March 30, 19 16] 



NATURE 



] II 



BRITISH LABORATORY GLASS-WARE. 



AT the outbreak of the war the manufacture of 

 glass for chemical and physical purposes was 

 practically a monopoly of " the Central Powers," and, 

 since most British apparatus dealers replenish their 

 stocks in the summer, the supply available in August, 

 19 14, was very limited. Realising the gravity of the 

 situation, the British Science Guild and the Associa- 

 tion of Public School Science Masters approached the 

 leading educational authorities asking them to under- 

 take to buy only glass of British manufacture during 

 the war and for three years after it ended ; the re- 

 sponse was very satisfactory, and more than 75 per 

 cent, of the schools represented on the Headmasters' 

 Conference gave the required promise. 



While this action was being taken the majority of 

 the firms of apparatus dealers formed "The British 

 Laboratory Ware Association," which enlarged some 

 of the existing glass houses, and has placed some very 

 satisfactory material on the market-. Messrs. Baird 

 and Tatlock decided, however, to open new glass 

 houses of their own at Walthamstow, instead of join- 

 ing the association ; these houses are now in full work- 

 ing order, and the firm has just issued a catalogue. 

 The glass is of two qualities : (i) a hard, boro-silicate 

 glass of practically the same composition as Jena, 

 from which they manufacture flasks, beakers, etc. ; 

 and (2) a soda glass, which is principally used for 

 drawing tubing. We have used apparatus made from 

 each material, and find it thoroughly satisfactory in 

 every respect; their " Duroglass " beakers and flasks 

 stand sudden .changes of temperature fully as well as 

 did those made abroad, whilst their shape compares 

 very favourably with the early attempts of the British 

 glass-blowers ; their soda glass tubing is easy to work, 

 as it shows no sign of devitrifying in the flame, a 

 property which will be much appreciated bv those, who 

 experimented with British glass tubing fifteen months 

 ago. 



Unfortunately the prices charged bv both the British 

 Laboratory Ware Association and Messrs. Baird and 

 Tatlock are considerably higher than those charged 

 for Bohemian glass before the war; and if the trade 

 is to rernain in this countr}- it will be necessarv for a 

 substantial reduction to be made when conditions are 

 once more normal. Without entering upon the poli- 

 tical aspect of the case, we sincerely trust some means 

 will be devised for preventing our 'works and labora- 

 tories again becoming dependent upon foreign sup- 

 plies. 



SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL 

 RESEARCH. 

 Work of the Advisory Council. 

 J N order that the Advisory Council may be in a 

 position to do justice to the branches of industry 

 concerned in proposed researches of great importance 

 which have been submitted to the council by institu- 

 tions and individuals, it has decided to appoint stand- 

 ing committees of experts. Strong committees in 

 mining and metallurgv have already been constituted, 

 consisting both of scientific men and of leaders of the 

 industries concerned. The Mining Committee will 

 have two sections, dealing respectivelv with the 

 mining of non-metals and the mining of Vetals. Sir 



"i parforth, the well-known coalowner, has 

 accepted the chairmanship of the commiftee and of the 

 non-metals section ; and Mr. Edgar Tavlor, of the 

 "f"^ . ,?r ^^ylo*" and Sons, owners and managers 

 ot metalliferous mines in vario is parts of the world, 

 S^ ^%^vF^^t *^^ chairmanship of the metals sec- 

 ^^r ^ Metallurg>^ Committee will also have two 

 sections, dealing in this case with ferrous and non- 



ferrous metals respectively. Sir Gerald Muntz, Bart., 

 of Muntz Metal Co., Ltd., Birmingham, has accepted 

 the chairmanship of the committee and of the non- 

 ferrous section ; and Sir Robert Hadfield, of 

 Hadfield's, Ltd., Sheflield, has accepted the chair- 

 manship of the ferrous section. The Advisory Council 

 hopes at an early date to constitute a similar com- 

 mittee for engineering. 



Up to the present the council has been engaged in 

 work which is mainly initiatory and preparatory in 

 character. For example, in order that investigations 

 already in progress should so far as possible be carried 

 on in spite of the war, scientific and professional socie- 

 ties were invited to submit applications for aid to 

 continue researches for which the necessary staff and 

 equipment were obtainable. Grants have already been 

 made, or will shortly be made, to the Institution of 

 Mechanical Engineers (hardness tests and the pro- 

 perties and composition of alloys), to the Institution 

 of Electrical Engineers (heating of buried cables and 

 the properties of insulating oils), to the Institute of 

 Chemistry (laboratory glass and optical glass), to the 

 Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (methods of ex- 

 tracting tin and tungsten), to the Institute of Metals 

 (corrosion of non-ferrous metals), to the Institution 

 of Gas Engineers (refractory materials), to the Man- 

 chester Association of Engineers (tool steel experi- 

 ments), and to the National Physical Labcratorv 

 (optical glass). Other proposals of the same type are 

 still under consideration. Timely and valuable results 

 have been quite recently obtained from the researches 

 carried out by Prof. Herbert Jackson under the 

 auspices of the Institute of Chemistry and from the 

 researches carried out at the National Physical Labora- 

 tory by Dr. Rosenhain. The Advisory Council has 

 also recommended a grant in aid of an imp>ortant new 

 research into the manufacture of hard porcelain, 

 especially for domestic purposes. This has been under- 

 taken by the governing body of the Stoke-on-Trent 

 Central School of Science and Technology, in conjunc- 

 tion with the Staffordshire Potteries Manufacturers' 

 Association, with a view to the establishment of the 

 manufacture of hard porcelain in this countrv". 



Particulars have been obtained of the research work 

 not only of the scientific and professional societies, but 

 also of the universities and higher technical schools, 

 with a view to the establishment of a register of 

 research. The possibility of proceeding to collect in 

 the near future information under seal of confidence 

 as^ to the research work of particular firms is also 

 being considered. 



The training of an adequate supplv of research 

 workers will be an important branch of the Advisory 

 Council's work, and the steps to be taken for that 

 purpose will require much careful thought. It is 

 impossible to announce definitive plans during the 

 war, but the Advisory Council is so much alive to 

 the urgency of the matter that it has thoug^ht it 

 necessary to take immediate interim action, and has, 

 therefore, made recommendations which, if adopted, 

 will, it is bplieved. secure th^t all that is practicable 

 in existing circumstances shall be done. 



NO. 2422, VOL. 97J 



CHEMISTRY AND NATIONAL 

 I PROSPERITY.^ 



j 'yHE remark of a French savant that this was a 

 I country where the apothecaries call themselves 



, chemists, might, as one of the consequences of the 

 war, become less pointed than formerly. But it would 

 I be an even greater consequence if in future ours ceased 

 I to be a country where money was synonymous with 



I 1 ^hs.ra-t of an nHdr^^s to th«^ Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce o 

 ' Ftbniary 8, by Prof. F. Soddy, F.R.S. 



