50 kefuut — 1877. 



an economical point of view in dealing with the very large charges now employed, 

 may importantly contribute to render the storing of the maximum of work in the 

 projectile, when propelled from a gun, compatible with a subjection of the gun to 

 comparatively veiy moderate and uniform strains. 



Other interesting illustrations of the intimate manner in which physical and chemi- 

 cal research are linked together, and of the important extent to which some of our 

 most illustrious workers in chemistry have contributed to demolish the semblance 

 of a barrier which existed in past times between the two branches of Science, are 

 furnished and suggested by the recently published list of grants of money which 

 the Government has made to scientific men, on the recommendation of the Royal 

 Society, from the fund which, for the first time last year, was added to the very 

 modest sum previously accorded from national resources in support of research. 

 The perusal of that list, representing as it does a most carefully considered selec- 

 tion by the highest representatives of science in the country, from a very large 

 number of applications, affords important evidence, on the one hand, of the 

 active pursuit of science in Great Britain and, on the other, of the very wide range 

 of subjects of interest and importance, the full investigation of which demands the 

 provision of adequate resources. That the necessity for such resources needs but 

 to be thoroughly made known to ensure their provision, even from other than 

 national sources, has been demonstrated by the success which, in a comparatively 

 biief space of time, has attended the efforts of the Chemical Society to establish, 

 upon the foundation patriotically laid by one of its original members, Dr. Longstaff, 

 a special Fund, to be administered by the Society, for the advancement of Chemi- 

 cal Science. An inspection of the list of contributors to this special Fund in aid of 

 chemical research, which, in about two years, has reached the sum of four thousand 

 pounds, and from the proceeds of which the first applications for grants have 

 recently been met, is suggestive of two observations : one is, that the proportion 

 and amount of contributions hitherto received are comparatively small from the 

 source whence the greatest support of such a Fund may naturally be looked fi >r, 

 namely, from those who most directly benefit by the results of chemical research. 

 It is to be hoped that there are many prominent representatives of the Chemical 

 and Metallurgic Industries in this country who still intend to give practical effect 

 to their natural desire to aid in the advancement of Chemical Science, and to the 

 appreciation which they can hardly fail to entertain of the usefulness of this Fund. 

 On the other hand, it is a matter well meriting special notice that a very prominent 

 section of the contributors to the Fund is composed of some of the most ancient 

 corporate bodies of the City of London. Most welcome evidence is thereby afforded 

 of the readiness with which the City Companies are prepared to respond to appeals 

 for the substantial support of measures well calculated to promote progress in 

 science. This evidence, and the combined action which they are even now con- 

 templating for promoting the application of scientific research to the advancement 

 of industry and commerce, by establishing an Institution for technical education 

 upon a scale worthy to serve as a monument of the true usefulness of wealthy con- 

 federations, must be cordially hailed as very substantial proofs that these represen- 

 tatives of our national wealth and commercial supremacy are entering upon a new 

 sphere of activity which will more than restore their ancient prestige, by according 

 them a new rank, more elevated than any which their civil importance coidd, in 

 the past or future, confer upon them — a rank high among the chief promoters of 

 our national enlightenment. 



On the Formation of the Black Oxide of Iron on Iron Surfaces, for the 

 Prevention of Corrosion. By Professor I!abj\f. 



