September 28, 1893] 



NATURE 



529 



sidered that a modified mechanical theory (e.g. that of the 

 quasi-labile etlier) could explain all optical phenomena save those 

 of electro-optics. 



A discussion on "The Publication of Scientific Papers" was in- 

 troduced by the reading of Mr. A. B. Basset's paper. Mr. Basset 

 thinks it highly improbable that scientific societies of position 

 and standing would consent to sink their individuality in order 

 that arrangements might be made for the publication of all im- 

 portant papers in a central organ. The only feasible scheme 

 seems to be the publication of a digest of papers by the co- 

 operation of the various scientific societies ; and if thought 

 desirable, papers published in foreign countries might also be 

 included. The development of a well-known periodical is an 

 «asier matter than the starting of a new one ; and as many 

 authors already send abstracts of their papers to Nature, it 

 might be worth while considering whether an arrangement 

 could not be made with the proprietors of Nature by 

 which a supplemental number could be issued (say 

 •quarterly) containing a digest of the most important 

 papers published during that period. Mr. J. Swinburne 

 characterised the present system, of publishing physical papers as 

 being about as bad as it could be. Papers should be printed 

 and circulated beforehand so as to leave time at meetings for 

 useful discussions. He thought the Physical Society was the 

 «Bost hopeful body to look to, and advised the sending of all 

 physical papers to it. Prof. Fitzgerald agreed with Mr. Swin- 

 burne that the publication of titles ov indexes alone was un- 

 satisfactory ; it was like giving a stone to a man who asked for 

 bread. Abstracts were better, for they gave a little bread with 

 the stone, and he advised the translation of Wiedemann's 

 BeibUilter into English. The Philosophical Magazine was the 

 personal property of Dr. Francis, and even in the interests of 

 science it was unreasonable to try to evict a man from his own 

 property. The discussion was continued by Prof Riicker, Prof. 

 Carey Foster, and Lord Rayleigh ; and the President in sum- 

 ming up said that the general opinion appeared to be that the 

 matter should be considered by a committee of the Royal 

 Society, if possible in conjunction with the Physical Society. 



A new form of air-pump by Prof. J. J. Thompson was exhi- 

 'i bited, in which two objects had been aimed at: — (l) to use 

 sulphuric acid instead of mercury ; (2) to make the pump self- 

 ■acting and automatic. 



Mr. F. T. Trouton made a communication on a peculiar 

 motion assumed by oil bubbles in ascending tubes containing 

 caustic solutions. A long glass tube was exhibited containing 

 ,1 bubble (about 3 inches long) of sweet oil in a very dilute 

 solution of caustic potash. On inverting the tube the bubble 

 liegins to rise, and waves develop on its surface like the knots on 

 a bamboo. These aie unslable, and presently resolve into 

 spiral waves which are more stable, because they leave spaces 

 along which the solution can stream past the bubble. If the 

 tube is inclined instead of inverted the bubble crawls up with a 

 slow, caterpillar-like motion. 



Dr. R. H. Mill gave a most interesting account of the rela- 



• n between the temperatures of sea water and air in the Clyde 



I area, and illustrated his remarks by an excellent series of 

 slides. After a somewhat unintelligible communication by Mr. 

 F.. Major '" On the disturbance of a fluid consisting of hard 

 [■articles by a moving body, with special reference to the ether," 

 ■he meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the President. 



flEMIS TRY AT THE BRITISH ASSOCIA TION. 



\ MONO the advantages of the sectional meetings of the 

 British .\s50ciati0n are the opportunites they afford for 

 ...icussions on scientific matters of special interest, and for the 

 exhibition of experiments and specimens to a wider audience 

 than is often available at the meetings of any single scientific 

 I society. The meeting of Section B at Nottingham will be 

 'chiefly remembered on account of the success of these two 

 ' atures, and it is to tliem that attention will be specially de- 

 ted in the necessarily brief account which follows. 

 The papers read on the opening day, after the President's 

 address, were chiefly connected with the chemistry of the 

 metals. 



Dr. Gladstone gave an account of some tools and ornaments 

 of copper discovered by Dr. Flinders Petiie and Mr. Bliss in 

 Kgypt and Palestine. From the chemical examination of some 



NO. 1248, VOT,. 48] 



of these it is concluded that their necessary hardness was im- 

 parted by the presence of cuprous oxide. 



