76 REPORT — 1861. 



moment at the important practical subject of the formation of steel, Professor 

 Miller referred to tlie acti\ity cniploj-cd in the pursuit of the organic department 

 of chemical science ; reniarkinj; upon two lines of research as important from their 

 theoretical bearings, namely tlie investigation of polyatomic compounds, and the 

 process of oxidation and of reduction, applied by various chemists, and by Kolbe 

 in particular, to the in^"estigation of the organic acids. The laboiu'S of Hofmaun 

 upon the polyatomic bases showed completely the principle upon which these 

 bodies might be formed, and he had been enabled to group an imlimited number 

 of atoms of ammonia into one compound molecule. Great progress had also been 

 made in our knowledge of the relations of the organic acids. 



0)1 the Constitution of Paranaphthaline or Anthracene, and some of its Decom- 

 position Prodticts. By Professor Andeeson, F.B.S.E. 



The author, after referring to the previous investigations of Laui-ent and Dimias, 

 which indicated the isomerism of naphthaline and anthracene, detailed the residts 

 of his own researches, which have established for the latter substance the fonnula 

 C2R H,(,. Anthracene, when treated with nitric acid, undergoes a decomposition 

 entirely difierent from that of naphthaline under similar circumstances, and yields 

 an oxidized compound, oxanthracene, C„i, 11^ 0,„ which is volatile without decom- 

 position, and crystallizes in fine needles of a pale butf colour. Bromine gives 

 C2, H,,, Br„ in small hard crj'stals apparently rhombohedral, which when digested 

 with alcoholic potash give ' Cj, H, Er; in fine sulphur-yellow crystals. Cliloiine 

 gives Cj, H,„ CI2, and this with alkalies yields Cj^ H„ CI. 



These and other details contained in the paper show that anthracene is not 

 isomeric with naphthaline, but they connect it with the benzoyl series, and more 

 especially with stilbene, fi-oni which it differs by Hj ; while oxanthracene and benzil 

 are similarly related to one another, as shown by the following comparison of their 

 formula; : — 



Anthracene C^j H^g Stilbene C^^ Hj^ 



Oxanthracene C^^ H^ Oj Benzil C^^ Hj^ 0^ 



The author proposes to prosecute the investigation of these relations. 



On the Effect of Great Pressures comhined ivith Cold on the Six Non- 

 condcnsahJe Gases. Bij Professor Andrews, M.D., F.R.S. 

 In this communication the author gave an account of some results already 

 obtained in a research with which he is still occupied on the changes of physical 

 state which occm- when the non-condensable gases are exposed to the conibined 

 action of gi'eat pressiues and low temperatures. The gases when compressed were 

 always obtained in the cnpillary end of thick glass tubes, so that any change they 

 might imdergo coidd be obsened. In his earlier expeiiments the author employeil 

 the elastic force of the gases evolved in the electrolysis of water as the compressing 

 agent, and in this way he actuallj- succeeded in reducing oxygen gas to -j-J-oth of 

 its volume at the ordinaiy pressure of the atmosphere. He afterwards succeeded 

 in efiecting the same object by mechanical means, and exhibited to the Section an 

 apparatus by means of which he had been able to apply pressures, which were only 

 limited by the capability' of the capillary glass tubes to resist them; and while thus 

 compressed the gases were exposed to the cold attained by the carbonic acid and 

 ether bath. Atmospheric air was compressed by pressm-e alone to ^y of its original 

 volume, and by the united action of pressure and a cold of— 106° i\ to eTT*^'; i" 

 which state its density was little inferior to that of water. Oxygen gas was reduced 

 by pressure to ^^^th of its volume, and by pressm-e and cold to J-jth ; hj'drogen 

 by the united action of cold and pressiu-e to --^th ; carbonic oxide by pressure to 

 ^yth, by pressure and cold to ^nr^h ; nitric oxide by pressure to 3-|7ftn, by pres- 

 sure and' a cold of— 1G0° F. to ^-gi^th. None of the gases exhibited any appearimce 

 of liquefaction even in these high states of condensation. The amount of contrac- 

 tion was nearly proportional to the force employed, till the gases were reduced 

 to from about -j^lroth to -^l^ih. of their volmne ; but, beyond that point, tliey under- 

 went little further diminution of volume from increase of pressure, llydrogen 

 and carbonic oxido appear to resist the action of pressure better than oxygen or 

 nitric oxido. 



