May 17, 1900] 



NATURE 



67 



lying to the north-west. Such an arrangement would naturally 

 lead to the formation of narrow and comparatively flat-bottomed 

 valleys behind rocky gorges, the latter being cut through the 

 vertical beds of hard grit and conglomerate along the Highland 

 border. Evidence is adduced to show how this remarkable 

 structure likewise contributed to the erosion of rock basins during 

 the glacial period. The glacial phenomena of the region are 

 reviewed, which indicate at least two periods of glaciation ; one, 

 when the ice-shed lay to the north of the area under considera- 

 tion, when the ice-movement was independent of the existing 

 valley-system, and when even the highest mountains were over- 

 ridden by the ice. This great development was followed by a 

 period of local glaciation, when the glaciers were confined 

 mainly to the e.xisting valleys. Lastly, the soundings of the 

 various lochs are viewed in relation to the geological history of 

 the area, and with reference to the question of the origin of the 

 various lakes. It is shown that some of the lochs are typical 

 examples of rock basins, that in some instances the deepest 

 soundings occur in front of the rocky barriers at or near their 

 outlets. Reference is made to all the important faults traversing 

 the region, which have led to the more rapid disintegration of 

 the materials, but though they have in certain cases produced 

 modifications of the floors of the lakes, they cannot account for 

 the excavation of the rock basins. The soundings of Loch 

 Lubnaig reveal the striking fact that one of the deep basins in 

 that lake lies on the upthrow side of the most powerful fault 

 traversing the crystalline schists of that region. Messrs. Peach 

 and Home believe that the soundings of the various lakes in the 

 basin of the Teith above Callander furnish strong evidence in 

 support of Ramsay's theory of their excavation by ice-action. 



The paper is illustrated by seven coloured maps, the first three 

 showing on a small scale the orography and drainage areas, the 

 surface geology and the rainfall of the district, the other four 

 showing on a larger scale the bathymetry of the various lochs 

 and the relief of the surrounding country. There are also 

 numerous woodcuts, some of which are reproduced in this 

 review. 



IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE. 

 'X*HE annual meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute was held 

 on Wednesday and Thursday, May 9 and 10, in the hall of 

 the Institution of Civil Engineers, under the presidency of Sir 

 William Roberts- Austen, K.C.B., F.R S. The attendance of 

 members was larger than at any previous gathering. The 

 report of the council, which was read by the secretary, Mr. 

 Bennett H. Brough, showed that the Institute is in a flourishing 

 condition. The receipts last year were greater than in any 

 previous year, no new members were added to the roll, the 

 supply 'of original papers was well maintained, and a Royal 

 Charter of Incorporation had been granted. After the usual 

 formal business, the president presented the Bessemer gold 

 medal for 1900 to Mr. Henri de Wendel, the eminent French 

 metallurgist, in recognition of his great services to metallurgy in 

 developing the iron-ore resources of French and German Lor- 

 raine. Mr. de Wendel having expressed his appreciation of the 

 honour conferred upon him, Mr. Stead announced that he had 

 decided to postpone the reading of his paper until the autumn 

 meeting in Paris. 



Mr. J. Riley then described the various attempts that have 

 been made to use fluid metal in the open-hearth furnace. The 

 results he obtained at Wishaw, in 1898, were encouraging, and 

 experience over a considerable period show that great advantages 

 are derived from the adoption of this method. The best future 

 open-hearth practice, he considers, will include the use of fluid 

 metal direct from the blast furnaces. 



The next paper read was one of most conspicuous novelty, by 

 Mr. B. Talbot, on the open-hearth continuous steel process. 

 This process was introduced at the Pencoyd steelworks in Penn- 

 sylvania. The furnace used is a basic-lined tilting furnace of 

 seventy-five tons capacity. Many thousands of tons of steel 

 have been made by this method with very satisfactory results, all 

 grades of steel having been produced. The cost and delay in 

 charging cold material is avoided. There is a saving in fuel in 

 charging molten pig iron. The demand for a large supply of 

 good scrap is dispensed with. A regular supply of steel in any 

 desired quantity and at frequent intervals is insured. There is 

 an increased output, an increased yield, and a saving in repairs 

 and in labour charges. At the same time it is possible to use 



NO. 1594. VOL. 62] 



very large furnaces, with consequent reduction in cost of pro- 

 duction, without the necessity for very large cranes and ladles. 

