April 7, 1870] 
distinct to show that it was due to uranous oxide. Though the 
presence of zirconia prevented solution by pure carbonate of soda, 
the addition of a little borax enabled me to prove that uranic 
oxide is really present in some jargons. Such then being 
the case, it seemed desirable to ascertain whether the oxides 
of uranium would give rise to any special spectra when 
present along with zirconia in crystalline blowpipe-beads. 
To my astonishment I found that the spectra were precisely 
the same as those obtained in the case of what I had thought 
to be an approximately pure new earth.* Hence the very 
abnormal spectra, which seemed sufficient to establish the 
existence of a new earth, are really due to compounds of 
zirconia with the oxides of uranium, which have such a power- 
ful action on light, that an almost inappreciable amount is 
sufficient to produce the spectra to great perfection—in fact so 
small an amount, that the total quantity which misled me was 
only a few thousandths of a grain; andits presence*might easily 
have remained unsuspected, if I had not discovered the car- 
bonate of soda test just named. In the case of transparent 
blowpipe-beads of borax with microcosmic salt, it is requisite 
to haye as much as about » grain of uranous oxide to 
show faintly the characteristic absorption-bands, whereas, when 
present along with zirconia in the crystalline beads, syt00 
grain gives an equally well-marked spectrum ; and s55 grain 
shows it far better than a larger quantity, which makes the 
beads too opaque. These very minute quantities were ob- 
tained by the repeated division of a small known weight, 
either before or after fusion with borax. This spectrum also 
differs very considerably from the spectra of the usual salts 
or blowpipe-beads of uranous oxide. On comparing them side 
by side, the only common peculiarity is the fact of there being 
numerous absorption-bands distributed over a large part of 
the spectrum; but they do not correspond in either number or 
position. On the contrary, they differ almost as much as possible; 
and the darker bands in the spectrum of this zirconia compound 
occur where the transmitted light is the brightest in other cases. 
One of the most striking peculiarities of the spectrum of some 
jargons is, that when light passes in a direction perpendicular to 
the principal axis of the crystal, and the spectrum is divided by 
means of a double-image prism into two spectra, having the light 
polarised in opposite planes, though some of the absorption-bands 
are of equal intensity in both images, yet others are compara- 
tively absent, some in one and some in the other; whereas, in 
the case of other dichroic crystals, all the absorption-bands are 
usually more distinct in one image, and fainter, or even compara- 
tively absent, in the other. The general character of the spec- 
trum was entirely unlike that of all the known compounds of 
uranic oxide. Instead of the moderately broad absorption-bands 
in the blue end, ignited jargons give a most unusually large number 
of narrow black lines, extending from the red end, so that nearly 
all occur in that part of the spectrum which is entirely free from 
bands in all previously known compounds of uranic oxide. 
Besides uranium, and several of the more common earths and 
oxides, I have detected in some zircons erbium, didymium, 
yttria, and another substance which exists in such small 
quantity that I have not yet been able to ascertain whether 
orno it isthe suspected new earth. These accidental constituents 
do not indeed occurin sufficient quantity to be of importance, except 
as modifying the physical and optical properties, the didymium 
giving the usual characteristic absorption-bands (zircons from 
Sveneroe, Norway), and the manganese, the same spectrum as 
that of garnets (zircons from an unknown locality in Siberiat). 
The oxide of uranium is so easily reduced at a high temperature 
to the state of protoxide in a borax-bead, with excess of boric 
acid, and is so readily peroxidised at a dull-red heat, when 
crystallised along with borate of zirconia, that there seemed good 
reason to refer the change in the spectra to temperature rather 
than to the state of oxidisation, until after it was found that they 
were due to uranium. By gently flaming the crystalline bead, 
the spectrum is entirely altered, and presents five well-marked 
absorption-bands, all of which occur at the red end, where no trace 
of bands exists in the case of ordinary uranic salts. I have not 
found any other element besides zirconia which causes uranium to 
give similar abnormal spectra, at all events in similar conditions. 
A few have special characters, but the majority exert little or no 
influence. Even when the blowpipe-beads are crystalline, they 
show only the usual spectra of the oxides of uranium. Moreover 
no such great change in the character of the spectra of other 
* Figs. 1 and 2 of my former paper. 
