MESSRS. DALE AND SCHORLEMMER ON AURIN. 19 



I wished to avoid all reference to molecular liypotliesis, and 

 particularly the molecular attractions assumed by Laplace, 

 lest it might in any way appear as if the conclusion that 

 continuous liquids are as capable of resisting tension as 

 solids (at which I arrived simply from considering the phe- 

 nomena of surface-tension) were based on such assumptions. 

 I was not aware, however, that Laplace had at all inferred 

 or attempted to apply his theory to prove the ability of 

 liquids to resist great tensions ; nor do I find, on again 

 reading his memoir, that he anywhere, with the exception 

 of the almost casual reference quoted above, treats of such 

 a property of liquids. His purpose appears to have been 

 solely to explain the phenomena of capillarity. It appears 

 obvious, moreover, that his line of reasoning must have 

 forced upon his notice the conclusion that, according to his 

 hypothesis, liquids ought to possess the property of very 

 great cohesion ; so that from the extremely slight notice 

 which he has accorded to this property, one can only infer 

 that he was not completely convinced of its existence. 



II. On the Combinations of Aurin with Mineral Acids. 

 By R. S. Dale, B.A., and C. Schorlemmer, F.R.S. , 



Eead December loth, 1878, 



In our last communication* we stated that by the action 

 of acetyl chloride on aurin we obtained a colourless crys- 



* Proc. Lit. and Phil. Soc. 1S78, p. 141. 



