duced. 2. Further heating gives rise to the formation of mustard oil, but the yield of the latter is never high, on account of the secondary interaction proceeding simultaneously with the generation of the mustard oil. 3. Prolonged heating gives a substituted amide as final product. Acetyldibenzylthiocarbamide CS(NH CH2Ph) (NAC CH2Ph), prepared from dibenzylthiocarbamide, crystallises from alcohol in prisms; m. p. 93° C The alcoholic solution is not desulphurised by boiling with alkaline lead tartrate. With AgNO3 2NH3 it gives a white precipitate. It decomposes partly on distillation, yielding between 175-180° an oil rich in sulphur, and between 180-190° the dis tillate solidifies to a substance which after purification forms colourless crystals melting at 60-61° and free from sulphur. A cetylbenzylthiocarbamide CS(NH•CH,Ph)(NHCOCH3), was incidentally prepared from acetic anhydride and monobenzylthiocarbamide. It crystallises from alcohol in thin rhombic prisms; m. p. 129-130°. The alcoholic solution, unlike that of the previous compound, desulphurises alkaline lead solution on boiling, and with AgNO3 2NH3 gives a white precipitate which darkens on standing, and is immediately blackened on boiling. On distillation, the urea decomposes partly into CH3CONCS and benzylamine and partly into benzylthiocarbimide and acetamide. 14. "The Decomposition of Silver Chloride by Light." By ARTHUR RICHARDSON, University College, Bristol. The author describes experiments which have been made with a view to determine whether silver chloride which has been darkened by exposure to light under water contains oxygen. The nature of the change which occurs during decomposition of the chloride was also studied with reference to the part played by water. Pure silver chloride was prepared by addition of dilute chlorhydric acid to a solution of pure silver nitrate, the precipitate being washed by decantation till free from acid. The following facts were observed during expo sure: (1.) Oxygen was evolved, a part of which was present as ozone. (2.) When small quantities of water were present, chlorine and hydrogen chloride were found in solution. (3.) When a large volume of water was taken, hydrogen chloride but no chlorine was detected. The influence of hydrogen chloride in retarding the decomposition of silver chloride is considered, and is explained from experimental results given, which show that even minute quantities of hydrogen chloride exercise a marked influence on the stability of chlorine water when exposed to light, he rate of decomposition of the silver chloride being dependent on the readiness with which the chlorine in solution and water interact to form hydrogen chloride. Thus, when silver chloride was exposed to light in a solution of hydrogen chloride containing o'g part per 100 of solution, the total chlorine liberated was o'201 grm., of which 137 per cent represented free chlorine, whilst for the same weight of silver salt in pure water the total chlorine found was 0.276 grm., of which o'g per cent was present as free chlorine. In the examination of the darkened product for oxygen, a portion of the substance was taken which had lost 8 per cent of its total chlorine during exposure. After it had been dried at 110° C. till it ceased to lose weight, it was heated in a current of pure hydrogen, the gaseous products of the reduction being passed through a weighed phosphorus pentoxide tube. Before using this substance as an absorbent of moisture, it was ascertained that hydrogen chloride was not absorbed by it after contact for unaltered in contact with the dry gas. The hydrogen was a few hours only, as the weight of the tubes remained prepared by the action of steam on sodium, numerous precautions, which are described in full in the paper, being taken to preclude errors. The results show that the gain in weight of the drying tubes after the decomposition of the silver compound, which lasted from 7-8 hours, is so small as to preclude the possibility of the presence of an oxygen compound in the darkened product. The darkening of the carefully dried chloride was also observed to take place when exposed to light in a tube containing dry carbon tetrachloride from which all air had been removed by boiling. From these facts the author concludes that the darkened silver compound is of the nature of a subchloride rather than an oxychloride. 