676 REPORT—1904. 
If we take as our unit of value the whole of the money spent on all inven- 
tions, both successful and unsuccessful, I think we shall be much below the mark if 
we assume that the value of the benefits have on the average exceeded by ten- 
thousandfold the money spent on making and introducing the inventions. 
If this is so, let us see what it means. It means that for every unit of capital 
spent by the inventors and their friends on invention they have in some cases 
received nothing back. In some cases they have just got their capital back, in 
some cases two or threefold, occasionally tenfold, very rarely a hundredfold. 
Whereas the world at large has received a present of ten-thousandfold 
greater value than all the money spent and misspent by the small band of past 
inventors. , 
In conclusion, let us hope that the inventor will in the future receive more 
encouragement and support, that the patent laws will be further modified and 
extended, that the people at large will consider these matters more closely and 
recognise that they are of first importance to their progress and welfare, and that 
in the future it may be easier, nay in some cases possible, to carry on many great 
researches into the secrets of Nature. 
Mrs. Herrua Ayrron delivered a Lecture on ‘The Origin of Sand 
Ripples.’ 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19. 
The following Papers were read :— 
1. Flame Temperatures in Internal Combustion! By Ducaup CLERK. 
2. On the Specific Heats of Gases at High Temperatures. 
By Professor H. B, Dixon, /2.S. 
3. Exhaust Gas Calorimetry.? By Professor B. Hopxinson, J/.A. 
4. The Effect of Receiver Drop in a Compound Hngine.® 
By J. W. Haywarp, I.S8c. 
5, Superheated Steam: Wire-drawing and other Experiments. 
By A. H. Peaks, B.A. 
This paper gave an account of experimental investigations carried out with the 
object of determining the specific heat of superheated steam. 
The first method dealt with was the one Inown as wire-drawing, or throttling. 
Dry saturated steam was allowed to expand without doing external work by 
causing it to pass through a small orifice, and the resulting changes in pressure 
and temperature were noted. This experiment was repeated for a number of 
initial pressures, and with each initial pressure the amount of wire-drawing was 
varied, so as to give a large number of points connecting temperature and pressure 
of the wire-drawn steam. 
A diagram was shown in which these points were plotted on squared 
1 Published in the Hlectrical Engineer, September 2, 1904. 
2 Published in Lngineering, August 26, 1904. 
3 Published in the Hngineer, August 26, 1904. 
