May 6, 1922] 



NA TURE 



591 



Development and Outlook," Prof. Turner gave an 

 account of the growth of the British glass industry 

 from the time of the Roman occupation onward. 

 Speaking generally, there was a steady growth up 

 to the year 1875, after which time the number of 

 glass factories began to decrease and the imports of 

 finished glassware increased. This steady decline 

 was arrested on the outbreak of war in 1914, and 

 during the last few months of 191 4 and 191 5 the 

 industry was revived. New branches were created 

 under the stress of war for the production of chemical 

 glassware and for lampworking. They grew to such 

 an extent that during the last twelve months of the 

 war period more than two million pieces of chemical 

 glassware were made at the furnace, and some 39 

 million lampblown articles and more than a million 

 pounds of glass rod and tubing were manufactured. 

 The output of electric lamp bulbs exceeded 43 

 millions, as compared with four million bulbs of 

 pre-war years. Turning to the future. Prof. Turner 

 acknowledged that the immediate outlook was not 

 cheerful, but claimed that the industry was much 

 more efficiently equipped than at any other time in 

 its history. 



We have received a communication, dated March 

 23, from Mr. Y. Venkataramaiah, Calcutta, in which 

 he states that the plastic sulphur separating in the 

 action of concentrated nitric acid on a crystal of 

 sodium thiosulphate, which is ordinarily yellow, 

 becomes distinctly green if a little colloidal gold or 

 platinum solution is added to the acid before the 

 addition of the thiosulphate. Sometimes small blue 

 spots are visible on the separated sulphur. Colloidal 

 gold appears to be more efifective than colloidal 

 platinum. The sulphur dissolves in carbon disul- 

 phide forming a light greenish solution ; when treated 

 with absolute alcohol it becomes yellow. It dissolves 

 in hot methyl salicylate, and nacreous sulphur 

 separates on cooling. 



In a lecture deUvered to the Societe de Chemie 

 Physique in February 1921, M. Edmond Bauer gave 

 an excellent account of the present state of atomic 

 physics, and the lecture has now been published by 

 the society, in a pamphlet of about 50 pages entitled 

 " La Th6orie de Bohr, la Constitution de I'Atome 



et la Classification p6riodique des Elements." It 

 starts with the various atomic models, contrasting 

 the rival merits of the static and the dynamic. There 

 is then a description of the work on atomic numbers, 

 both that originating with the X-ray work of Moseley, 

 and that from Rutherford's theory and the work on 

 the collisions of a-particles, and there follows a 

 discussion of the periodic table. Next comes the 

 photo-electric effect, and this is followed in due 

 course by Bohr's theory. The lecture ends with a 

 short reference to Bom's work on the dynamics of 

 crystals. It is remarkable how large a field the 

 author has managed to cover in so small a space, 

 and the whole is a very good sketch of the present 

 condition of physical theory. 



Dr. p. D. Strachan, Serowe, Bechuanaland Pro- 

 tectorate, S. Africa, writes to us stating that in 

 his experience it is necessary to tune the octaves 

 of the upper register of the piano sharp in order that 

 the notes may not sound dull and flat. Professional 

 tuners apparently do the same, giving as their reason 

 that it adds brilliancy to the tone. Dr. R. S. Clay 

 informs us that tuners regularly make the upper 

 eight or ten of a piano a trifle sharp, but there is 

 a difference of a few vibrations only from the true 

 frequency. He suggests that there may be a physio- 

 logical explanation, or it may be due to the fact that 

 the overtones of the upper notes of a piano are sharp 

 and so produce a desire for corresponding sharp- 

 ness in notes sounded with them. The effect would 

 become marked with high notes, for the ratio of the 

 restoring force due to the stiffness of the wire becomes 

 progressively important as the length of the vibrating 

 segment becomes shorter. In other instruments, 

 such as the flute, in the use of which Dr. Strachan 

 states he has had a similar experience, it is suggested 

 that the effect may be due to variations in the pitch 

 caused by changes in the method of blowing. 



The City Sale and Exchange, of 54 Lime Street, 

 E.C.3, are issuing gratis and post free a catalogue 

 of hand cameras that includes a very large number 

 of items, and apparently every variety of pattern 

 and price. It is gratifying to know that the prices 

 have been very considerably reduced. 



Our Astronomical Column. 



Total Eclipse of the Sun. — The Lick Observatory 

 has arranged an expedition to Wallal, on the north- 

 west coast of Western Australia, to view the total 

 solar eclipse of September 21. The station offers 

 uniquely favourable meteorological conditions com- 

 bined with a duration of totality of 5 mins. 18 sees. 

 Various spectroscopic observations will be under- 

 taken, and special cameras are being constructed for 

 investigating the Einstein displacements of the stars. 

 The members of the expedition are Prof, and Mrs. 

 Campbell with Drs. J. H. Moore and R. J. Trumpler 

 (of the Lick Observatory), Prof. A. D. Ross (of the 



NO. 2740, VOL. 109] 



Western Australian Observatory), Dr. and Mrs. Adams 

 (of the Wellington Observatory), and Mr. J. B. O. 

 Hosking (of the Melbourne Observatory). The party 

 will be the guests of the Australian Commonwealth 

 Government during their visit. Wallal will also be 

 occupied by a party organised by Prof. C. A. Chant 

 of Toronto, while ' Australian expeditions will view 

 the eclipse from Goodiwindi in Queensland and from 

 the north-east corner of South Australia. 



Jupiter and his Markings. — Mr. W. F. Denning 

 writes that a number of interesting observations of 