15. "The Addition of the Elements of Alcohol to the Ethereal Salts of Unsaturated Acids." By T. PURDIE, Ph.D., B.Sc., and W. MARSHALL, B.Sc. In this paper the authors record the results of further experiments on the addition of the elements of alcohol to ethereal salts of fumaric and maleic acids by the agency of small quantities of sodium alkylate; they also describe a series of similar experiments with other ethereal salts, the object of which was to ascertain if the ethereal salts of unsaturated acids in general are capable of undergoing the same additive change. By the action of small quantities of sodium methylate in the cold on a mixture of methyl alcohol and methylic fumarate, the latter is converted, almost quantitatively, into methylic methoxysuccinate, which crystallises in very large and perfectly developed crystals melting at 28°. Methylic methoxysuccinate rom methylic maleate is identical with that obtained from methylic fumarate. Methoxysuccinamide, from the action of alcoholic ammonia on the ethereal salts, melts at 175°. From the product of the action of alcoholic sodium methylate on methyl fumarate aided by heat, an amorphous substance was obtained, the composition of which agreed with that of a compound having the formula C11H1207, formed by the abstraction of 3 mols. of methyl alcohol from 2 mols. of methylic methoxysuccinate. By the action of small quantities of sodium methylate on a mixture of methylic acrylate and methyl alcohol, methylic methoxypropionate was obtained. Methylic and ethylic crotonate gave, in a similar manner, methylic methoxybutyrate and ethylic ethoxybutyrate respectively. The metallic salts of these acids are mostly gums or resins, but the acid amines are crys talline; the methoxybutyramide melts at 69°, and the corresponding ethoxy-derivative at 75°. The authors think that in the interaction under consideration, the alkoxygroup attaches itself to the B-carbon atom, but the evidence on this point is not conclusive. Ethylic methacrylate seems also to be capable of combining with the elements of alcohol, but pure products were not obtained. NEWS Ethylic angelate, ethylic allylacetate, methylic and ethylic cinnamate, and ethylic o- (B-)ethylcumarate were found incapable of the additive change under investigation. Similar experiments were made with ethylic phenylpropiolate, but no additive product was obtained. The ethereal salts of unsaturated acids differ greatly in respect of their capability of combining with the elements of alcohol under the agency of sodium alkylate. This capability is, no doubt, affected by the position of the doubly linked carbon atoms and by the nature of the atomic groups with which they are united. It is, however, impossible at present to draw any general conclusion regarding the influence of these factors. 16. "Notes on the Azo-derivatives of B-naphthylamine." By RAPHAEL MELDOLA, F.R.S., and FRANK HUGHES. The authors have completed the series of azo-derivatives obtainable from the nitranilines and B-naphthylamine by preparing orthonitrobenzeneazo-B-naphthylamine. This compound crystallises in bronzy scales; m. p. 198°. When acted on by sodium nitrite in a warm glacial acetic acid solution, it gives orthonitrobenzeneazo. Bnaphthol C10H6N2OH(3) = C10H6N2C6H4NO2(0) +N2. OH(8) The pseudazimides from the para- and meta-nitrocompounds have been prepared by Zincke's method of oxidation with chromic acid in glacial acetic acid solution. The first of these crystallises in flat, colourless needles, m. p. 236°, and the second in whitish needles of m. p. 224°. The ortho-compound gives but a very small quantity of pseudazimide on oxidation. The formula of these compounds is N. The action of aldehyds on these B-naphthylamine azoderivatives gives rise to the formation of triazines, which are being investigated. Fuming nitric acid in the cold converts the azo-compounds into orange, amorphous products which are apparently definite but difficult to purify and explosive. 17. "The Estimation of Nitrates." By G. McGOWAN' Ph.D. The author describes a method of estimating nitrates based on the interaction HNO3+3HCl=NOCI+Cl2+2H2O. The nitrate is warmed together with an excess of concentrated chlorhydric acid in an apparatus from which air has been expelled by CO2, and the gaseous products are led into a solution of potassium iodide; an amount of iodine is liberated equivalent to the whole of the chlorine carried forward, nitric oxide escaping, i.e., HNO3=3CI. 18. "New Benzylic Derivatives of Thiocarbamide." By AUGUSTUS E. DIXON, M.D. A re-examination of "monobenzylthiocarbamide" has shown that the substance hitherto bearing this name is really benzylamine thiocyanate; the latter can be converted into the isomeric thiocarbamide by heating for a short time at 150-160°. The melting-point recorded for symmetrical dibenzylthiocarbamide also requires correction; it lies between 