458 Chronicles of Science. L^^y* 



square, in the sea. The plates were left suspended in the water by a 

 flax rope for a month. At the end of this time it was found that the 

 following amounts of the metals had been dissolved : — 



Grummes. 



Steel 105-31 



Iron 99-30 



Copper 29-72 



Zinc 34-34 



Galvanized Iron . . . . . 14-42 



The results obtained with brasses, and Muntz's metal, show that 

 these are much less acted on than pure metals, and there can be no 

 doubt, the authors say, that shipowners derive great benefit from em- 

 ploying them. The great loss in the case of iron shows the necessity 

 for a good protective coating for vessels made of that material. 



Another paper of much technical interest was presented to the 

 above-named Society by Messrs. Caro and Dancer. It was " On the 

 Injurious Action of Alkalies on Cotton Fibre." A paper on the same 

 subject, and evidently based upon a study of the same material, was 

 read before the Chemical Society, by Dr. F. C. Calvert, and will be 

 found in our account of the Proceedings, given below. It will be 

 sufficient to say here that the writers are in accord as to the injurious 

 action of alkalies on cotton, and manufacturers will, no doubt, dis- 

 continue the use ofsilicate of soda as a dressing. 



Proceedings of the Chemical Society. 

 In the course of the last three months several papers of consider- 

 able practical interest have been communicated to the Society. The 

 first of these was by Dr. F. C. Calvert, " On the Action of Silicate 

 and Carbonate of Soda on Cotton Fibre," in which it was shown that 

 cotton fabrics, impregnated with the silicate, became in the course of 

 time perfectly rotten. Two explanations of the action were suggested. 

 1. The silicate decomposed by the carbonic acid of the atmosphere 

 deposited silicate in the cotton-cells, distending and rending the cells, 

 and so weakening the strength of the fibre, while the carbonated alkali, 

 which has also an injurious influence on cotton, remained in contact. 

 Secondly, it was suggested by Mr. W." Crum, that cotton fibre itself 

 might have the power of fixing silica without the intervention of 

 carbonic acid, and thus a caustic alkali would be liberated on the 

 cotton. 



Mr. Abel, from the results of experiments he had made upon 

 canvas, believed that the cause of the rottenness was mechanical, and 

 not chemical, since fabrics impregnated with a neutral salt, like sul- 

 phate of magnesia, became weakened, no doubt by the deposition of 

 solid matter within the fibre, and the distension caused by crystalli- 

 zation — an opinion which was supported by Dr. Frankland, who 

 quoted the familiar fact that the strength of cotton and linen is im- 

 paired by the action of frost. 



At the same meeting Dr. Calvert showed some Crystallized Hydrate 

 of Phenic Alcohol, or Monohydrated Carbolic Acid, and gave some 

 reasons for preferring to regard the monohydrated oxide of phenyl as 



