xxxvm 



also contain a considerable quantity of base metal. Those who have 

 seen this process as now conducted in the Western States of America 

 will appreciate the importance of Dr. Percy's original suggestion. 

 His contributions to our knowledge of metallic alloys were of special 

 value, and he discovered the alloy of copper and aluminium, now 

 known as aluminium-bronze. 



He concluded the introductory lecture which he delivered at the 

 Royal School of Mines, more than a quarter of a century ago, by 

 pointing out that " in proportion to the success with which the 

 metaliurgic art is practised in this country will the interests of the 

 whole population, directly or indirectly, in no inconsiderable degree 

 be promoted." The recognition of this fact appears to have steadily 

 guided him, and his best services were always at the disposal of the 

 Government and were freely used, as will be seen from the long- 

 list of Royal Commissions and departmental inquiries upon which 

 he served. The first of these was the Committee appointed, in 1861, 

 by the Secretary of State for War, to inquire into the " Application 

 of Iron for defensive purposes." This continued its labours for four 

 years, and was followed by a Special Committee appointed in 1867, to 

 inquire into " Gibraltar " shields. He was also a member of the Royal 

 Commission appointed in 1871, "to inquire into several matters 

 relative to Coal in the United Kingdom," and of the Royal Commission 

 of 1875, which investigated " the cause <©f the Spontaneous Combus- 

 tion of Coal in Ships." 



He resigned his chair at the Royal School of Mines in 1879, but 

 he continued to hold the office of Lecturer on Metallurgy to the 

 Advanced Class of Artillery Officers, at Woolwich. He was also 

 Superintendent of the Ventilation, Warming, and Lighting of the 

 Houses of Parliament. In both of these appointments he took great 

 interest until his last illness. Dr. Percy collected with great care a 

 series of metallurgical specimens to illustrate special points of interest 

 relating to the manufacture and uses of metals. " Prom the study of 

 it," he said, " I have myself derived much instruction. There are no 

 specimens which, in my judgment, are more instructive than such 

 as exhibit defects which have appeared either in the process of manu- 

 facture or in the use of metals." This collection was formed while 

 Dr. Percy was at Birmingham and during the period of twenty-nine 

 years he was Lecturer on Metallurgy at the Royal School of 

 Mines. The specimens are of great interest and value, and, as in 

 many cases they represent obsolete processes, no similar specimens 

 could again be obtained. They are all minutely described by labels, 

 many of which bear incidental references to Dr. Percy's Treatise on 

 Metallurgy, to official reports, and to technical literature. It may 

 safely be asserted that no existing metallurgical collection can com- 

 pare with this in interest and importance. It is fortunate, therefore, 



