November 8, 1912] 



SCIENCE 



633 



rock and sheet asphalt were laid, the latter so 

 suecessfiilly that its use has become wide- 

 spread throughout the world. 



It is commonly believed that the Incas o£ 

 Peru made use of asphalt in building roads, 

 but no evidence has ever been found to sustain 

 that belief, and recent travelers have seriously 

 questioned the excellence of those roads. 



That asphalt was known to the ancients is 

 a well-attested fact, its use as a binder for 

 masonry in Babylqn being in point, but of its 

 use other than this we know nothing. Strabo 

 tells us that as early as 2000 B.C. the streets 

 of Babylon were paved, and so, too, pre- 

 sumably were the great roads leading out 

 from the many gates of that city. Babylon 

 was situated in the alluvial plain of Meso- 

 potamia and its building material was almost 

 entirely clay, either as such or in the form of 

 bricks. It seems rather doubtful that these 

 latter were used to pave the streets at that 

 early date. Asphalt was abundant and much 

 used in building operations, and it does not 

 seem improbable that it was utilized to im- 

 prove the streets. However, this is conjec- 

 ture, for none of the reference books at hand 

 contain any record of its use as a road-making 

 material in those far-distant times. 



E. W. GUDGER 



State Normal College, 

 Greensboro, N. C. 



THE "Williams' process" of photography 

 To THE Editor of Science: It may be of 

 interest to your readers to know that as of 

 July 1, 1912, there has been dedicated to the 

 free use of science and scientists the patented 

 process for photographic illustrations (U. S. 

 Pat. No. 640,060), owned by the undersigned 

 and known among paleontologists, who found 

 it especially useful in specimen work, as the 

 "Williams' Process." In brief, it consists 

 in the deposition by sublimation on the object 

 to be photographed of an extremely tenuous 

 monochrome film for the purpose of obviating 

 the reflection, refraction and distorted shadow 

 values common in ordinary photography of 

 certain classes of objects. 



It has been a matter of great regret to the 



writer that a long-continued and expensive in- 

 vestigation, arising out of an entirely legiti- 

 mate difference as to the scope and validity 

 of the patent, has delayed until now the ful- 

 fillment of the original intention of the writer 

 to make this dedication so soon as the ex- 

 penses incurred in perfecting and establish- 

 ing the patent should have been secured by 

 the moderate royalties hitherto charged. The 

 outcome of the controversy has entirely justi- 

 fied the writer's position: the opinion of the 

 opposing experts conclusively confirming the 

 fundamental character of the invention. 



As one interested in science, the writer 

 would have been pleased if his means had 

 permitted the assumption of all the expenses 

 of this patent without thought of recoupment, 

 and is heartily sorry that there are those who 

 felt that the failure to do so is culpable. If 

 it is so, I can only plead that it is so in viola- 

 tion of no code with which I am familiar. 



In view of the fact that the invention was 

 originally made by my honored father. Dr. 

 Henry Shaler Williams, of Cornell Univer- 

 sity, it is most desirable that certain facts be 

 stated for the benefit of those who may in the 

 past have been under a misapprehension as to 

 his relation to the patent. Almost immediately 

 after being granted the patent was transferred 

 from him to me in good faith and in consid- 

 eration of the assumption of debts incurred 

 in its development. My father's wish always 

 has been that the process should be made 

 freely available to science gratis, and I prom- 

 ised him it should be as soon as its financial 

 situation could be cleared up. It has never 

 yielded a cent of profit to Henry Shaler Wil- 

 liams, nor was it taken over or ever handled 

 with the idea of exploiting science or making 

 commerce of its needs. This can not be 

 stated too strongly. With the long-drawn-out 

 controversy referred to my father has not only 

 had nothing to do, but has repeatedly en- 

 deavored to induce me to abandon it. 



Therefore the blame in the matter, if blame 

 there be, is entirely mine and I cheerfully 

 shoulder it; but he should be given complete 

 exoneration from any such charge. Those 

 who have been disposed to think critically of 



