97 



found no traco of eitlier. I have also tested for PO^ and fluorine with ne;,'a- 

 tive results. 



On heatin.i,^ a sampli' of tiie salt lime in a dry test tube, there was 

 a slight eharrin.ir. i)ossihly due to a sliixht amount of material fi'om the 

 wooden vats or perhaps from sea al.ijae. There was also a slight smell of 

 NHj on boiling a large mass of the finely-powdered substance with excess 

 of NaOH in an attempt to remove CaSO^ to secure concentration of the 

 less soluble constituents. This was probably also due to small aniounts of 

 remains of sea algae. 



From my study of the substance I would conclude that it consists 

 mainly of gypsum. Imt that it routains an appreciable amount of CaC03 

 (.65 per cent.) and that it is remarkably free from other constituents, due 

 probably to the sharp distinctions in solubilit.v between the less soluble and 

 the more soluble constituents of sea water. I hope to concentrate further 

 a considerable amount of the substance and examine it for traces of radio- 

 active material or other constituents. 



7— A. OF SCIKNCE. 



