16 W. M. HAMLET. 



weights of the first fifteen elements have been calculated 

 according to a simple formula, in which a constant ('0078) 

 is multiplied by a constantly increasing whole number in 

 order to obtain the divergence from whole numbers of the 

 atomic weights. The atomic weights of the next thirteen 

 elements have been calculated according to a slightly 

 modified formula. The agreement is, in nearly all cases, 

 to the second place of decimals, therefore the relation 

 suggests a modification of Prout's hypothesis. The sugges- 

 tion is made that the numerical constant is a fundamental 

 atomic weight or the mass or mass-function of an electron, 

 and therefore the elements are electron complexes increas- 

 ing in complexity directly as the atomic weight increases. 

 During the year the liquefaction of helium has been 

 accomplished. 



The Challis Professor of Engineering — Professor Warren 

 — has been doing valuable work amid the inconvenience 

 and difficulties of rebuilding and remodelling his laboratories 

 and testing rooms. His work on timber testing is especially 

 interesting, including as it does the relation of strength to 

 percentages of moisture, tensile, shearing strength and 

 elasticity, resistance to suddenly applied loads, resistancy 

 to splitting and hardness. The great importance of our 

 timber supplies is evident when it is computed that the 

 value of timber in America exceeds the combined value of 

 their output of both iron and steel. Timber, he says, repre- 

 sents great sums of money, and it is clearly the duty of our 

 State to conserve our forests for our own use and for our 

 descendants, more especially as timber, compared with 

 structural steel as a building material, has greatly increased 

 in importance. 



With timber and forestry is closely associated that ancient 

 industry agriculture with which chemistry is more than ever 

 identified. So pronounced is this fact that our Department 



