aussi Fresanius, Bulletin de la Soc. Chitn. de Loudres, part. ix. p. 130. dit: " Je suis faohe qu'il n'ait pas voulu donner l;i dcscriplion par quel reactif, et dans quelle periode de I'analyse il I'a remarque." S'il avail lu tout Tarticle, il n'aurait pu rnanqner de voir qu'a la page 152, j'ai decrit pleinement le precede suivi, qui est celui que recommande Fresenius pour la sepa- ration de I'acide phosphorique el de Talumine.* Pour ce qui est de la " correction" falte dans les analyses de M. Croft, il avail donne dans sa determination, I'alumine et le fer precipite ensemble comme peroxyde de fer, et j'ai, pour comparaison, additionne les quantites de ces deux ingrediens, telles que determinees par moi. La prelendue confusion qui erobarrasse et amuse en mome temps la critique, n'existe que dans son intellect. Mais voyons pour les chiffres : il demande " qu'est-ce que cela signifie que M. Hunt trouve dans la m^me source la quantite d'acide sulfurique avec la formule SO3 et ensuite SHO4 ?" Ne sait-il pas que SO3 est I'acide anhydre, que, suivant la coutume, on calcule toujours en specifiant les deter- minations d'une analyse, tandis que I'exces d'aeide en outre de ce qu'il faut pour former des sels avec les bases presentes, est represente comme combine avec un equivalent d'eau pour former le compose SH04=(S0g, HO), qui, dMs-je ledire pour i'information de M. de Rottermund, est I'huile de vitriol, et non I'acide de Nordhausen. Comme c'est la seule combi- naison stable de I'acide anhydre avec I'eau, il est presumable que c'est celle qui existe dans I'acide sulfurique dilue, et dans la source de Tuscarora. Si les recherches de M. de Rotter- mund ont jete quelque nouveau jour sur les combinaisons de I'acide sulfurique avec I'eau, je serai charme de I'apprendre. En finissant, je prendrai la liberie de dire que mes observa- tions n'ont pas 6te dictees par un sentiment de malveillance envers M. de Rottermund, mais bien par le desir de lui faire voir les nombreuses erreurs dans lesquelles il est tombe, pour n'^tre qu'imparfaitement au fait du sujet qu'il a Iraite, et je me flatie qu'il recevra comme venant d'un ami, le conseil que je lui donne de sauver sa reputation, sinon en qualite d'un " simple citoyen" qui joue le rdle de critique, du moins en celle d'un Fresenius Anal. Quant, p. 259. 04 ither utterly impossible, or il possii)h^ entirely worthless, in a rnineralogieal point of view. The mineral waa analysed for the pnrj)ose of ascertaining how much nickel and cobalt it contained, and Mr. Hunt tells us that he found in the rough specimens 8-26 cent of nickel with a trace of cobalt, and that if the earlhy and silicious portion were removed, the metallic part would contain 13"03 per cent of the same ingre- dients. (I may mention, in corroboration of this, that I have myself analysed a similar mixture from the Wallace mine, sent to me under the name of gray ore, and found 13*00 per cent of nickel with a trace of cobalt.) The industrial value of the mineral has, therefore, been clearly shown by this analysis, and its nature demonstrated, the long rhodomontade of M. de Rottermund being as devoid of value as it is of meaning. The only discovery that the learned ex-professor seems to have made is a mathematical one, viz: that the proportion 59"30 : 8-20 :: 100 : X, is equiva- lent to 8-26 X 100 59 30 which will be a great delight to all mathematicians. So much for M. de Rottermund's criticism of Mr. Hunt's researches ; in his attempts to injure Mr. Hunt's reputation as a chemist, we scarcely know which to admire most, the matchless ignorance of the writer, or the almost incredible reliance that he places on the supposed incapacity of the people of Canada, to distinguish between paste and diamond, glitter- ing tinsel and genuine metal. Let M. de Rottermund come forward with some practical experiment to prove that he knows w^hat he is talking about ; let him describe his trials, their results, and his deductions, and then Mr. Hunt or I will be willing to enter the arena with him in scientific discnssion ; up to the present time he has not given us tiie details of a sir '^le analysis, quantitative, or cpjali- tativc of any ore, mineral or mineral water, and until lie does so, I cannot but join Mr. Hunt in advising him to remain silent, even alliiough to the reeommendation of being ^* rrcnnrm par Ics premiers c/iinnsfrs dc VAcndimic de Sci'cncr.'i de Paris;^^ he now adds the title of '-'-Anricn Profcsseur da la Chimic Anulytique d VEcolc Normak de BruxcUcs^^^ &c. &c. &c. I remain, &c., HENRY CROFT, Toronto.