Dr. Thomas Andrews : The Great Chemist 117 



substance, matter or otherwise." He thought that the atomic 

 weights might not represent an exact measure of this primordial 

 substance, but only some ratio to it, constant for each element. 

 That they might be affected by the interference of some form of 

 energy. These were only speculations and must be left to the 

 future to i)rove or disprove. He thought it possible that all 

 chemical action was dependent on electrical forces, but in what 

 way he saw no method of discovering. Of course all his answers 

 were coloured by the nature of my questions, and he smilingly 

 assured me that these odd speculations did not form any hypothesis 

 which he could use in lecturing. I sometimes wonder what the 

 Doctor would have thought of the modern theories which have 

 been so rapidly developed in Physical Chemistry, the present 

 conception of the atom and the molecule, the almost certain 

 knowledge tlyit several editions of the same element may be 

 found, alike in chemical actions but differing in atomic weights, 

 and the suggestion that the known figures are but means between 

 these differing varieties. 



Dr. Andrews told me that, from his point of view, he saw no 

 reason to say that transmutation of the elements was impossible ; 

 its difficulty must be measured by the constant failure of all 

 attempts. If ever it be found possible to realize the aim of the 

 old alchemists by manufacturing gold he had the idea that it 

 would be too costly for use. I should like to have him watch 

 the transformation of the Radium relatives and to see his own 

 researches followed up, to the extent they have reached to-day. 

 We ought not to forget that Pneumatic Chemistry had its origin 

 in Britain and that the greatest advances had been made there. 

 Faraday began an enquiry which Andrews continued, and in 

 which he may be said to have determined the laws. In later 

 years Rayleigh, Ramsey and others have made advances almost 

 incredible in amount in the discovery of new gaseous elements, and 

 we are proud to remember that the main work in this branch of 

 Physical Chemistry has been done by our fellow countrymen. 



On Andrews' retirement in 1879, his fellow townsmen 