 A long discussion followed the reading of the paper, the opinion 

 being general that the process is an important advance in open- 

 hearth steel practice. 



Mr. A. Greiner gave an account of the results obtained at the 

 Cockerill works, Belgium, with the first blowing-engine worked 

 by blast-furnace gas ever employed in any ironworks. This 600 

 horse-power engine has been running since November 20 last 

 with unpurified gas taken from the Seraing blast-furnaces. 



Baron H. von Jiintner submitted a further instalment of his 

 researches on the theory of solution of iron and steel. He dis- 

 cussed the application of the laws of chemical mechanics in the 

 case of iron carbon alloys, and showed what an important bear- 

 ing thermo-chemistry possesses for a knowledge of the constitu- 

 tion of the alloys of iron and their alterations of state. 



The meeting then adjourned until May 10, when Mr. C. 

 Dellwik dealt with the manufacture and application of water- 

 gas, describing the production of the gas by means of a simple 

 apparatus with a degree of economy surpassing that of other 

 less valuable gas. Whilst in the old processes the gas leaving 

 the generator during the blow contains principally carbon 

 monoxide and nitrogen, in the author's process it consists chiefly 

 of carbon dioxide .and nitrogen. 



The subject of utilising blast-furnace slag is a fruitful source 

 of inquiry, and a recent important development was dealt with 

 by Mr. C. von Schwarz. This is a successful method of manu- 

 facturing cement from blast-furnace slag, recently employed in 

 (jermany and Belgium. The cement thus made obtains a 

 higher price in the market than ordinary Portland cement. 



Mr. L. F. Gjers and Mr. J. H. Harrison described an 

 apparatus for equalising the varying temperatures of hot blast. 

 Hitherto the hot blast has been allowed to enter the furnace as 

 it left the stove, and in order to obviate the interference with 

 the steady working of the furnace, the authors have devised an 

 apparatus consisting practically of another small stove with a 

 central division wall. It is filled with chequer work ; and the 

 hot blast, entering at one side of varying temperature, is 

 delivered out at the other side at an even mean temperature. 



The form of ingot that would seem to be the most natural for 

 the manufacture of a gun-tube or a propeller shaft is one with a 

 circular section. Mr. F. J. R. Carulla, however, pointed out the 

 drawbacks of this form, and showed that a polygonal ingot with 

 concave sides answers the required conditions. 



Mr. H. K. Scott contributed a paper on manganese ore de- 

 posits and mining in Brazil, giving a detailed account of the 

 geological structure of the deposits, and of the economic 

 development of the industry. 



After the usual votes of thanks to the Institution of Civil 

 Engineers, proposed by Sir John Alleyne, Bart., and to the 

 president for his conduct in the chair, proposed by Mr. 

 Carnegie, the proceedings terminated. Incidentally, Mr. 

 Carnegie announced his intention of founding a scholarship 

 in connection with the Iron and Steel Institute for the advance- 

 ment of research in connection with iron and steel. 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY CONVERSAZIONE. 



'T'HE general opinion of the scientific company at the Royal 

 -^ Society on Wednesday, May 9, on the occasion of the first 

 of the two soirees held annually, was that novel and striking 

 exhibits were not so numerous as in some exhibitions of previous 

 years. The following were among the most noteworthy 

 exhibits : — 



Mr. Richard Kerr showed a clock controlled at a distance by 

 wireless telegraphy of the Hertzian wave system. Mr, J. 

 Wimshurst, F.R.S., exhibited an influence machine, constructed 

 with twelve plates of vulcanite. Prof. Silvanus P. Thompson, 

 F.R.S., showed some pretty electromagnetic experiments, one 

 being the converse of De La Rive's experiment, using floating 

 magnet instead of floating battery, and others showing new 

 varieties of the De La Rive experiment (see p. 71). Prof. 

 Minchin, F.R.S., showed that luminous flashes could be 

 induced in a helium tube by Hertz waves. 



An electric micrometer was shown by Mr. P. E. Shaw. The 

 instrument was designed primarily to measure the small move- 

 ments of a telephone diaphragm. A screw abuts on a system of 

 three levers, set up on a strong wooden frame. By turning the 



