300 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
after a short time when the calculated quantity of moderately 
strong alcoholic potash is added slowly to a strong alcoholic solu- 
tion of suberic ether. 
A strong solution of this salt, when electrolysed, yields a colour- 
less oil, which floats to the top of the solution. This oil, after being 
freed from alcohol, solidifies, on standing for twenty-four hours, to 
a pure white crystalline mass. When dried on porous tile the 
crystals melt at 27° quite sharply. Analysis : — 
T249 gr. substance gave ‘3146 gr. C0 2 
and -1235 gr. H 2 0 
Found. Calculated for ^18^34^4 
C 68*69 per cent. 68*79 per cent. 
H 10-98 „ 10-83 „ 
The crystals are soluble in alcohol and ether, insoluble in water. 
Saponification yielded a potassium salt very soluble in water, and 
slightly soluble in cold alcohol. A solution of this salt was pre- 
cipitated by salts of barium, calcium, zinc, silver, and copper, the 
precipitates being all flocculent and extremely insoluble in water. 
The copper salt is green. The silver salt is exceedingly soluble 
in ammonia. The acid prepared from the potassium salt melts 
at 122°. Analysis of the barium salt yielded the following 
result : — 
*4261 gr. substance gave -2531 gr. BaS0 4 
Found. Calculated for BaC 14 H 24 04 
34*92 per cent. 34*86 per cent. 
The yield of ether in this case reaches over 20 per cent, of the 
theoretical value. 
Preliminary Experiment on the Thermal Conductivity of 
Aluminium. By A. Crichton Mitchell, B.Sc. 
(Read July 7, 1890.) 
-* 
The recent improvement in the process of manufacture of pure 
aluminium, and the consequent lowering in its price, has placed 
it within the reach of those who desire to make any experiments 
