1868] Chemistry. 389 
by Professor Kolbe, who was invited by the President to give an 
account of his experiments “On the Conversion of Carbonate of Am- 
monia into Urea.” Professor Kolbe, who spoke in German, explained 
that he had succeeded in producing urea by heating dry carbonate 
of ammonia in sealed tubes to a temperature a little lower than 
that at which the urea formed would be again destroyed. The 
speaker then referred to the electrolysis of acetic acid, which fur- 
nished a new acid isomeric with glycolic acid, but of which the 
properties were as yet but imperfectly known. Mr. Henry Chance 
of Birmingham, then delivered a most interesting lecture “On the 
Manufacture of Glass.” The author briefly sketched the history of 
this manufacture, and quoted several analyses of various kinds 
of glass. The action of heat im causing dendrification, and of sun- 
light as affecting the colour, besides other considerations having 
reference to permanence, were discussed. Mr. Chance appended to 
his remarks upon glass, a statement of his mode of treating the 
Rowley Rag basaltic rock of South Staffordshire. This material 
gives by fusion a black obsidian-like glass, which again devitrified 
furnishes a material suitable for building purposes and capable of 
ornamental application. The formation of soluble silicate of soda 
by Gossage’s process was described, and some of the corroded flints 
exhibited. An excellent series of samples illustrative of the manu- 
facture of glass and of the two materials producible from Rowley 
Rag, were laid on the table for ispection. 
The anniversary meeting of the Society was held March 30th, 
when the President, Dr. Warren De la Rue, F.R.S., reviewed the pro- 
gress of the Society during the past year. The obituary notices 
were unfortunately more numerous than usual. The list of Fellows 
shows an increase of 11 over those last year, being now 510. 
Amongst the losses by death may be mentioned Professor Michael 
Faraday, Dr. C. G. Bb. Daubeny, Dr. Thomas Clark, Dr. William 
Herapath, Mr. Robert Warington, Messrs. J. Tennant, Walter 
Crum, W. H. Gossage, Alfred Noble, William Winsor, and Pro- 
fessor Jules Pelouze. The President indicated some of the leading 
researches published during the year in the several departments of 
the science, and referred to the progress made towards establishing 
the new chemical theory. The investigations of Graham, Hof- 
mann, Kolbe, Abel, Fittig, Frankland and Duppa, Perkin, and 
Pettenkofer and Voigt were specially mentioned. ‘he discussions 
on water analysis had elicited facts which would ultimately prove 
useful in establishing a new method; and the review of geological 
phenomena from the wide sphere of observation of so eminent a 
chemist as Mr. Forbes could not fail to be productive of great results. 
The treasurer’s report was very satisfactory, showing that the 
balance at the bankers of the society was 637/., and the amount 
invested in Consols 2,3477. The election of officers and council 
