REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 165 



The chemist is now engaged iu making analyses of a number of sam- 

 ples of the galvanized iron wire used by the Signal Bureau of the War 

 Department. It is impossible to say anything in regard to these analy- 

 ses without going into details that would be of little interest in this part 

 of the report. The object is believed to be to aid an attempt to establish 

 some relation between the chemical composition of the wire and its 

 l^ower of conduction. 



The laboratory work done by the chemist has been iu answer to letters 

 referred to him by the Secretary, as follows : Twenty-six assays, involv- 

 ing twenty-nine determinations; thirty-one ' quantitative analyses, in- 

 volving one hundred and seventy-four determinations, and thirty-two 

 qualitative reports, identifying seventy-nine specimens ; also a report on 

 the specific gravity of a number of specimens of Jadeite from South 

 America; he has also i)repared answers to numerous letters received by 

 the Institution in reference to chemical sulyects. 



