Prof. R. Clausius on one o/Mr. Tait^s Remarks, 117 



In the title of this memoir I have employed the phrase *' Dis* 

 tribution of Heat '^ in accordance with general usage ; but if the 

 conclusion arrived at be true^ it is plain that this should be ex- 

 changed for "Production of Heat/' The heat observed did not 

 preexist in the incident rays^ it is the result of their extinction. 



The remark has been made that these results are essentially 

 connected with photometry. In fact, any thermometer is con- 

 verted into a photometer if its bulb or other receiving surface be 

 coated with a perfectly opaque non -reflecting substance. 



XIII. A necessary Correction of one o/Mr. Tait's Remarks. 

 By K. Clausius*. 



SINCE I refuted the objections made in a previous article by 

 Mr. Tait against my treatment of the mechanical theory 

 of heat, in a second article he raises new objections. These 

 would be just as easily invalidated; but the tone in which Mr. 

 Tait has written renders it iuipossible for me to continue the 

 discussion. 



There is one point, however, which I must not leave uncor- 

 rected, because it relates to a third party, who is highly esteemed 

 alike in England and in Germany — namely, Sir W. Thomson, 

 whom Mr. Tait mentions in such a way as if I had made a charge 

 against him : he asks me if I seriously suppose that Thomson 

 has been deliberately attempting to deprive me of my just 

 claims. Of Sir W. Thomson, however, I have not said, or even 

 remotely hinted, any thing of the kind. Quite the contrary : I 

 have expressly called attention to his frank recognition of my 

 works. Mr. Tait himself, at the close of his article speaks quite 

 differently of the relation between SirW. Thomson and myself 

 — where, in order to countenance his own attacks upon me, he 

 says : — " and I think that Thomson has done mischief as regards 

 scientific history by giving Professor Clausius undue credit." 

 This makes the first-mentioned passage concerning Thomson 

 (which is hardly a page distant) so much the more incompre- 

 hensible ; and it is a note-worthy example of the way in which 

 Mr. Tait discusses existing facts. 



The rest of the article I simply leave to the judgment of those 

 readers who will take the trouble to compare Mr. Tait's various 

 statements with one another and with my memoirs. Even if an 

 article of a similar kind were to follow, I should decline to 

 answer it ; but in that case I beg the readers of the Philoso- 

 phical Magazine not to interpret my silence as assent. 



Bonn, July 1872. 



* Communicated bv the Author. 



