November 5, 1891] 



NATURE 



^•f. 



selves for a better understanding of the alloys of metals which 

 come within the scope of every-day experience. 



From the engineer's point of view, as the report states, the 

 most interesting information which the pyrometer has yet 

 afforded is connec ed with the measurement of the internal 

 stresses in iron and steel. The molecular change which 

 takes place in steel must be of vital importance when the metal 

 is subjected at high temperature to mechanical operations such 

 as rolJing or forging. "Do the molecular changes in the iron 

 take place at one moment throughout the mass of metal ? that 

 is, is the rate of cooling approximate throughout the mass, or 

 does the external portion of the ingot cool so much more rapidly 

 than the centre as to allow the molecular changes in the iron, 

 and the relation between the carbon and the iron, to become 

 completed near th.e surface long before they take place in the 

 interior of the mass?" The pyrometer used allows some insight 

 to be gained into this hitherto unassailable problem. A small 

 ingot of mild steel had two holes drilled into it, one near the cir- 

 cumference, and the other at the centre. The ingot was heated, 

 and a thermo-junclion was inserted in each hole. In this way 

 curves of temperature were obtained simultaneously. With the 

 mild s'.eel the evidence as to molecular change was but slight. 

 Another ingot of steel, containing 0799 per cent, of carbon, 

 0"o84 per cent, of silicon, and 0*412 per cent, of manganese, 

 was tried in the same way. The initial temperature at the 

 centre was 1160° C. The curve showed the molecular 

 change at 880' C, and the carbon change at 696° C. 

 At the circumference the carbon change took place no less 

 than four minutes earlier than at the centre, and at the 

 lower temperature of 665° C. This is a most important 

 point, as the rate of cooling, as Osmond has pointed out, 

 has a measurable effect upon the temperatures at which 

 molecular change occurs. The great internal strain which 

 must be set up is evident when it is borne in mind that the 

 carbon change is accompanied by a considerable alteraiion of 

 volume. It is pointed out in the report that " there can be 

 but little question that such experiments well deserve careful 

 attention, and, in the hands of competent observers, should be 

 fruitful of results." 



On the conclusion of the reading of the paper, the Presi- 

 dent called for a discussion, when Dr. Anderson was the 

 first to rise. He spoke in terms of warm praise as to the 

 value of the work done by Prof. Roberts-Austen. As an in- 

 stance, he mentioned that the method described in the report, by 

 which the temperatures of an ingot could be obtained simul- 

 taneously at the centre and the circumference, would be of the 

 greatest use in dealing with the large pieces of steel used for 

 gun-hoops ; and he expected great help from this in the work at 

 the Royal Arsenal. 



Mr. R. Hadfield, of Sheffield, followed. He gave a summary 

 of the effect of the most prominent alloys of iron. This table 

 will form a useful appendix to the report when published in the 

 Transactions of the Institution. 



Prof. Howe, of Boston, gave an instance in which the Le 

 Chatelier pyrometer had been turned to good practical account. 

 This was in the Rodman system of gun-casting. In that pro- 

 cess it was most desirable to know the varying temperatures 

 of different parts of the cast, but naturally this had been hitherto 

 impossible. By inserting a thermo couple in the mould it was 

 possible to get this information at all times. He thought the 

 Le Chatelier pyrometer the greatest boon that metallurgists had 

 received for very many years. 



The next speaker was Prof, Arnold, of Sheffield, who made a 

 certainly vigorous speech. We think, however, that he was 

 rather carried away by his enthusiasm. To say that the work 

 done by the author of the report was "not worth a rush," is 

 rather straining the prerogative of rhetoric ; and we failed to 

 see, when Prof. Arnold descended to facts, that he justified the 

 florid language of his exordium. Prof. Roberts-Austen, in his 

 reply, gave an example of forbearance and good temper which 

 it would be well if men of science could often follow. It was 

 satisfactory to notice that the feeling of the meeting was by no 

 means in accordance with Prof. Arnold. 



Mr. Stromeyer added to the work done a useful table in which 

 were collated the opinions of various authorities on the effect of 

 alloys upon iron. The table was not read, but will be pub- 

 lished in the Proceedings. Such work as this is very acceptable. 

 It involves a great deal of labour and brings but small return in 

 the way of praise and glory, which of course are two things to 

 which a true follower of science is profoundly indifferent. 



