THE MEANEST "MEAN.' 7 195 



Mogul Clarke, we find N = 14 if we reduce the result to the 

 standard O = 16. 



So far as the two great series of determinations of Stas 

 for the atomic weight of nitrogen are concerned, they give 

 N =. 14 exactly for O =. 16. 



But we do not need them ourselves; we have established 

 the atomic weight of nitrogen with a much higher degree 

 of precision by means of the weighings of Lord Rayleigh. 



We do not want to use anything that has been in this 

 Government olla podrida for five years! 



c. The Meanest -Mean" and its Impossible Probable Error. 



The waste of time which the Imperialistic Publication of 

 Clarke of 1897, has caused me, is relieved by many remark- 

 ably fine displays of "Exact Science as She Is," in our 

 Government Bureaus. We can only find room for a casual 

 exhibition of such specimens as cannot be avoided in our 

 course to establish the truth. 



A couple of specially rich gems we shall have to consider 

 here. 



On page 70 of the Smithsonian " Constants of Nature *' 

 of 1897, by Frank Wigglesworth Clarke, we find for the 

 molecular weight of silver nitrate "three values" from the 

 "general mean " of as many analytical ratios stated to the 

 third decimal, and characterized by a lt probable error" to 

 the fourth decimal. 



These three values differ fully one-tenth, or one unit in 

 \hzfirst decimal. 



If these means for silver nitrate differ by fully o.i, this 

 difference will necessarily affect with its full value the 

 atomic weight of nitrogen, obtained therefrom by simple 

 subtraction of the constant value for Ag Oa. 



But a range of o.i on 14 is about three quarters of one 

 per cent! Rather crude results of pretendedly "exact 

 science " that must not be questioned outside of the charmed 

 imperial circle. 



We shall here more particularly examine the third of 

 these " general means" from ratio (3), which is the one we 



