﻿732 
  Dr. 
  H. 
  Wilde 
  on 
  some 
  new 
  Multiple 
  Relations 
  

  

  cylinders, 
  when 
  the 
  magnetic 
  force 
  is 
  zero, 
  since 
  they 
  meet 
  

   with 
  so 
  feiv 
  molecules. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  magnetic 
  field 
  is 
  applied 
  the 
  electrons 
  travel 
  

   in 
  spirals, 
  the 
  distance 
  S 
  which 
  they 
  traverse 
  in 
  passing 
  

   through 
  the 
  gas 
  is 
  very 
  much 
  greater 
  than 
  R— 
  r, 
  and 
  the 
  

   number 
  of 
  molecules 
  that 
  an 
  electron 
  meets 
  in 
  travelling 
  from 
  

   one 
  electrode 
  to 
  another 
  is 
  increased 
  in 
  the 
  proportion 
  of 
  

   S/(R 
  — 
  r). 
  If 
  S/(R— 
  r) 
  = 
  20, 
  which 
  is 
  a 
  possible 
  value, 
  the 
  

   effect 
  of 
  the 
  magnetic 
  field 
  is 
  the 
  same 
  as 
  if 
  the 
  pressure 
  

   were 
  increased 
  from 
  *01 
  millimetre 
  to 
  *2 
  millimetre, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  

   the 
  ions 
  generated 
  by 
  the 
  electrons 
  are 
  concerned. 
  

  

  The 
  potential 
  difference 
  required 
  to 
  produce 
  the 
  discharge 
  

   is 
  thus 
  reduced 
  to 
  the 
  value 
  corresponding 
  to 
  a 
  higher 
  pres- 
  

   sure 
  when 
  the 
  magnetic 
  field 
  is 
  applied. 
  

  

  Yours 
  truly, 
  

  

  John 
  S. 
  Townsend. 
  

  

  LXI. 
  On 
  some 
  new 
  Midtiple 
  Relations 
  of 
  the 
  Atomic 
  Weights 
  

   of 
  Elementary 
  Substa?tces 
  ; 
  and 
  on 
  the 
  Classification 
  and 
  

   Transformations 
  of 
  Neon 
  and 
  Helium. 
  By 
  Henky 
  Wilde, 
  

   D.Sc, 
  B.C.L., 
  F.R.S* 
  

  

  IN 
  several 
  of 
  my 
  papers 
  wdiich 
  have 
  been 
  published 
  by 
  

   the 
  Society 
  during 
  past 
  years 
  on 
  the 
  multiple 
  proportions 
  

   of 
  the 
  atomic 
  weights, 
  special 
  attention 
  was 
  directed 
  to 
  the 
  

   series 
  H 
  In 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  magnitude 
  and 
  importance 
  of 
  

   its 
  primary 
  members 
  in 
  the 
  economy 
  of 
  nature. 
  Silicon 
  

   (symbol 
  Si), 
  in 
  combination 
  with 
  oxygen, 
  constitutes 
  more 
  

   than 
  half 
  the 
  weight 
  of 
  the 
  earth's 
  crust, 
  and 
  is 
  the 
  principal 
  

   constituent 
  of 
  glass 
  for 
  all 
  the 
  purposes 
  of 
  civilized 
  life. 
  

   Nitrogen 
  (N) 
  forms 
  nearly 
  four-fifths 
  of 
  atmospheric 
  air, 
  

   and 
  is 
  an 
  essential 
  element 
  in 
  organic 
  nature. 
  Iron 
  (Fe), 
  

   from 
  its 
  magnetic 
  and 
  other 
  physical 
  qualities, 
  is 
  a 
  necessity 
  

   in 
  modern 
  civilization. 
  Gold 
  (Au) 
  is 
  of 
  aesthetic 
  importance 
  

   from 
  the 
  brilliancy 
  and 
  permanence 
  of 
  its 
  colour, 
  while 
  the 
  

   comparative 
  rarity 
  of 
  its 
  occurrence 
  in 
  nature 
  admirably 
  

   adapts 
  it 
  as 
  a 
  standard 
  of 
  commercial 
  value. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  not 
  a 
  little 
  remarkable 
  that 
  while 
  the 
  physical 
  pro- 
  

   perties 
  of 
  most 
  of 
  the 
  principal 
  elements 
  are 
  well 
  determined 
  

  

  * 
  Communicated 
  by 
  the 
  Author. 
  From 
  ' 
  Memoirs 
  and 
  Proceedings 
  

   of 
  the 
  Manchester 
  Literary 
  and 
  Philosophical 
  Society,' 
  vol. 
  lvii. 
  Part 
  iii. 
  

   (1912-13). 
  * 
  

  

  