PART THIRD. 



The Absolute Atomic Weights of 

 Boron and Nitrogen. 



A. EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATIONS. 



I. THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF BORON. RAMSAY. 



The experimental work done by Ramsay and Aston is of 

 so high an order of excellence that we can, upon that series 

 of determinations alone, base the absolute atomic weight of 

 boron as eleven exactly. 



For this reason the name of Ramsay is placed at the 

 head of this chapter. 



It would be unjust to demand of a chemist more than 

 perfectly honest and reliable quantitative determinations, 

 which involve the preparation of pure materials and the 

 management of the actual operations with the utmost 

 attainable skill. 



The published record of the determinations of Ramsay 

 and Aston beai abundant testimony to the fact that the 

 laboratory work was done in this manner. Journal Chem- 

 ical Society, v. 63, pp. 207-217; 1893. 



Ramsay has failed himself to obtain the true value of his 

 determination. This is no fault of his, but of his school; 

 the individual cannot be blamed if he proceeds secundum 

 artem. See pp. 35-36. 



By our new method we shall obtain, from these experi- 

 mental determinations of Ramsay, the true absolute atomic 

 weight of boron and even most valuable auxiliary weights, 