In a paper by H. Harris and T. Turner a furnace used by the 

 natives of Bengal for smelting iron was described. It is a small 

 shaft furnace, about three feet high, and is capable of pro- 

 ducing iron of great purity, from magnetic ore and native 

 charcoal, without the addition of flux. 



The Report of the Committee for obtaining an International 

 Standard for the Analysis of Iron and Steel was read by T. 

 Turner. The work of the British Committee is complete as 

 far as the first four standards are concerned. A report, subject 

 to slight revision, has been issued by the American Committee. 

 Their results agree very well with those obtained by the English 

 Committee. Standard 5 is held ovei- for later investigation, 

 after the work of all the committees is complete. 



G. J. Fowler read a paper on the preparation and properties 

 of Nitride of Iron. His results confirm those obtained by 

 Stahlschmidt, according to which nitride of iron has a definite 

 composition corresponding to the formula Fe^N. It dissolves in 

 acid according to the following equation : 



aFejN -f 5H„S0j = 4FeS04 -(- (NHj^^SOj-f H., 



By means of this reaction the author, in conjunction with Mr. 

 P. J. Hartog, has attempted to determine the heat of formation 

 of the nitride. Agreeing experiments show it to be formed with 

 evolution of about three calories. 



Specimens of Cyano-nitride of Titanium obtained from Ferro- 

 manganese were described and exhibited by T. W. Hogg. 

 This substance has been found present, disseminated in micro- 

 scopic crystals, in every specimen of high percentage ferro- 

 manganese exairined by the author. It can be obtained by 

 elutriation of the carbonaceous residue, left after solution of the 

 alloy in dilute hydrochloric acid, cupric chloride, &c. , and has 

 been identified by qualitative analysis, and by comparison with 

 cyano-nitride of titanium obtained from the blast furnace. 



On Friday the communications dealt chiefly with the chemical 

 action of light, and the chemistry of the halogens. 



Prof. Hummel read the Report of the Committee for investi- 

 gating the action of Light upon Dyed Colours. Reds were the 

 colours chiefly examined ; of these the eosins were found to be 

 the most fugitive. The great bulk of the fast reds belong to the 

 azo-colours. It was especially pointed out that certain reds 

 obtained from natural dye-stuffs are more fugitive than many 

 artificial colours. 



After the reading of this report, the President called upon 

 M. Meslans, chief assistant to M. Moissan, to demonstrate 

 the Method of Isolation, and the Properties of Fluorine. The 

 experiments, which were followed with great interest by a large 

 audience, were eminently successful. The apparatus used was 

 the same as that already described in Natuee. On passing a 

 current rather exceeding twenty-five amperes through the solu- 

 tion of potassium fluoride in hydrofluoric acid cooled by the 

 evaporation of methyl chloride to - if, fluorine was disengaged 

 at the positive pole, its presence becoming evident by the strong 

 smell of ozone. The combustions of silicon, boron, phosphorus, 

 iodine and carbon in the gas, were shown with great success. 



M. Moissan's apparatus for determining the density of fluorine 

 was shown. After the vote of thanks to M. Moissan and to M. 

 Meslans, proposed by Sir Henry Roscoe, and seconded by Prof. 

 Thorpe, had been carried by acclamation, a telegram, at the 

 suggestion of Sir Henry Roscoe, was despatched by the Presi- 

 dent to M. Moissan, congratulating him on the success of the 

 experiments. A reply was afterwards received from M. Mois- 

 san regretting his inability to be present at the meeting. 



Specimens of M. Moissan's artificial diamonds, and of the 

 Carbide of Uranium which coruscates brilliantly on shaking 

 the bottle containing it, were shown to the section. 



Dr. S. Rideal described the resultsofhisexperiments to deter- 

 mine the Iodine Value of Sunlight in the high Alps. The experi- 

 ments were made at St. Moritz in the Engadine, at a height of 

 about 7000 feet, the method being exactly in accordance with 

 that recommended by the Manchester Air Analysis Committee. 

 From comparison of the results with some obtained in Man- 

 chester at the same time of year (viz., January), it appears that 

 as much sunshine falls upon Si. Moritz in one day as upon 

 Manchester in ten. It is this large amount of sunshine doubt- 

 less which renders St. Moritz so favourable a health resort. It 

 appears from some experiments made in the Alps by Prof. 

 Dixon by and Dr. Kohn that above a certain height the amount 



