iSB Rotjal Society. 



metal exist. Proust affirmed that all compounds are definite. Iron, 

 says he, unites with oxygen only in two proportions ; we have either 

 a compound of 3' 5 iron and 1 oxygen, or 3 "5 iron and 1'5 oxygen. 

 The first constitutes the black, and the second the red oxide of iron ; 

 and beside there is no other. Every one is now satisfied that Proust's 

 view of the subject was correct, and Berthollet's erroneous." — Vol. ii. 

 p. 162. The following is quoted from Berzelius (vol. iv. p. 491) : — 

 " Proust demontra que les metaux ne produisent, avec le soufre 

 comme avec I'oxygene, qu'une ou deux combinaisons dans des pro- 

 portions fixes et invariables, tons les degres iutermediaires qu'on avait 

 cru observer n'etant en effet que des melanges de deux combinaisons 

 a proportions fixes. Proust observa que le passage d'un degre d'oxy- 

 dation a I'autre se fait par des sauts determines d'une quantite d'oxy- 

 gfene a I'autre ; il essaya, pour quelques oxydes, d'en evaluer la 

 grandeur, et s'il avait pu alors executer des analyses bien exactes, 

 le rapport des multiples ne lui aurait pas echappe." 



While on the subject of priority of discovery, we will notice a case 

 in which Dr. Daubeny does not seem to be aware who was the ori- 

 ginal propounder of the doctrine, that aether is an oxide of aethyle. 

 It was first suggested by Sir R. Kane in January 1833, and he gave 

 the supposed organic radical the name of athereum ; a similar view 

 was soon afterwaids promulgated by Berzelius. 



It was our intention to have made some further extracts from the 

 work now under consideration, and to have accompanied them with 

 observations in illustration of its utility ; the length, however, to 

 which our remarks have already extended precludes any considerable 

 addition to what we have already stated, except that we cordially 

 recommend the work as a lucid exposition of the atomic theory and 

 its various ramifications, and as calculated to impart clear ideas on 

 a subject, the intricacy of which is equalled only by its importance. 



LXXII. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



[Continued from p. 428.] 



Feb. 27, 1851.— Sir Frederick Pollock, V.P., in the Chair. 



I lEUT.-COLONEL SABINE'S paper, entitled " On Periodical 

 -^-^ Laws discoverable in the mean effects of the larger Magnetic 

 Disturbances," commenced at the previous meeting (Feb. 20), was 

 concluded. 



In a discussion of the ttvo-hoiirJy observations of the magnetic 

 declination, made in 1841 and 1842 at the observatories of Toronto 

 and Hobarton, published in 1843 and 1845, the author expressed an 

 opinion that themagneticdisturbances,of largeainouutand apparently 

 irregular occurrence, commonly called magnetic storms or shocks, 

 would be found, when studied in their mean effects on the magnetic 

 direction and force extending over a sufficient period of time, to be 



