1855.] THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOE THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 411 



brougM down for tlie information of the members, should tbey moved.-The meeting thea proceeded to ballot, when the Bev. A. 



J . = . ' •' Kemp, Jlinister of St. Gabriel Street Church was unanimously elected 



aesire It. ^ ., ,. . , -c ■ ^ an ordinary member. Several gentlemen were proposed as ordinary 



In connection with this extract, it may be gratitying to me^ters; after which the meeting separated, 

 know, that the Governor Greneral highly approves of the con- A. N. Rexxie, Recording Secretary. 



templated arrangements, and has commissioned Dr. Ryerson ■ 



to convey to Col. Lefroy, His Excellency's acknowledgments Tite BritlsU Association for tlie Advancement of Science. 



and thanks for his very valuable assistance in this matter. ^ ,„ ,r jm ■ t!„ T>,.^r v r r.-.^^^,-^ Pm 



m, ,,. f- ii n i- 1 •' -i 1 4 ■ 1 * •■■: „„,l On Alloys of Iron and Alumvntm.— 3y Vi-ai. F. C. C.^lteet. — fro- 



ihe outhne map ot the Counties, eshioited to-night, • and fj^ssg^ Calvert; in conjunction with Mr. Richard Johnson, has succeeded 



which I have had specially prepared to accompany this memo- ;^ p,.oducing a great many new alloys, having a definite chemical eqni- 



randum, is designed to shew at a glance, the number and valent composition, and, therefore, bringing a large class of products, 



position of the proposed meteorological stations throughout called alloys, into the general laws of the present day— Chemistry, the 



Upper Canada. The position of the Senior County Grammar law of definite proponions or eqnivalents Tnese gentlemen have sn^^^^ 



r, 1 , . . ,. , *^ , , , 17 1 • 1 ceeded m preparing the loUowing alloys of iron and potassium : d-irst 



bchools IS indicated on the map by a large black circle— ^H<,y_4 equivalents of iron ; 1 equivalent of potassium. Second Al- 



Toronto, the chief and central station, being prominently ioij—(i equivalents of iron ; 1 equivalent of potassium. These alloys 



marked. These will be for some time the principal stations ; were prepared with the view of solving one of the great chemical and 



but as circumstances warrant, the Junior Grammar Schools, commercial questions of the day— namely, that of rendering iron less 



will no doubt, become stations of equal importance and value '^^^^^:^7l::^t^ T^I^^t^ 'v^uS the" 



with the others. I have indicated the position ot these junior constant friction of water, as is the case ivith iron steamers. But all 



stations by a black cross. Some additional chief stations, the alloys which they have produced up to the present time, with the 



which will be established when the now united counties become exception of one, are oxidable, although some of them contain as much as 



separated, I have marked with a square black figure. We 2.3 per 100 of potassium, the most electro-positive metal known, and 



bnvp th^rpfnrp • i o ^^j^^ ^^^ ^^^j. iji^^jy t,, render iron in that electro-chemical state, and 



iiave incieiore . . less liable to combine with oxygen, the above alloys of potassium and 



Contemplated Oniet stations OU h-on were remarkable for their great hardness. They have also suc- 



Additional Chief Stations o ceeded in producing two new alloys composed of iron, combined with 



Junior Stations ) 40 that most valuable and extraordinary metal, aluminum, lately obtained 



Total Stations 73 by Mons. St. Claire Devillc. These two alloys are composed as follows : 



-17 ii • • 1 i- •.. -11 V -I'll'i ., „ ,_ _, First Alloii — 1 eriuivalent of aluminium ; 5 equivalents of iron. Second 



From the junior stations it will be seen what are our re- '^iLj-i equivalents of aluminium ; 3 equivalents of iron. The last 



sources should it be deemed advisable to multiply d\e Ohiet ^^^^y presents the useful property of not oxidizing when exposed to a 



Stations and extend our system of observation still further damp atmosphere, although it contains 75 per cent, of iron. The fol- 



throughout Upper Canada. No time, however, will be lost in lowing alloys were also described, one composed of 1 equivalent of 



establishing the Chief Stations: and it is hoped, that before aluminium, and 5 equivalents of copper; one other of iron and zinc 



the close of the present year, many of them will be in successful -frettinl^^TeS thtl^ra^ 



operation. ... . . but that it is produced at a temperature of about 800°, it being formed 