146° and 147°, and not at 114°, as stated. The following compounds are described:- Ph.CH2 NH·CS NH2, small white prisms; m. p. 161-162°. Benzylorthotolylthiocarbamide Ph CH2 NH2 CS⚫NHOTO, white, rhombic prisms; m. p. 138-139°. Benzylmetatolylthiocarbamide, Ph CH2.NH CS NHm To, glassy clear rhombs, m.p. 113—114°. Benzylparatolylthiocarbamide, Ph CH2 NH CS NH⋅pTo, glassy rhombic crystals; m. p. 120-121°. Benzylmetaxylylthiocarbamide, Ph CH2 NH CS⚫NH C6H3Me2, large colourless monoclinic prisms; m. p. 84-85°. micaceous-looking rhombs; m. p. 172—173°. Benzylbetanaphthylthiocarbamide rhombic plates; m. p. 165-166°. Allylbenzylthiocarbamide, Ph CH2 NH CS⚫NH⚫All, colourless rhombic crystals; m. p. 93–94°. by heating with HCl at 100° into Benzylpropylene--thiocarbamide,— Converted fine white needles; m. p. 65-66°. Acetylbenzylthiocarbamide, Ph•CH,NH•CS NHẠC, thin pearly plates; m. p. 128-129°. Benzylmethylphenylthiocarbamide,- Ph CH2 NH CS⚫NMePh, white prisms; m. p. 84–85°. Methylphenylbenzylthiocarbamide,— MeNH CS NPh·CH2Ph, shining white prisms; m. p. 120-121°. Benzylethylphenylthiocarbamide,— Ph CH2 NH CS NEt Ph, short thick rectangular prisms; m. p. 90'5—91o. white pointed prisms; m. p. 102-103°. Ph•CH,NH•CSN:C5Hro, waxy-looking prisms; m. p. 85-88°. 19. "Interaction of Phenylthiocarbimide and Acetic Acid." By EMIL A. WERNER, Trinity College, Dublin. This interaction was originally made the subject of an experiment by Professor von Hofmann, and later on by Claus and Völtzkow; the former considered diacetanilid to be the product, while the latter simply mention acetanilid as being formed. In neither case was the examination of the products exhaustive. The author has made a careful re-investigation of the subject, and wishes to state his results at once, as an abstract of a paper, by Messrs. Cain and Cohen, on the same interaction, appeared in the last Proceedings. The author agrees with Messrs. Cain and Cohen, that diacetanilid is not formed, but his results oblige him to differ entirely from these gentlemen with respect to the course of the change. The influence of water on the nature of the interaction is very marked. With pure anhydrous acetic acid and phenylthiocarbimide, interaction takes place, quantitatively, at 130-140°, in accordance with the equation, C6H5NCS+CH3COOH=CH3CONHC6H5+COS. If the acid contain water, H2S, CO2, and diphenylurea are formed as products of a secondary change, viz., 2C6H5NCS+3H2O=CO(NHC6H5)2+ CO2 +2H2S. At a higher temperature, 160-170°, the diphenylurea disappears, through interaction with acetic acid, thus: CO(NHC6H5)2+2CH3COOH = = CH3CONHC6H5+CO2+ H2O, the extent to which this change takes place increases, within certain limits, with the proportion of water present in the acid. Propionic acid and phenylthiocarbimide interact in a similar manner, but with formic acid a secondary interaction takes place, which appears to be independent of the presence of water. Research Fund. VISIT OF THE PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON On Saturday, the 9th inst., the Society varied its ordinary procedure by paying a visit to the ancient seat of learning situated on the banks of the Cam. Assembling at Liverpool Street Station, members and visitors to the number of about one hundred were conveyed in saloon carriages by the 11 o'clock express direct to their destination, the whole journey being accomplished in about seventy-five minutes. Amongst those present were Dr. E. Atkinson, Prof. Ayrton and Mrs. Ayrton, Mr. Walter Bailey, Mr. Shelford Bidwell and Mrs. Bidwell, Mr. D. T. Blaikley, Mr. T. H. Blakesley and Mrs. Blakesley, Mr. J. T. Bottomley, Mr. C. V. Boys, Prof. Carey Foster, Mr. Conrad W. Cooke, Prof. Fitzgerald, Dr. E. Frankland and Mrs. Frankland, Dr. W. R. Hodgkinson, Prof. O. J. Lodge, Prof. Meldola, Prof. Perry and Mrs. Perry, Prof. Rücker, Dr. Sumpner, Prof. S. P. Thompson and Mrs. Thompson, Mr. A. P. Trotter and Mrs. Trotter, and Mr. G. M. Whipple. On arriving at the historic town the party became the guests of the Cambridge members, and proceeded to Emmanuel College, where they were received by Mr. W. N. Shaw, M.A. Various groups visited "The Cloisters," chapel, and gardens, and at 1 o'clock lunch was provided in the College Hall. At 2.30 a meeting of the Society was held in the Lecture Room of the Cavendish Laboratory. The papers read were all by authors resident in Cambridge, and the abstracts given below will sufficiently indicate the variety of the subjects brought before the Society. After the meeting, the visitors inspected the Cavendish Laboratory. Amongst the many interesting instruments and apparatus to be seen, specially