OF ARTS AND SCIENCES : JANUARY 29, 1868. 435 



cess all the pipes now made at the Boston lead-works, and also at the 

 New York works, are raanufactui-ed ; and the public may rely on their 

 producing a faultless water-pipe. 



"It is also found that, by this improvement, the pipes can be made 

 more rapidly than heretofore, and that a plug or compound cylinder 

 for drawing may be cast thirteen inches long, which is a great advan- 

 tage. 



" A series of experiments were made to ascertain the action of dis- 

 tilled water and of Boston well-water on lead pipes, and on those 

 made as first described, in which the tin had become alloyed with 22 

 per cent of lead ; and it was found that a lead pipe in 24 hours 

 yielded to distilled water 4-80 grs. of oxide of lead per gallon, and 

 that a pipe lined with tin alloyed with 22 per cent of lead yielded to 

 a gallon of the water 2-24 grs. of oxide of lead, while the pipe lined 

 with pure tin yielded nothing to the water. When Boston well-water, 

 containing 2G grs. of various saline matters per gallon, was substituted 

 for distilled water, lead pipe, in 24 hours, yielded to it 2 grains of oxide 

 of lead, and the pipe lined with tin alloyed with 22 per cent of lead 

 yielded 1-865 grs. of lead to the water, the sulphates in the well-water 

 protecting the lead to a considerable extent. The well-water of Wal- 

 tham, which was very much less saline than Boston well-water, dis- 

 solved 0*8 gr. of oxide of lead from a pipe made of the tin alloyed 

 with lead ; this impregnation having taken place in a single night, or 

 about 12 hours. 



" It would seem from these researches, that the lead-encased tin pipe, 

 as originally manufactured, is better than lead pipe, but is still objec- 

 tionable as a water conduit, and much more so for more powerful 

 solvents for lead, such as soda-water and beer ; while the pipe, as now 

 made, is as unobjectionable as pui'e block-tin pipe, and is actually 

 cheaper than lead when purchased by the linear foot." 



Five hundred and nlnetietli Illeeting'. 



January 29, 1868. — Statute Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



Professor August De La Rive was elected a Foreign Honor- 

 ary Member in Class I. Section 3, in place of the late Michael 

 Faraday. 



