May 8, 19 19] 



NATURE 



187 



separate sub-groups. In the present case the sixty- 

 four years were divided into three periods, 1854-73, 

 1874-93, 1894-1917; the semidiurnal components 

 obtained by analysis of the three corresponding 

 mean hourly inequalities of pressure were, in mm. 

 of mercury, 



o'ooSosin (2i+ 96° 



00089 sin (24+ 112° 



00104 sin (2f + 127°,, 



between which there is sufficiently satisfactory 

 accordance. 



On comparing the determinations for Batavia 

 and Greenwich it appears that the amplitude of 

 the lunar atmospheric tide varies approximately 

 as cos* A, where \ is the latitude. At Greenwich 

 the tide is nearly an hour in advance of the moon, 

 whereas at Batavia the order is reversed. It is 

 possible that the amplitude and phase are subject 

 to some modification from local causes. The fact 

 that the observed tide is larger than the equi- 

 librium tidal theory would predict may be attri- 

 buted to the occurrence of resonance with a free 

 period of atmospheric vibration of rather shorter 

 duration. But, as Laplace suggested, the rise and 

 fall of the oceans may also be partly responsible 

 for the observed tide, and, if so, some differences 

 might be expected between the results from 

 oceanic and continental stations in the same lati- 

 tude. The lunar tidal range of pressure is equi- 

 valent to the weight of a column of air of normal 

 density of height 4-4 ft. at Batavia and about 

 7 in. at Greenwich. Hence in northern latitudes 

 quite a small tide, existing over a considerable 

 area, might suffice to affect the tide in the atmo- 

 sphere to an appreciable degree. (fj 



S. Chapman. 



INTER-ALLIED CO-OPERATION IN 

 CHEMISTRY. 

 TNTER-ALLIED co-operation in chemistry, of 

 -■■ which a brief notice appeared in Nature for 

 April 24, should be of interest to all men of 

 science, for what is true of chemistry is very 

 largely true of all branches of science. Men of 

 genius have developed in all countries, and of the 

 really important scientific discoveries the Allies 

 have contributed at least their due proportion, if 

 not more. But the total volume of scientific work 

 turned out by Germany during the last fifty years 

 has been immense, and in the application of scien- 

 tific discoveries to chemical manufactures the 

 Germans have been easily first. Moreover, in the 

 laborious and useful work of abstracting, index- 

 ing, and publishing, the Germans have displayed 

 their usual methodical industry; and they have 

 not by any means under-estimated their achieve- 

 ments, or neglected to give them world-wide 

 advertisement. 



A good deal of antipathy to Germans and 

 German ways now prevails, especially in those 

 countries which have experienced German methods 

 of devastation. French chemists and chemical 

 manufacturers can scarcely be expected during this 

 generation to co-operate in any way with their 

 NO. 2584. VOL. 103] 



eastern neighbours, and they have invited the 

 Allied chemists, pure and applied, to join them in 

 undertaking a mass of work which hitherto has 

 been done, and, on the whole, well done, by 

 Germany. In chemical matters there has been 

 during the war a considerable amount of real co- 

 operation between the Allies. The French, Ameri- 

 cans, and British have been of great help to each 

 other in solving chemical problems, both of re- 

 search and manufacture. It is felt that the Allies 

 will all gain by continuing, so far as is possible, 

 the co-operation thus begun. 



Prof. Moureu presided over the recent confer- 

 ence in Paris, and among his French colleagues 

 were Profs. Haller, Behal, and Matignon, MM. 

 Kestner, Poulenc, Marquis, and Gerard. The 

 British delegates were Prof. Louis, Sir William 

 Pope, Messrs. Chaston Chapman, W. F. Reid, 

 E. Thompson, and S. Miall. America was repre- 

 sented by Mr. Henry Wigglesworth, Lt.-Cols. 

 Bartow, Norris, and Zanetti, Dr. Cottrell, and 

 Major Keyes; Italy by Senator Paternd, Drs. 

 Pomilio, Giordani, and Parodi-Delfino ; and 

 Belgium by MM. Chavanne and Crismer. 



It was unanimously decided to form an Inter- 

 Allied Federal Council of not more than six repre- 

 sentatives of each of the countries mentioned 

 above, the members to hold office for three years, 

 one-third to retire annually and be eligible for re- 

 election. The executive body is to consist of a 

 president, a vice-president, and a general secre- 

 tary. M. Jean Gerard will provisionally act as the 

 secretary. In addition to the council a consulta- 

 tive committee will be formed, consisting of as 

 many sections as may be necessary to secure the 

 complete representation of pure and applied 

 chemistry. The objects of the confederation are : 

 To strengthen the bonds of esteem and friendship 

 existing during the war between the Allied 

 peoples ; to organise permanent co-operation 

 between the associations of the Allied nations; to 

 co-ordinate their scientific and technical resources ; 

 and to contribute towards the progress of 

 chemistry in the whole of its domain. 



Neutral countries may be admitted later. The 

 next meeting of the conference will be held in 

 London on July 15-18, that being the date of the 

 annual meeting of the Society of Chemical 

 Industry. 



So far as Britain is concerned, the choice of 

 representatives and the supervision of the arrange- 

 ments for the first meeting will be in the hands 

 of the Federal Council for Pure and Applied 

 Chemistry, of which Sir William Pope is presi- 

 dent and Prof. H. E. Armstrong the honorary 

 secretary. Until the various nations concerned 

 have chosen their representatives, little can be 

 done, but Sir William Pope and Prof. Louis are 

 provisionally acting as the British representatives, 

 and are in communication with their French col- 

 leagues. 



The meeting in Paris was held under the 

 auspices of the French chemical societies, espe- 

 cially the Soci6t^ de Chimie Industrielle, the presi- 

 dent of which, M. Paul Kestner, presided at some 



