16 CHARLES ANTHONY GOESSMANN 



In April 1857, notwithstanding the prospect of 

 further advancement, Goessmann left Gottingen. He 

 was led to this step, partly because of an urgent invi- 

 tation from the Eastwick Brothers of Philadelphia, 

 former pupils of his in technical chemistry, to visit 

 America and assume the chemical direction of an 

 extensive sugar refinery, but chiefly because it was in 

 accord with the advice of his revered teacher, which 

 was 'to see something of the world and study the 

 great industries.' 'Unfortunately, I am to lose him,' 

 wrote Wohler to Liebig at this time, 'for five years my 

 assistant and known to you through his works.' l 



He obtained from the University Curatorium a three 

 years' leave of absence, for the purpose of studying the 

 chemical industries of France, England and the United 

 States. At his departure he was informed by the 

 authorities that whenever within the three years he 

 chose to return, he should be promoted to a professor- 

 ship. That he fully expected to return to Germany 

 there seems little doubt. It was not until some time 

 after he had entered upon his work at Syracuse that he 

 definitely resolved to remain in America. 



The next few weeks were spent visiting some of the 

 leading German universities, as well as many manu- 

 facturing, refining, and industrial establishments in 

 Germany and France, thus giving him an opportunity 

 of seeing and becoming familiar with a great variety 

 of chemical operations on a large scale. During this 

 tour he met many of the foremost chemists of the Con- 

 tinent. He saw Bunsen at Heidelberg, Erdmann at 



1 Liebig-WoJiler Briefwechsel, Bd. ii. S. 40. 