noticeable were Prof. J. J. Thomson's 50 feet vacuum tube glowing from end to end with a luminous discharge; Mr. Shaw's pneumatic bridge, by which the pneumatic resistance or conductivity of various shaped orifices and channels can be compared; and the new air condensers to be used by Mr. Glazebrook as standards. The Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company had an interesting exhibit, including a dividing engine, Boys' radio micrometer, electrically-driven tuning-forks, and various recording instruments, amongst which was Galton's apparatus for registering the growth of plants. Qther things which attracted attention were Glazebrook's spectrophotometer; Lord Rayleigh's coils and apparatus used in his determination of the ohm; a collection of models, medals, and instruments formerly belonging to Professor Maxwell; the resistance standards of the British Association, together with the historic rotating coils and electrodynamometer used in the determination of the B. A.unit. Tea was served in the combination Room of Trinity College, and a majority of the visitors returned to town by the 8 o'clock express, greatly pleased with the day's outing. Others, however, prolonged their visit until Monday, and had opportunities of discussing important physical problems with the Cambridge members. The meeting was in every sense a great success, and will long be remembered as a red-letter day in the history of the Society. At the Science meeting held in the Cavendish Laboratory, Prof. AYRTON, F.R.S., President, in the Chair, the following communications were made: "Some Experiments on the Electric Discharge in Vacuum Tubes." By Prof. J. J. THOMSON, M.A, F.R.S. The phenomena of vacuum discharges were, he said, greatly simplified when their path was wholly gaseous, the complication of the dark space surrounding the negative electrode and the stratifications so commonly observed in ordinary vacuum tubes being absent. To produce discharges in tubes devoid of electrodes was, however, not easy to accomplish, for the only available means of producing an electromotive force in the discharge circuit was by electromagnetic induction. Ordinary methods of producing variable induction were valueless, and recourse was had to the oscillatory discharge of a Leyden jar, which combines the two essentials of a current whose maximum value is enormous and whose rapidity of alternation is very great. The discharge circuits, which may take the shape of bulbs or of tubes bent in the form of coils, were placed in close proximity to glass tubes filled with mercury, which formed the path of the oscillatory discharge. The parts thus corresponded to the windings of an induction coil, the vacuum tubes being the secondary and the tubes filled with mercury the primary. In such an apparatus the Leyden jar need not be large, and neither primary or secondary need have many turns, for this would increase the self-induction of the former and lengthen the discharge path in the latter. Increasing the self-induction of the primary reduces the E.M.F. induced in the secon. dary, whilst lengthening the secondary does not increase the E.M.F. per unit length. Two or three turns in each were found to be quite sufficient, and on discharging the Leyden jar between two highly polished knobs in the primary circuit a plain uniform band of light was seen to pass round the secondary. An exhausted bulb containing traces of oxygen was placed within a primary spiral of three turns, and on passing the jar discharge a circle of light was seen within the bulb in close proximity to the primary circuit, accompanied by a purplish glow which lasted for a second or more. On heating the bulb the duration of the glow was greatly diminished, and it could be instantly extinguished by the presence of an electromagnet. Another exhausted bulb surrounded by a primary spiral was contained in a bell-jar, and when the pressure of air in the jar was about that of the atmosphere, the secondary discharge occurred in the bulb, as is ordinarily the case. On exhausting the jar, however, the luminous discharge grew fainter, and a point was reached at which no secondary discharge was visible. Further exhaustion of the jar caused the secondary discharge to appear outside the bulb. The fact of obtaining no NEWS "On an Apparatus for Measuring the Compressibility of Liquids." By Mr. S. SKINNER, M.A. 1891. luminous discharge either in the bulb or jar, the author could only explain on two suppositions, viz., that under the conditions then existing the specific inductive capacity The apparatus consisted of a large spherical flask with of the gas was