164 H. Rose on a new mode of preparing Aluminium. 
The other js, that the reflection of the sun’s light from, the south- 
ern surface of the ring, which now receives it, must necessarily 
fall upon the souéhern hemisphere of the ball, which has been 
remarkably dark ever since the southern surface of the ring has 
‘been illuminated ; while the bright zone lies wholly in the north- 
ern hemisphere. The remarkable obscurity of the southern 
hemisphere at the present time seems to indicate that the effect 
of the reflection from the surface of the ring is quite inapprecia- 
ble as seen from the earth. 
Wateringbury, Jan. 11, 1855. 
Postscript.—“ Jan. 14. The night proving fine, I again care- 
fully examined Saturn, and made the following entry in my 
journal :— 
“¢ 12h 45m G.M.T. Saturn is very fine at times, though about 
335 past the meridian. It bears 705 very well; and with this 
power I have no doubt of the southern edge of the ball extend- 
ing over the division between A and B, and encroaching a trifle 
on the interior edge of A. With low powers (355 or less) there 
is sometimes an appearance of the division extending across; but 
Iam persuaded that this arises from the combined effect of the 
division coming up on each side so near the apex, aud the very 
deep tint of the apex itself, which I think is darker than the 
darkest part of the broad belt close to the equator of the planet. 
It is certainly much darker than the ring A.’” 
Arr. XX.—On a new and advantageous mode of preparing 
Aluminium ; by Prof. H. Rose. 
[Translated and read before the National Institute, Washington, D. @., Oct. 5, 1855, 
by J. Tyssowsx1, U. J. Dr.* 
_ Since the discovery of Aluminium by Wahler, Déville has re- 
cently tanght us a method of obtaining it in larger connected 
masses, in which this metal shows qualities, which had not been 
observed in the metal as obtained in the form of a powder by 
the process of Wohler. While in the latter form it burns with 
great brightness toa white clay, it may be, if fused into larger 
balls, heated to redness, without perceptibly oxydizing. These 
_ differences may be attributed to finer division and greater den- 
_ Sity, although according to Déville, Wéhler’s metal contains 
Some platinum which accounts for its less fusibility. 
After the publication of Déville’s investigations I tried also fo 
means of an additional dose of sodium. I did not follow en- 
tiely the method of Déville, but stratified the salt with 
; | * Poggendorff’s Annalen, vol. xevi, page 152. 
