October 27, 1898] 



NATURE 



621 



Prof. Roberts-Austen. The question is, as he shows, one 

 of much theoretical interest, and should lead to further 

 experiments. 



The author then adopts a method previously used by 

 Spring {Bull. Acad. Roy. Belg., vol. xxviii., 1894, p. 40). 

 He proceeds, after quoting experiments by Ostwald, 

 Demargay, Pellat, Colson and Russell, to show that 

 alloys may be formed by the vaporisation of certain 

 metals in vacuo at so low a temperature as 50" C. He 



Fig. 4.— Freezing point 



^ 65 



of lead tin alloys. 



concludes by pointing out that the results given in the 

 present paper reveal additional points of similarity 

 between the behaviour of alloys and that of ordinary saline 

 solutions. He trusts, therefore, that it may be useful as 

 a continuation of his investigation on the " Diffusion of 

 Metals," which formed the subject of the Bakerian 

 Lecture of i8q6. 



THE NEW PHYSICAL LABORATORY OF 

 THE OWENS COLLEGE, MANCHESTER. 



'X*HE laboratory of which the foundation-stone has 

 -»■ been laid, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 

 occupation of the present Owens College buildings, will 

 be the largest and most completely equipped in this 

 country. It stands on a separate plot of ground adjoining 

 the Owens College site, and consists of a main building 

 and a large annexe, the latter being more especially in- 

 tended for electro-technical work. The principal build- 

 ing is 100 feet long and over 60 wide, and consists of a 

 basement and three stories. The diagram gives the com- 

 parison as regards dimensions with some of the principal 



The cost of the building with fittings and new- 

 apparatus is estimated at 30,000/. Of this sum 17,000/.. 

 has been subscribed, in one sum of 10,000/., one of 

 5000/., and two of 1000/. In the plan ample provision for 

 research work has been made. Two large rooms, for 

 instance, are exclusively devoted to spectroscopic work^ 

 one of them being arranged to hold a large Rowland 

 grating. It is intended to have at least one room set 

 aside for constant temperature work, and to establish a 

 small plant for the production of low 

 temperatures. An electro-technicar 

 laboratory will be added, in which, 

 large currents will be available for 

 electric furnaces. 



One of the features of the laboratory 

 will be a carefully planned system of 

 ventilation combined with an attempt 

 to exclude dust, as far as possible,, 

 from all rooms, and especially from 

 the instrument cases. The plenum 

 system, much used at present, had to- 

 be rejected, because it takes up too- 

 much valuable basement space, be- 

 cause it is ineffective as regards- 

 exclusion of dust, and because the in- 

 evitable noise and mechanical shaking 

 due to the fans would have seriously 

 interfered with the work of the la- 

 boratory. The architect is Mr. J. W. 

 Beaumont, who, before finally drawing 

 the plans, was sent by the Council of the Owens College 

 to visit the principal modern laboratories of Germany. 



In seconding a vote of thanks to Mr. Henry Simon 

 for laying the foundation-stone. Prof. Schuster gave a 

 short description of the building. In the course of his 

 remarks he said :— 



In the general plan of the building I have departed consider- 

 ably from that adopted in some of the recent continental- 

 buildings. The designer of a laboratory may take either one or 

 other of two opposite views, according as he wishes to differ- 

 entiate as much or as little as possible between different rooms^ 

 and between different classes of students. The present tendency 

 is to adopt the former course, and to draw a rigid line of 

 separation between the rooms set a.side for elementary and for 

 advanced work. This system is carried out to such an extreme 

 in one of the most recent and, in some respects, most perfect of 

 German laboratories that a separate division with a staircase of 

 its own is provided for the elementary students, who thus caiv 

 never be brought into contact with their more fortunate 

 colleagues admitted to the main part of the building. 



I have adopted the opposite course, for I consider that a free 

 intercour.se between different classes of students is of great 

 benefit and educational value. My object has been to throw 

 the students together and not to separate them, so that the 



laboratories abroad. The squares represent square area 

 of floor space of the working rooms, i.e. all corridors, 

 cloak-rooms, &c., are excluded, and the floor space of. the 

 different stories added up. It will be seen that the only 

 laboratories materially larger than the proposed building 

 are those of Baltimore and Darmstadt. But provision 

 has been made for future extension, the plot of ground 

 secured by the College being sufficiently large to double, 

 if necessary, the size of the building. 



NO. 1513. VOL. 58] 



beginner may occasionally see his more advanced colleagues at 

 work, and the latter will have an opportunity to overlook and/ 

 sometimes to assist their juniors. To some extent, the separa- 

 tion of students is necessitated by the requirements of space 

 and apparatus, but we may do much to minimise instead of 

 exaggerating the division. 



Most of the rooms devoted to the highest kind of work are 

 sufficiently large to accommodate several students. In this 

 matter also I have not followed the practice now in fashion^ 

 which favours small rooms for single students. It is no doubt 



