328 
Quarterly Reports of the Chemical Committee. 
In reply to the usual inquiries and request for the invoice, 
Mr. Church stated that " there being a contra-account between 
seller and self. I credited my account with the delivery and paid 
the difFerence." 
According to this analysis, and the price to be paid for good 
commercial nitrate, the sample sent by Mr. Church is not worth 
more than 8/. per ton. 
3. On the 20th of August, 1879, a sample of nitrate of soda 
was sent by Mr, F. Monckton, The Cage Farm, Tonbridge, who 
stated that he had received it direct from London. This sample 
yielded, on repeated analyses, the following results : — 
Moisluve 5-01 
Chloride of sodium .. 26 "87 
Other impurities '35 
Pure nitrate of soda 07' 77 
100-00 
According to the statement of the purchaser this nitrate was 
bought with a guarantee of 95 per cent, pure nitrate, at 15/. 15s. 
per ton, delivered at Tonbridge, through a most respectable firm 
in this neighbourhood, but received direct from London, by 
South-Eastern Railway, from the importers. 
Mr. Monckton subsequently wrote : — 
" I have had transactions for years with the firm for cake, &c., and par- 
ticularly wish their name kept from publication. It was at their suggestion 
I sent the soda to Dr. Voelcker : it was guaranteed 95 pure to them. I may 
add, I think it was a positive injury, as I applied the lot in question to 
stimulate hops, but having so much salt in it, and the weather following the 
application being wet and cold, the hops I believe would have been much 
better without it." 
The purchaser, having complained to his vendors, received the 
following letter from the importers : — 
" Dear Sir, — We understand from Messrs. that you were the receiver 
of one ton nitrate of soda forwarded by us to Tonbridge Station on their 
account on the 16th August last; also that you have had this nitrate 
analysed by Dr. Voelcker, whose analysis shows a refraction of nearly 
25 per cent. The writer of this was from home when the complaint reached 
us, but upon his return we wrote Messrs. fully upon the subject, and at 
their request we can only repeat to you the substance of our communication 
to them. We never in our experience knew of nitrate of soda as imported 
showing a refraction of anything like 25 per cent. This, coupled with the 
fact that the test of Messrs. Huson Bros., analysts for the cargo, only shows 
a refraction of 5'50, induces us to believe, either that iiome mistake has taken 
place in your sampling or in Dr. Voelcker's analysis. 
" The nitrate which you received was delivered by the St. Catherine's 
Dock Company from ship's side to a public carman's vans, by which it was 
conveyed to the railway station. All this we can incoutestably prove, and 
we are jjcrfectly satisfied that nothing but nitrate as imported was sent 
to you. 
" As mentioned to Mr. , we are willing to go personally and see the 
