Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2009
Notwithstanding the very inconsiderable amount of sulphur it contains, this Greenland iron has a remarkable tendency to fall to pieces by the action of the air. The weathering depends on an oxidation, probably produced by a quantity of chlorine contained in the iron, and its great porosity; nevertheless, some of the phenomena connected with the weathering still appear to me inexplicable. I shall therefore somewhat more fully detail the observations and experiments made towards explaining this very disagreeable circumstance.
page 517 note 1 A similar substance, obtained by dissolving iron containing carbon, has been mentioned by Berzelius, in Afhandl. i Fysik, Kemi och Mineralogi. When iron containing carbon is dissolved in hydrochloric acid of proper strength and temperature, not only is this humus-like matter generated, but hydro-carbons also, and (according to a statement made to me by Prof. Eggertz) even fluid hydro-carbons, the atomic composition of which is very complicated. We have here, then, a method for attempting the synthesis of organic substances from their inorganic components unemployed hitherto, as far as I am aware, in synthetic organic chemistry. Iron containing carbon was pointed out by Berzelius in 1818 (Aph. i. Fysik, Kemi, etc., vol. v. p. 534) as an inorganic material which might serve as a means for the synthetical formation of organic compounds.
page 519 note 1 Published with Part II. in the August number, p. 355.
page 520 note 1 Only the basalt in some parts of the ridge Fg and Gh, but not the basalt from other districts of Disko and Noursoak, does contain native iron.
page 520 note 2 As I have above mentioned, the Swedish Government sent for this purpose an expedition to Greenland, 1872, which succeeded in bringing home not only the three meteorites of 21, 8, and 4 tons, but also several smaller ones of from 4 to 200 kilogr.
page 522 note 1 According to Graah's determination.