SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
In view of Australia’s extensive interests in-the Pacific, the Execu- 
tive Committee of the Institute of Science and Industry recommended: 
to the Prime Minister that the Commonwealth should be represented 
at the conference. 
RESEARCH LABORATORIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICA. 
Among the most recent additions to the industrial research labora- 
tories of America is the new Pittsburg Station of the Bureau of Mines. 
Although the buildings have been used on war work during the past 
year or two,-they were only formally opened in October last. The new 
buildings, which are in close proximity to the Carnegie Institute of 
Technology, the University of Pittsburg, the Mellon Institute, and the 
Carnegie Library, comprise several departments, of which the more 
important are described in the Chemical Trade Journal, as follows :— 
(1) Chemical and physical laboratories, for general research 
connected with mining and metallurgy. (2) Coal and miscel- 
laneous analytical laboratory. For several years the Bureau of Mines 
has published the results of its investigations into the composition of 
American coal and the fusibility of ash. Another important study is 
’ that of the rock dust i in mine atmospheres, which is the chief cause of 
silicosis or miners’ consumption. (3) The gas laboratory. This 
department analyzes samples of mine atmospheres from all parts of 
the United States, with a view to improving mine ventilation and 
reducing risks of explosion. It also analyzes flue gases and products 
of combustion, natural gas, and various industrial gases. The apparatus 
installed includes the Burrel-Haldane device for determining the com- 
position of mine air to within 0.01 per cent. accuracy, also.the Burrell 
methane indicator. There is also complete apparatus for gas liquefac- 
tion and fractional distillation. When America entered the war, this 
department did valuable work in forming the nucleus of the American 
gas warfare organization. (4) Gas mask laboratory. This, of course, 
is closely associated with the preceding department. Tests will here 
be made of commercial gas masks. During the war-gas investigations 
certain evil-smelling and non-poisonous gases were produced, and these 
have now found a useful peace-time application as danger-signals in 
mines. Among other items in the research programme of this depart- 
ment is the production of carbon black by the combustion of natural 
gas. At present, the difficulty is to increase the yield (about 3 per cent.) 
without reducing the quality. (5) By-product coking research labora- 
tory. This deals, among other things, with coal conservation and 
smoke abatement, the recovery of valuable by-products from coal tar, 
forming the basis of the dye industry and others, utilization of lignite, 
manutacture of briquettes, &¢. (6) The petroleum laboratory will 
analyze the different grades of petroleum and petroleum products, and 
endeavour to evolve the best methods for rapid and accurate analysis. 
(7) The explosives department will concern itself with a complete 
investigation of all kinds cof explosives, detonators, fuses, &¢., used in 
mines. 
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