l62 TRATsSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES. 



TRAXSACTTOXS OF SOCIETIES. 



South African Institute of Electrical Engineers. — Thurxlay, 

 Xovember 20th : Mr. B. Price, Vice-President, in the chair. — " Railless 

 Electric Traction"': J. W. "Westwood. A short technical description of 

 the various systems, including also the general problem of railless traction, 

 with statements of comparative costs. — "Electrification of Railways": 

 Prof. W. Buchanan. An examination into the proliable advantages to 

 be gained by electrifying existing steam railways, and a comparison of 

 the relative merits of different available electrical systems. In considering 

 the relative merits of steam and electricity as applied to railways, the 

 author discussed (i) cost of operation, (2) reliability of service, and (3) 

 convenience to the general travelling public. In the second part of the 

 paper the relative merits and defects of alternating as compared with 

 continuous electricity were considered; in the former case the single and 

 three phase systems were comjiared, and in the direct current the low and 

 high voltage systems. 



Thursday, December i8th : Prof.. W. Buchanan, B.Sc, A.R.C.S.. 

 M.I.E.E., Vice-President, in the chair. — The Electrical Testing Work of 

 a large Power Company " : T. F. "Whimster. The work of an electrical 

 testing department was described untler the following heads: (i) exami- 

 nation, adjustment, and maintenance of electrical protective apparatus (2) 

 testing and repairs of electricity meters (3) testing and upkeep of elec- 

 trical nieasuring instruments, (4) tests on generators, transformers, etc., 

 including efticiency and temperature tests, (5) electrical testing of samples 

 of tapes, insulators, oils, etc., (6) experimental work entailing use of the 

 oscillograph, (7) standards and sul)-standards. 



Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Sociftv of South Africa. — • 

 Saturday, December 13th: A. Richardson, AI.I.M.M., President, in the 

 chair. — " The solubility of iodine in sodium iodide solution " : H. \\ . Gill. 

 The author has demonstrated ( 1 ) that the proportion of iodine dissolved 

 is directly proportional to the concentration of the sodium iodide solution, 

 (2) that a solution containing 1.5 per cent, of sodium iodide will dissolve 

 sufficient iodine to prepare a dccinormal solution, and (3) that the com- 

 pound Nalg -|- 2H.,0 probably exists in the iodine-sodium iodide solu- 

 tion.— " The Union'Patents Bill": A. L. Spoor, and W. E. John. A 

 general review of the draft Bill prepared by a Commission appointed by 

 the Government of the Union, and a critical discussion of some of its 

 chief features. 



XEW BOOKS. 



McKee, W. M.—Soiith Africau Sheep and IVool. 8h X Sh in., pp. 3^6. 

 Illus. Cape Town : T. Maskew Miller. 1913. 12s. 6d. 



Cameron, Charlotte.—.] Jroniaii's zciiitcr in Africa : a 26,000 miles Jour- 

 r.cy. 8vo., pp. 403. Maps and illus. London: Stanley Paul & 

 Co. 1913. 42 oz. los. 6d. 



Johnston, Sir H. H. — Pioneers in SouHi Africa. 8vo., pp. vii, 316. Illus. 

 London: Blackie & Son. 1914. 32 oz. 6s. 



