Some Experiments on the Latent Heat of Steam. 55 



Also the results of extrapolation over six times the range 

 covered by the experiments must necessarily be somewhat 

 doubtful. 



I do not wish my work to be considered as at all 

 ranking as a determination of the value of L, but rather 

 as pointing out the errors into which an observer may 

 fall when designing a method and the necessary apparatus 

 for such a determination. With few exceptions, each 

 alteration I made in the apparatus and methods used 

 led me nearer to that of Regnault, and to understand 

 the great advantage of working on the large scale 

 adopted by him after many months of preliminary 

 experiments, and were I to continue the work with the 

 ultimate intention of making a redetermination of L with 

 the highest possible accuracy, I should not think of using 

 a calorimeter of less than 20 litres capacity. 



In conclusion, I must express my thanks to Dr. 

 Schuster and to Mr. Hartog for the loan of some of the 

 apparatus used and for several valuable suggestions ; to the 

 Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society for aid 

 in covering some of the expenses ; and especially to my 

 friend Mr. John Wild, in whose laboratory the greater part 

 of these experiments were performed, and who, on occasions 

 where more than one observer was necessary, was always 

 most kind in giving his assistance. 