NO. 1149, VOL. 45] 



Mr. Stead, of Middlesborough, protested against Prof. 

 Arnold's remarks, and spoke of the value of the author's work.. 

 The testimony of Mr. Stead is valuable, as he combines the- 

 position of a practical investigator, working for commercial ends,, 

 and a man of science. 



The meeting broke up after passing the usual votes of thanks.. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Oxford. — The Junior Scientific Club held their first meeting 

 this term in the Physiological Laboratory at the Museum, under 

 the presidency of Mr. R. S. Gunther, of Magdalen. 



Mr. W. Puilinger, of Balliol, read a paper on volatile platinum- 

 compounds, and exhibited prepared specimens. 



Mr. A. F. S. Kent, of Magdalen, indicated improvements in 

 the manipulation of photo-micrography whereby the effect of 

 tremors was excluded, and passed through the lantern some very 

 excellent slides which he had taken from negatives obtained by 

 his new method. 



Mr. G. E. C. Pritchard, of Hertford, exhibited specimens of 

 Bacteria, and described the method whereby they had been 

 obtained and prepared for microscopic exhibition. 



Dr. Collier read a paper of a very interesting character on the 

 physiology of muscular exercise with special reference to training, 

 in the course of which he traversed some statements recently 

 made by Sir Morell Mackenzie, to the effect that fatigue was 

 due to the cessation of blood flowing to the muscles. Dr. 

 Collier would rather attribute fatigue to the development of 

 waste-products in the muscle, formed too rapidly for the blood 

 to remove ihem, and quoted experiments carried out on frogs 

 which seemed to support this view. 



Cambridge. — The Agricultural Education Syndicate, in view 

 of a grant of ;i^400 a year from the Cambridgeshire County 

 Council, recommend that a lecturer in agricultural science, who 

 shall also be director of agriculiuial studies, should be appointed 

 at a stipend of ;[f 500. They also propose that a second lecturer 

 be appointed at a stipend of £z^o. These two lecturers would 

 take between them the subjects of agricultural botany and 

 agricultural chemistry. 



The degree of M.A. honoris causd has been conferred on the 

 distinguished entomologist Mr. D. Sharp, F. R. S., Curator in- 

 Zoology at the University Museums. 



Dr. Sir A. Geikie and Dr. T. G. Bonney have been ap- 

 pointed adjudicators of the Sedgwick Prize of 1895. 



At St. John's College, on November 2, the following were 

 elected to the vacant Fellowships : William McFadden Orr, 

 B.A., Senior Wrangler, 1888; Edward Ernest Sikes, B.A., 

 First Class (Division i), Classical Tripos, 1889, Newton Student 

 in Archeology ; Percival Horton-Smith, B.A., First Class 

 Natural Sciences Tripos, 1889 90 (distinguished in physiology), 

 late Hutchinson Student in Physiology. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, October 26. — M. Duchartre in the 

 chair. — On the theory of Hertz-oscillations, by M. H. Poincare. 

 — On a new mineral — boleile, by MM. Mallard and E. Cumenge. 

 The new mineral occurs with copper in volcanic tuff and con- 

 glomerate found near Santa Rosalia, Lower California. It 

 crystallizes in the cubic system, and its composition is repre- 

 sented by the expres.-ion PbCI.^ + CuO.H^O -f iAgCI. Its 

 density is a liMle greater than that of calcite ; cleavage easy 

 parallel to the faces of cube, much less easy parallel to faces of 

 octahedrons. Approximate index of refraction, 2 "07. — Vaso- 

 motor action of bacteria, by M. Ch. Bouchard. — Contribution 

 to the botanical history of the truffle (fourth note) : Kama of 

 Bagdad {Terfezia Hafizi and Terfezia metaxasi) and of Smyrna 

 {Terfezia Leonts), by M. Ad. Chatin.— On a storm observed at 

 the Canary Islands. This is an extract from a memoir by M. 

 de la Monneraye. — On the original causes of cyclones, and on 

 their precursory signs : extract from a memoir by M. Le 

 Goarant de Tromelin.-^On the theory of the voltaic pile, by 

 M. P. Duhem. — Experimental researches on a category of 

 capillary phenomena, with an application to the analysis of 

 alcoholic liquids and others, by M. Emile Gossart.— On bromo- 



