612 REPORT— 1897. 



in the proportion of the chemical equivalents, the following was found to be tha 

 order : 



O, CA- PO4' NO3, SO,, CI, CIO3, Br. 



Experiments made to determine whether an element has the same ahsorption 

 in the metallic and the combined condition showed that in the case of copper (and 

 perhaps other instances) the metal absorbed more than its oxides. 



The change of atomicity of a metal between one series of its salts and another 

 does not seem to be followed by any clearly marked difference in absorption. 



In the case of carbon, the authors have been told by Sir William Crookes that 

 the absorption of colourless diamond and the black forms of carbon are alike. In 

 their own experiments it would appear that the absorption of carbon, when com- 

 bined with hydrogen in amyl hydride, turpentine, benzene, naphthalene, and 

 anthracene, differs little from that of charcoal or graphite, notwithstanding the- 

 addition of varying proportions of hydrogen, and the different manner of carbon 

 linking. But benzene appears to be about 15 per cent, less absorbent than the 

 others. 



6. On the Action exerted by certain Metals on a Photographic Plate. 

 By Dr. W. J. Russeli., F.R.S. 



7. Photographs of Explosive Flames. — By Pi-ofessor H. B. DixoN, F.R.S. 



8. Distribution of Titanic Oxide icpon the Surface of the Earth.^ 

 By F. P. DuNNiNGTON, F.C.S., University of Virgitiia. 



In the ' American Journal of Science ' for December, 1891, the author published 

 an article under the above title, which presented estimations of titanic oxide in the 

 soil from many quarters of our globe. Since that date he had secured a number of 

 samples from portions of the earth not then represented. These include specimens 

 from Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South America, and (ten from) British 

 America ; also samples taken from a depth of nearly a mile beneath the earth's 

 surface. 



Determinations of each of these are now presented, showing a range of figures 

 from 'IS to 3'0 per cent, of the soil. 



9. Deliquescence and Florescence of certain Salts. 

 By F. P. DuNNiNGTON, F.C.S., University of Virginia. 



The affinity for water which results in deliquescence is considered as accom- 

 panied by the evolution of heat. The deliquescence of a solid is accompanied 

 with an alteration of temperature which is the algebraic sum of the heat evolved 

 by the chemical union of the body with water and of the cold produced through 

 the liquefaction of the solid. 



A series of determinations were made of the water absorbed from a moist 

 atmosphere by certain salts during a period of twelve weeks, from which are 

 selected the figures for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks.* 



One part of each of the anhydrous salts ultimately absorbed of water as 

 follows: — Lithium chloride, 16-5 parts; Calcium chloride, 7'4 parts; Calcium 

 nitrate, 47 parts ; Magnesium chloride, 9-3 parts ; and Magnesium nitrate, 

 64 parts. 



From which it is calculated that one molecule of each of these bodies respect- 

 ively has combined with: 36-8; 45-8; 43' 1; 49-2; and 527 molecules of water. 



' Printed in full in the Chemical Newt, Nov. 5, 1897. 



' See American Chemical Journal, March 1897, pp. 227-2.32. 