very great, or that a discharge could pass a long narrow neck containing the liquid to be experiwithout being luminous. The author had also observed mented upon, the lower part of which was in communicathat the conductivity of a vacuum tube without electrode tion through a stop cock and flexible tube with an adjustincreased as the pressure diminished until a certain point able reservoir. By raising or lowering the latter, the was reached, and afterwards diminished again, thus show-flask could be easily filled or emptied, or the quantity of ing that the high resistance of a nearly perfect vacuum is liquid adjusted. The flask was enclosed in a bell-jar in no way due to the presence of the electrodes. whose interior was in communication with a pump and barometer guage. So sensitive was the arrangement that the compression of water produced by blowing into the jar caused the liquid to descend about I centimetre in the neck of the flask. This movement corresponded with a change of volume of about half a millionth. The coefficient of compressibility had been tested at different temperatures, and the results were not very different to those obtained by Tait and others. The influence of salts in solution in changing the compressibility had also been tested, and a great difference in this respect found between electrolytes and non-electrolytes. One peculiarity of the discharges was their local nature, the rings of light being much more sharply defined than was to be expected. They were also found to be most easily produced when the chain of molecules in the discharge were all of the same kind. For example, a discharge could be easily sent through a tube many feet long, but the introduction of a small pellet of mercury in the tube stopped the discharge, although the conductivity of the mercury was much greater than that of the vacuum. In some cases he had noticed that a very fine wire placed within a tube on the side remote from the primary circuit would present a luminous discharge in that tube. "Some Experiments on the Velocities of the Ions." By Mr. W. C. D. WHETHAM, B.A. In studying electrolysis, the question as to whether there is any transference of solvent when a porous wall is absent presented itself to the author. The ordinary methods of testing for transference, such as by increase of pressure or by overflow, not being available when there was no diaphragm, the author used different coloured solutions of the same salt, such as cobalt chloride in water and in alcohol, the former of which is red and the latter blue. By putting the solutions into a kind of U-shaped tube any change in the position of the line of junction of the two liquias could be measured. Two aqueous solutions in which the anion was the same were also tried, one combination being cupric chloride and common salt, and in this case the line of demarcation traversed about seven inches in three hours. The results hitherto obtained by this method agreed fairly with those found by Kohlrausch. "On the Resistance of some Mercury Standards." Mr. R. T. GLAZEBROOK, M.A., F.R.S. By In 1885 M. Benoit, of Paris, supplied the author with three mercury standards nominally representing the Paris Congress ohm, now commonly known as the legal ohm. Tests of these standards were described in a paper read before the Physical Society in 1885 by the present author. Recently he had occasion to compare two of the standards with the British Association coils. The mean of many concordant results gave the resistance of one of the mercury standards (No. 37) as 1'01106 B.A.U., whilst that of the other (No. 39) was 1'01032 B.A.U. Expressing them in legal ohms, the present resistances are (No. 37) 099986 and (No. 39) 0.99913, whilst in 1885 the values obtained were (No. 37) 0.99990 and (No. 39) 0.99917. This shows that within the limits of experimental error the ratios of the mercury standards to the B.A. coils have remained practically unchanged during six years. The numbers given above are based on Lord Rayleigh's determination of the specific resistance of mercury, which differs appreciably from that found by Mascart and other observers. Taking the mean of the later concordant determinations, the value of the mercury standards expressed in legal ohms become (No. 37) 1'00033 and (No. 39) 099959. The values given by the maker were 1'00045 and o'99954 respectively, showing a very close agreement. The author also found that refilling No. 37 from the same sample of mercury produced no appreciable change in its resistance, whilst No. 39 was somewhat affected by a similar operation. Experiments on the coefficient of increase of resistance