214 Britain's Heritage of Science 



some earlier work of Worblewsky, he succeeded in not only 

 liquefying, but also solidifying, hydrogen. By using liquid 

 hydrogen, he was finally able to condense helium. He made 

 extensive investigations on the properties of bodies at low 

 temperatures, and his determination of the specific heats of 

 elements as they approach the absolute zero of temperature 

 has thrown quite a new light on the laws which up till then 

 were believed to connect specific heat and atomic weight. 

 Referring to his discovery of the absorptive properties of 

 charcoal, we may quote the words of the President of the 

 Royal Society in awarding him the Copley Medal in 1916 : 

 " Many of the most interesting and important investigations 

 made in Physics in recent years would have been impossible 

 but for his invention of the method of obtaining very high 

 vacua by the use of charcoal immersed in liquid air or 

 hydrogen." 



A few words may be said in conclusion on the activities 

 of the British Association, which held its first meeting 

 at York in 1831. Its object was mainly the same as that 

 which in the seventeenth century originated the meetings 

 which ultimately led to the foundation of the Royal Society. 

 British science in the nineteenth century could no longer be 

 confined to the metropolis, and the provision of a more 

 intimate and personal scientific intercourse between men 

 residing in different parts of the country became desirable. 

 To the outside world the meetings of the British Association 

 appear to be confined to annual discussions on a variety of 

 subjects; but the main work of the Association is carried 

 on throughout the year, and it can claim to have originated 

 scientific enterprises of the highest value and importance. 

 The introduction of scientific electrical units is the result of 

 work initiated by the British Association, and in great part 

 carried out by one of its Committees. VUnder the protection 

 and with the financial support of ; the same body, John Milne 

 was enabled to establish his international organization for the 

 observation of earth tremors, and the $ieed for the establish- 

 ment of a National Physical Laboratory was first advocated 

 by Sir Oliver Lodge at one of the meetings of the British 

 Association. 



The history of the British Association forms a good 