These facts and illustrations which I have presented, exhibit in a bath of zinc and iron containing 14 tons of metal, and through 



in detail, perhaps a little too minutely, all the information which iron wire is passed when coated with zinc or galvanised. Messrs. 



which is in the possession of the Department of Public Instruc- Calvert and Johnston took advantage of having such a large melted 



,. ii, 1,- I m 1, 1-1 +i,„n-i,„ „„ti„ mass of metals (zmc and iron) to inquire into the following question, 



tion on the .subject. They show, conclusively, that the gent e- ^.^^ .j. ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^l^g^l together, separate according to their 



men at the head of that Department has never lost sight of the respective speciBo gravity or form a homogeneous mass combined in 



great practical importance, to a new and but partially settled definite proportions. They consequently analysed three samples taken 



country, of establishiu" (early in its history,) before its physical from the melted bath, one near top, one in the middle, and one at the 



condition is materially chan-ed, a complete and comprehensive bottom. Strange to say, they all presented a ditfeix^nt composiuon and 



o ^ I ■ 1 T. i- 1 1-1 V i i 1 what is not less remarkable, is, that the upper layer contained the 



system of meteorological observation, by which may be tested ,^^.^^^^ proportion of tlie heaviest metal. These three samples offered 



theories in Physical Science, which are yet unsettled ; and by thelbUowingequivalents and definite compositions:— ro/)—l equivalent 



which may be solved questions relating to Natural Phenomena, of tin, 11 do. of zinc. Middle — 1 equivalent of tin, 16 do. of zinc, 



which have long remained among the sealed mysteries of Nature. j5(/«o,h—1 equivalent of tin, 19 do. of zinc. It would appear from 



° ^ their researches, that by preparing commercial alloys according to fixed 



scientific rules, instead' of mere routine, they hope to produce for com- 



Montical Katiu-al History Society. ^^^.^^ cheaper alloys than those now in use. Tlie action of acids on 



An ordinary meeting of this Society was held in the Jluscura on these alloys of copper, zinc, &c., presents this curious fact, viz., that 



Monday evening November 2i3, — the President, the Lord Bishop although hydrochloric acid affects violently zinc and tin. still in alloys 



of Montreal in the Chair. There were present Drs. Workman, containing theacmetals with copper, they are but very slightly attacked 



Fraser, Scott, Ilingston, Barnston, and Messrs. llenshaw, H. J. by this powerful acid. Similar results wero also obtained by sulphuric 



Ibbetson, Datton, and Rennie. — The minutes of last ordinary meetiug aud nitric acids. 



were read over and approved. — Read a letter from I)r. Hall accom- On Some of the General Mechanical Structures of Limestone. — By H. 



panying his meteorological observations during tlic last throe months c. Soubt, F.G.S. — The author considers that the only satisfactory me- 



which he presented to the Society for preservation in its records. thod of ascertaining the structure of limestones is to examine thin scc- 



— Ordered that the donation be acknowledged witli thanks, and that tions of them with the microscope. The results described inthis psiper 



Dr. Hall be requested to continue his contribution. — The last re- -were arrived at in this manner. Limestones have been usually described 



port of the Upper Canada Board of Agriculture was laid on th» as more or less crystalline or earthy, but this has reference chiefly to 



,.ible. — Application having been made for a loan of some of tho speci- subsequent changes, and not to their original condition. When cx- 



mens contained in the Museum to enable Mr. Principal Dawson to illus- amined with the microscope, it is seen that to describe them according 



trate tho course of lectures upon Natural History he is now engaged to their mechanical characters would usually bo far belter. In this 



in delivering at .McGill College, it was. Resolved, That upon receiving manner they may be very conveniently classed as organic sands or 



a list of tho specimen's required, and the Principal's obligation to re- clays, in tho same way that wo may speak of felspar sand or clay. The 



turn tho same, the Society are willing to accede to his request pro- organic structure of the minute fragments of which they arc composed 



vided the Cibinet Keeper is satisfied that they can with safety bo re- is often so well preserved, that their nature and relative proportions 



; can be satisfactorily determined. When they have been consolidated, 



* A reduced copy of this Map is published herewith. the shrinking of tho mass has often produced cracks imd joints, after- 



