SECTIONAL, TRANSACTIONS.—B, C. 437 
progressive purification of the cotton cellulose. A sufficiently energetic scouring 
process results in a minimum absorption which is not further diminished by 
more prolonged treatment, but if the scouring process is not efficient the bleached 
material still shows a high absorption. The minimum value referred to above 
is not, however, the same for all cottons, but is determined by the origin of 
the material, and is much higher in the case of Egyptian than in that of 
American cottons, the latter being characterised by a very low and constant 
‘minimum absorption.’ 
_8. The absorption by scoured cotton is not further affected by normal 
bleaching, though excessive treatment with oxidising agents, so-called ‘ over- 
bleaching,’ causes chemical attack of the cellulose itself and results in an 
increased absorption of the basic dye due to the presence of acidic oxidation 
products (‘oxycellulose’). This fact has long formed the basis of qualitative 
dyeing tests for the presence of oxycellulose in bleached cotton, but it has not 
been generally realised that a positive result given by such tests may be due 
either to ‘under-scouring’ or to ‘ over-bleaching,’ and that comparable results 
can only be expected from similar types of cotton. 
18. Prof. H. E. Frierz.—The Sulphonation and Nitration of 
Naphthalene. 
The author has investigated the interaction of naphthalene and sulphuric 
acid, and has been able to show that the rule established first by Armstrong and 
Wynne holds good in every case where the system naphthalene and sulphuric 
acid is involved. 
The quantitative aspect of this reaction has been studied in detail, and the 
many errors of the scientific literature have been corrected. 
Several of the free naphthalene-mono and disulphonic acids have been pre- 
pared and described. The crystals were measured and compared with the 
corresponding metal salts. Over 100 were investigated. It was found that the 
crystallographic shape is exclusively determined by the anion, and the free 
acids and the salts are very similar in all cases. 
The nitration of the acids has also been studied, as well as the reduction 
of the nitro-sulphonic acids. It is shown the beta-naphthalene-mono-sulphonic 
acid is capable, under exactly defined conditions, of yieiding quantitatively a 
new diazonium salt of technical interest. The other acids do not behave in 
the same way. 
SECTION C.—GEOLOGY. 
(For references to the publication elsewhere of communications entered in 
the following list of transactions, see p. 504.) 
Thursday, September 13. 
1. Prof. P. G. H. Boswetu, O.B.E.—Lecture on the Geology of 
the Liverpool District. 
2. Discussion on The Geography of the Liverpool District from 
Pre-Glacial Times to the Present. Opener, Sir AUBREY 
SrraHAN, F'.R.S. 
The estuaries of the Mersey and the Dee form the outstanding features of 
the Liverpool district. Indeed, the comparatively recent development of 
Liverpool as a port and business centre, and its outstripping of the ancient city 
of Chester, have been determined by the nature of the estuaries on which they 
are respectively situated; yet, for some reason not now obvious, the Dee 
attracted the Romans while the Mersey was ignored. It becomes of interest, 
therefore, to inquire whether there is any geological evidence of change in 
the character of the estuaries which will account for the shift of commercial 
centre. 
