162 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIV. No. 1127 



kind of thing, for data are only conceivable 

 where measurements can be made or where 

 we have, contrary to Bacon's exhortation, 

 accepted a dream of fancy for a model of 

 the world. 



In that branch of mathematical physics 

 which is called statistical mechanics and 

 which includes the atomic theory, we speak 

 of the complection of a system when we 

 wish to refer to the positions and velocities 

 of all the elements or particles of the sys- 

 tem; let us use this word in the statement 

 of the postulate of indetermination. The 

 complection of the luorld to-morrow is not 

 ■determinate, that is to say, it does not grow 

 ■out of the complection of the world to-day 

 as a single-valued determinate thing. This 

 Is a postulate which, as it seems, must be 

 accepted as a working hypothesis in the 

 ■"extra-equilibrium" world, the world of 

 actual happenings, where things never do 

 stand still but go forward by fits and starts 

 impetuously and beyond all control. 



LITTLE PHYSICS AND BIG PHYSICS 



The most fertile source of ideas in phys- 

 ics is the atomic theory which now runs 

 through the whole of physics. Indeed we 

 now have our atomic theory of elasticity, 

 our atomic theory of crystal structure, our 

 atomic theory of gases, our atomic theory 

 of heat (including the whole of chemistry), 

 our atomic theories in nearly every branch 

 of electricity and magnetism, and our 

 quasi-atomic theories of radiation ; and the 

 atomic theory suggests that erratic action is 

 universally dominant in the physics of the 

 very small. Therefore the term micro- 

 physics, or little physics, is frequently used 

 to designate what we have called statistical 

 physics, and the term macro-physics, or big 

 physics, is frequently used to designate the 

 classical physics where nature is idealized 

 more or less and one-to-one correspond- 

 ences rule. 



W. S. Franklin 



THE MINING INDUSTRY 



The accomplishment of the mining indus- 

 try in the six-month period just completed 

 warrants the forecast that 1916 is to be a 

 record-breaking year, according to the director 

 of the United States Geological Survey. 

 Active demands and good prices have furnished 

 the mine operators with full opportunity for 

 success in working developed properties, and 

 this in turn has given added incentive and 

 available funds for exploration, prospecting 

 and experimentation with new processes. 



Summarizing the special reports which are 

 now being made public, Director Smith con- 

 tinues his review : 



The returns for six months furnish a basis 

 for the belief that 1916 will set up a new 

 record for the soft-coal mines. Every coal- 

 mining state is sharing in this prosperity and 

 of course this demand for coal is to be traced 

 back to the increased business of the railroads 

 and of the steel and other large industries. 



Drilling activity throughout the oil-produc- 

 ing states has brought about a gratifying in- 

 crease in production of crude oil that promises 

 to make 1916 a record year for marketed 

 petroleum. Already production and consump- 

 tion are reported by the surveys specialist as 

 essentially in balance east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, with a tendency to lower prices. 



The Portland cement industry has had a 

 busy six months and the manufacturers are 

 optimistic. It is predicted that in both pro- 

 duction and shipments of cement this year 

 will show a gain over last year, if indeed it 

 does not establish a new record for cement. 



Among the metals copper is continuing the 

 steady increase in production which began 

 early last year, and the forecast for 1916 indi- 

 cates not only the largest output ever known 

 but also the largest profits. 



Shipments of iron ore from Lake Superior 

 points for five months of 1916 exceeded by more 

 than 80 per cent, those for the same months 

 in 1915, and the indications for the year are 

 favorable for a new high record on iron-ore 

 production, and of pig iron as well. Higher 

 prices with a steady demand are stimulating 

 the mining of manganese, with the result that 