+ For both of these I am indebted to my kind friend Mr. Dayid Forbes. 
INNING SE, 
589 
elements which give absorption-bands is to be seen when they 
are combined with zirconia. So far as my present experience 
goes, it seems as if such very abnormal spectra were met with 
only in the case of these remarkable compounds of zirconia with 
the oxides of uranium. These facts now put us in a position 
to explain why certain zircons give three different spectra. 
Some jargons (usually those of a green tint) contain a little 
uranium so combined that the characteristic spectrum is only 
faintly visible, whereas, after ignition, the intensity of the absorp- 
tion bands is permanently increased often to a very great extent, 
and this more powerful action on light is accompanied by an 
increase in hardness and in specific gravity, sometimes as much 
as from 4°20 to 4°60. These changes are approximately pro- 
portional to the amount of uranic oxide in the various 
specimens, as shown by comparing the spectra of the blow- 
pipe-beads. On the whole, since this abnormal type of 
spectrum is so characteristic of combination with zirconia, it 
appears probable that the effect of a high temperature is to 
cause the uranic oxide to combine more specially with the 
zirconia, as though the greater part existed naturally as a silicate, 
but after ignition as a zirconiate. We may also apply the same 
explanation in the case of zircons, more or less strongly coloured 
by other oxides, which become almost colourless when heated ; 
and this unexplained peculiarity of zircons may depend on the 
fact of zirconia being able to play the part of both a base and 
an acid, which as compared with silica has an affinity for bases 
varying according to the temperature. The brown-red zircon 
from Ceylon, named at page 514 of my former paper, gives a 
spectrum precisely like that of the borax blowpipe-beads crys- 
tallised after treatment in the deoxidising flame. No doubt 
it contains uranous oxide. These facts thus clearly show 
that the various spectra which seemed to indicate the presence 
of a new element existing in three different physical conditions, 
are in reality only characteristic of the two oxides of uranium 
combined with zirconia, or not in combination. — Perhaps 
some may think that my having been thus led astray shows that 
little or no reliance can be placed on the method of investigation 
employed, but I contend that the mistake was due to its being 
such an unexpectedly delicate test for uranium ; moreover, the 
error was ultimately corrected by a further development of the 
same method. As far as the interests of science are concerned, 
there is no need to regret the general result. We have lost 
what appeared to be good evidence of a new earth, but have 
gained an almost entirely new system of blowpipe testing, which 
enables us to detect such a minute quantity of some substances 
as could not be recognised by the ordinary means. 
H. C. Sorsy 
THE RELATION OF THE STATE TO 
ROBIN GIS, 
WE have referred in another column to Lieut.-Colonel 
Strange’s valuable paper, read before ‘the Society of 
Arts. The following is a report of the more important 
part of it. After giving a sketch of the history of the 
movement in favour of a recognition by the Government, 
of the necessity of defining the relations which should 
subsist between the State and scientific education through- 
out the country, commencing with the meeting of the 
British Association at Norwich in 1868, Colonel Strange 
proceeds to state the points which he thinks should be espe- 
cially kept in view in the proposed inquiry. These are :— 
1. The scope which the inquiry should include. 
2. Some of the probable results of the inquiry. 
3. The constitution of the Commission itself. 
1. Lhe Scope of the Inquiry.—The first thing to do will cer- 
tainly be to take stock of what is now done by the State for 
advancing science. A reference to the parliamentary votes 
shows a considerable expenditure on science, in some form or 
other. The British Museum receives upwards of 100,000/. 
a year, the South Kensington Museum 92,000/., and the Science 
and Art Schools 74,000/., but in these cases a large proportion 
goes to art, not wholly to science.* The Royal Observatories of 
Greenwich, Edinburgh, and the Cape of Good Hope, the Royal 
School of Mines, the Ordnance Survey, the Hydrographic De- 
partment of the Admiralty, are all scientific branches of the admi- 
* The total amount voted in the Estimates, for 1869-70, to maintain the 
“Science and Art Department of the United Kingdom” was 225,253/, 