of mercury with temperature gave the value 0'000872 as the mean coefficient between o° and 10° C., a number rather less than that obtained by Kohlrausch. "Some Measurements with the Pneumatic Bridge." By Mr. W. N. SHAW, M.A. The action of the apparatus is analogous in many respects to the Wheatstone's Bridge, and its object is to compare the pneumatic resistances or conductivities of various orifices, channels, tubes, &c. The proportional arms are represented by two circular holes in thin plates of mica, the third arm by an aperture provided with a sliding shutter adjustable by a screw, and the fourth might consist of any aperture or tube whose conductivity was to be determined. The several apertures are pneumatically connected by large wooden boxes. The battery takes the form of a Bunsen burner with a long chimney, whilst the galvanometer is represented by a glass tube connecting opposite chambers and containing a vane which sets itself at right angles to the tube when no air-current is passing. The apparatus is remarkably sensitive to movements of the shutter, and on starting or stopping the draught after balance had been obtained, effects analogous to those produced by self-induction are observed. By its use it has been found that bevelling off one side of a hole in a thin plate increases the pneumatic conductivity of the aperture very considerably, particularly when the bevel is on the egress side. Another interesting result is that for squareended tubes of given size the conductivity first increases as the length is made greater, and afterwards diminishes with further increase of length. Putting a flange on the outlet end reduces the anomalous effect, whilst a bevelled mouthpiece similarly placed causes it to disappear. In the discussion on Prof. Thomson's paper, Prof. FITZGERALD said the beautiful experiments were likely to lead to very important results. He did not quite understand how placing a fine wire in a vacuum tube could prevent the luminous discharge, for if the wire was on the side remote from the primary, and if there was any great increase in specific inductive capacity, he would have expected the air to screen the wire. Prof. LODGE asked for further information as to the action of the magnet in preventing the afterglow, and in some cases precipitating a luminous discharge. The experiment with the exhausted bulb within the bell-jar was also difficult to understand, and he did not see why one of Prof. Thomson's two suppositions must necessarily be true. The PRESIDENT enquired whether Prof. Thomson had tried Mr. Crookes's experiment, in which the electric pressure necessary to produce a discharge was greatly lessened by putting a phosphorescent material in the tube. Prof. THOMSON, in reply, said he had not tried the experiment, but the phosphorescence he had observed was of quite a different character to that produced in Mr. Crookes's tubes. To Prof. Fitzgerald he said the action of the wire was probably a question of time, and thought the whole field was in some way thrown on the wire and thus discharged. In reply to Prof. Lodge, he had not ascer tained the true nature of the effect of a magnet on the glow, but he believed the glow to be due to a combination which might be prevented or facilitated by the action of the magnet causing the density to be different in different parts of the bulb. M. GUILLAUME, in discussing Mr. Skinner's paper, described the methods used by Sabine, Jamin, and others in determining the compressibility of liquids, and pointed out their defects. The chief difficulty in such experiments was in finding the compressibility of the reservoir. Numbers expressing the compressibility of mercury obtained by different observers were given, the best values varying between 0'0000039 and 0.0000040. On the motion of Prof. AYRTON, seconded by Prof. RÜCKER, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the authors for their valuable and interesting communications, and for the kind manner in which the Society had been received and entertained by the Cambridge members. Prof. THOMSON and Mr. GLAZEBROOK acknowledged the vote. ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN. General Monthly Meeting, May 4, 1891. SIR JAMES CRICHTON-BROWNE, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., Treasurer and Vice-President, in the Chair. THE following Vice-Presidents for the ensuing year were announced:-Sir Frederick Abel, K.C.B., D.C.L., F.R.S., Sir Dyce Duckworth, M.D., LL.D., William Huggins, Esq., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., David Edward Hughes, Esq., F.R.S., Hon. Rollo Russell, F.M.S., Basil Woodd Smith, Esq., F.R.A.S., F.S.A., Sir James CrichtonBrowne, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., Treasurer, Sir Frederick Bramwell, Bart., D.C.L., F.R.S., Hon. Secretary. Professor Edmond Becquerel, F.R.S. (of Paris), Prof. Marcellin Berthelot, F.R.S. (of Paris), Professor Alfred Cornu, F.R S. (of Paris), Professor E. Mascart (of Paris), Professor Louis Pasteur, F.R.S. (of Paris), Prof. Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, F.R. S. (of Heidelberg), Prof. H. L. F. von Helmholtz, F.R.S. (of Berlin), Prof. August Wilhelm Hofmann, Ph.D., F.R.S. (of Berlin), Prof. Rudolph Virchow, F.R.S. (of Berlin), Prof. Josiah Parsons Cooke (of Cambridge, U.S.), Prof. James Dwight Dana, LL.D, F.R.S. (of Newhaven, U.S.), Prof. J. Willard Gibbs (of Newhaven, U.S.), Prof. Simon Newcomb, F.R.S. (of Washington, U.S.), Prof. S. Cannizzaro, F.R.S. (of Rome), Prof. P. Tacchini (of Rome), Prof. Julius Thomsen, Ph.D. (of Copenhagen), Prof. Tobias Robert Thalén (of Upsal), Prof. Demetri Mendeleef, Ph.D. (of St. Petersburg), Prof. Jean C. G. de Marignac, F.R.S. (of Geneva), Prof. J. D. Van der Waals (of Amsterdam), Prof. Jean Servais Stas, F.R S. (of Brussels), were unanimously elected Honorary Members of the Royal Institution, in commemoration of the Centenary of the birth of Michael Faraday (born 22nd September, 1791). Charles Davis, Esq., John Douglas Fletcher, Esq., Felix Semon, M.D., F.R.Č.P., Frederick Anthony White, Esq.,were elected Members of the Royal Institution. The Presents received since the last Meeting were laid on the table, and the thanks of the Members returned for the same. NEWS interest on which is to be distributed yearly among men who have already made themselves known by interesting work, to encourage and assist them in the prosecution of their researches, especially in chemistry. A commission of five members is to be appointed to distribute the prizes, three at least of whom must be members of the Chemical Section. Researches on the Humic Substances. — MM. Berthelot and André.-The substances in question are known as ulmine and ulmic acid, and for the purpose of examination have been obtained from cane-sugar. Their experiments throw a new light on the part played by humic matters in the fixation of nitrogen and of alkalis. Humic anhydride participates at once in the properties of the acid and the alcoholic anhydrides. A vacancy having occurred among the correspondents of the Section of Geography and Navigation, the Prince of Monaco received 38 votes, against 2 given to Fritjoff Mansen and I to Herr Schrein furth! Quantitative Studies on the Chemical Action of Light. The author's results are given in formulæ and tables. Action Exerted by the Haloid Salts of Potassium on the Solubility of Neutral Potassium Sulphate.Ch. Blarez.-The precipitating action of the potassium haloid salts upon saturated solutions of neutral potassium sulphate is proportionate to the equivalent of the salt added. On Isocinchonine.-E. Jungfleisch and E. Leger express the opinion that Hesse's isocinchonine is not identical with cinchonigine. On a Carbide of the Terpene Series contained in the Oils of Compressed Gas.-A. Etard and P. Lambert. The body in question, pyropentylene, C10H12, becomes polymerised in the cold. It melts at 8°, and has the specific gravity 100'30. It is neither identical with valylene nor with perylene. On Trehalose.-M. Maquenne.-Trehalosic anhydride is an octoatomic alcohol, an isomer of the saccharoses, and approximating in its constitution to maltose. Action of Oxyhydrocarbides upon the Nitrides and Hydronitrides.-Raymond Vidal.—The action of phospham upon the alcoholic hydrates is not an isolated fact. The Constitution of the Aqueous Solutions of Tartaric Acid.-M. Aignan-Tartaric acid in solution in water exists as a polymer partially dissociated according to the law indicated by a discussion of the experiments of Biot. Temperatures. -Stanislas Meunier.-Not adapted for The Artificial Production of Hyalite at Common useful abstraction. CHEMICAL NOTICES FROM FOREIGN Chem. Ind. SOURCES. The Presence of Coumarone in Coal Tar.-C. Kramer and A. Spilker.-Coumarone has been obtained from the light oils of coal tar, which pass over between NOTE.-All degrees of temperature are Centigrade unless otherwise 175-178° after the phenols and the pyridic bases have expressed Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des, Séances de l'Académie been removed. The authors have also obtained from coumarone a polymer which they designate as para coumarone. Purification of the Heavy Oils of the Lignite Tars. E. V. Boyen.-This paper does not admit of useful abstraction. |