British Association for the Advancement of Sciem^e. 301 



A paper by Dr. Andrews, was read, on the influence of Voltaic 

 combination on Chetnical action. He endeavored to show that 

 the proper tendency of a vohaic circle is to diminish the chemical 

 action of the solution on the electro-positive metal, from the con- 

 sideration, that in ordinary solution, the electricities thus devel- 

 oped have only an indefinitely small portion of liquid to traverse ; 

 while in voltaic solution their remiion can be effected, only by 

 passing across a column of variable extent, and composed of an 

 imperfectly conducting substance. 



Mr. Robert Mallet read his report of the experiments instituted 

 at the command and with the funds of the Association, " On the 

 action of Sea and River Water, whether clear or foul, and at va- 

 rious temperatures, upon Iron, both cast and wrought, ^^ and made 

 by himself and Prof E. Davy, of Dublin. The report is compris- 

 ed under four principal sections, viz. 1. A brief summary of the 

 actual state of our chemical kno wedge of the reactions of air and 

 water on iron, 2. A statement of the nature and extent of the 

 experiments on the action of water on iron, which have been 

 made on the great scale for the use of the engineer as well as 

 chemist. 3. A refutation of the method proposed by J. B. Hart- 

 ley, of preserving iron by brass, 4, A new method, founded on 

 electro-chemical agencies, for the protection of wrought and cast 

 iron ; with a statement of various desiderata upon the subject, 



A paper was presented, by Mr. Robert Addams, On the con- 

 struction of Apparatus for solidifying Carbonic Acid Gas in con- 

 tact with the liquid form of the Acid, at different temperatures. 

 Mr, A. adverted to the original production of liquid carbonic acid 

 by Dr. Faraday, in 1823, and also to the solidification of the acid 

 by Mr. Thilorier, and then exhibited three kinds of instruments 

 which he (Mr. A.) had employed for the reduction of the gas into 

 the liquid and solid forms. The first mode was mechanical, in 

 which powerful hydraulic pumps were used to force gas from one 

 vessel into a second, by filling the first with water, saline solu- 

 tions, oil or mercury ; and in this apparatus a gauge of observation 

 is attached, in order to see when the vessel is filled. The second 

 kind of apparatus is a modification of that invented and used by 

 Thilorier. The third includes the mechanical and the chemical 

 methods, by which is saved much of the acid formed in the gene- 

 rator ; whereas by the arrangement of Thilorier's plan, two parts 

 in three rush into the atmosphere and are lost. With this set of 



