air . 25, 1927 CHENIBTRY AND LYDUSTRY 273

attcntion of dycstu8 mnnufnctiircrs both :it lioine and abroad for ninny years, and it is most gratifying to learn tliat n British dyestuff firm has discovcrcd tlic solution, for tlic British ’ DycstnRs Corporntion hiis introduced n new series of colonrs, tlic ” Icyl ’? colours, \vliich arc spccinlly rlcsigncd to yiclil cvcn results 011 viscosc sttificid silk of irrcgulnr qiinlity. Tlic coloiirs illustrntcd in the ncw B.D.G. p t t e r i i card of “ Icyl ” colours do not rcprescnt tlic fu l l scrics ; iicw nienibers will be nddcd as time goes on, and it .is Iiopcd eventually t o providc for the production of crery huo ivliich may possibly bc devised. Research and the Metal Industries

An cshibition wliicli 1i:is 1)ccii tirriIlige(1 :I nd opened to tlic piiblic a t tlic Scicncc Musciini, Sout.11 Kcnsington, affords somc inrlicntion of tdic nssistaiicc givcii to British metid indiistrics by thc rcsciircli : i n d nusiliiiry scrviccs of n n indnstrinl rcsccirch organisation. The ckliibit is t l i n t of tlic Britisli Non-Ferrous Mctnls Rcsenrcli Associii- tion,‘which, with tlic co-operntion of t h industry tlirougl~ mcnibcrsliip of tlic hssociiition, cnrrics on n two-fold ser.vice, firstly in tlic prosecution of rcscnrcli work citlicr of n fundnmentnl nnd scientific chnrtictcr or ol direct prncticd utility, nnd, secondly, i n msintnining i~ highly orgauiscd informntion scrvicc \vhicli opcrntcs for tlic gcncrnl benefit of the Association ns n. whole nnd to nicct tlic specific nccds of individanl mcnibcr firms.

Tlic prescnt cshibit is coiiccrncd cliicfly with eight of tlic Associntion’s rcscnrcl~cs, clioscn froni riiiiong eighteen ninjor invcstigations n t present in progress. Those selcctcd iirc typical of tlic c1i:trnctcr and widc range of the work which is bcing cnrricd out, and tlic eshibits haw bccn set out to give sotnc idcii of tho scope of cncli piccc of work n.1~1 the progrcss which lins so far been made.

Soinc indicntion of tlic range of work can bc gatlicrcil from tlic snbjcct.s clioscn for csliibition, which arc ns follows :-(I) Effect of inipiiritics up to 1% on tlic propcrtics of coplxr. (2) Gnscs in coppcr castings. (3) Urnss casting. q!hc surfiicc and internnl soundness of ingots. (4) The jointing of mctnls. (5) Ilic casting nlloys : Section I. Brass nncl bronze nlloys ; Section 11. Blnminiiiin iilloys. (6) ” Wipcil ” plumbers’ joints. (7) Spectroscopic iissiiy of zinc. (8) htmosphcric corro- sion.

llicrc is also sliovn onc cnse whicli gircs information in rcgnrd t o tho Association’s ndministrntivc, library tinil inforinntion scrviccs, with somc esiiniplcs of tlic work norinnlly cnrricil orit in tlicsc rlcpnrtincnts.

Tho cxliibition is opcn t o tlic public diiily rind litcrii- turc dcscriptivc of thc inntcrinl on vicw, nnrl of tlie 0 t h worli bcingctmicd oiit by tlic Associntion mny I)c obtninccl at tlic Sciciicc Btuseiiin or from the Sccrctnry, B.N.F.Bl.It.A., 71, Tcmplc Row, Uirtninp1in.m. US. Production of Nitrogen Compounds

Tho U.S. Uepartincnt of Cotnnicrcc iiiinounccs that, iiccording to dntn from tlic liicnninl ccnsiis of tiinnu- fnctnrcs titkcn in 1926, nitrogcn iintl fiscd nitrogcn coinpoiin& d u c t 1 t i t S31,409,082 wcrc produced for E ~ C by establishnicnts cngiigcd primiirily i n tlie nianu- fncturc of chcmicnls. This totnl rcprcscnts iiicrcnscs of 3.2% and 49.1% rcspcctivcly, ns compared with $30,435,909 for ’1923 nncl $21,059,976 for 1921.

r i

Phymiul and Chemical Survey of the N&nJ Cod Resources In conucxion with the physical niid cheinical survey

of thc nntional coal rcsourccs, whicli is one of the innin :ispects of the fuel research work of thc Dcpnrtment of Scientific and Indiistrinl Rcscnrch, tlic following coin- niittce lins been appointed to den1 with tlic physical iind clicmicnl siirvey of the conlficlds of Durham nntl Northnmbcrlsnd :-

Nr. ti. ICirhp, Dr. H. Pcilc, and JIr. G. Raw (rcpre- scnting Durlinni Con1 O\vncrs’ Bssociation) ; IIr. S. Ihtcs, Xnjor 13. S. Strcntfcilcl, nnd Mr. R. Warham (rcprescnting ?Yortliumbcrln nd Con1 Owners‘ Association); Colonel 11‘. C. Blrtckctt (rcpresctiting the Nortli of Englnnd Tnstitiitc of ;\lining nnd bIechnnica1 Engineers ) ; Prof. R. V. A. 13riscoc ; Dr. J. T. Ilunu ; Prof. G. Hickling ; Prof. 0. l’oolc ; A h . It. G. Carrnthcrs (repre- senting tlic Geological Survey of Great Britain) ; Dr. C. TI. Lnntler (cz q0;cio) (Ilircctor of Fuel Research) ; Jfr. P. S. Siliiiiltt (en; qgcio) (Supcrintendcnt of t h e Xntioniil Sorvcy).

Conimittces ;ire :tIrciidy ;it work in Lnncnsliirc and Clicshirc, Soiitli Yorkshire, Nottinglinnisliirc and Derby- shire, nnrl Sortli Staflforrlsliirc. :\nother conimittee is tlcnliiig witti tlic coiilficltls of Scotland. Chemical Treatment of Flour

Tlic Jlinistry of Rcnltli Iiiis piiblisltcd the rcport of tlic Del~~rtniciit:il Coniniittcc on the ‘I’rciitincnt of Flour witli Clicniiciil Substances. Whilst tlic Coininittec rc- cogniscs t l ~ c itnportilticc of gtmditlg the t,rciittiictit of flour itgainst nnneccssiiry trentiiicnt with forcign sub- stnnccs, i t is not prepitrcd, on ~ircscnt kno\vledge, to r~coninicnd the coinptctc cliininntion of blcncliing ngeiits :ind inipowrs, though it thinks tliiit clilorinc, nitrogcn tricliloridc i t n d licnzoyl pcrosidc slioulil not bc aniongst tlic SlllJSttlliCPS iiscd. ‘l‘lic C‘oinniittco tliinks t1i:it it8 slioiild IN c01n~~ii1~0ry fo:. ni:lnufncturtm of clicmicnl sub- stiinacs for usc cithcr :is blciicliing ngcnts or “ iniprovcrs,” or both, to dcc1:trc to tlicir ~)urcIi:isers tlic nnture of tlic ingrcdicnts of which t h y iirc composcd, :tiid that millcrs should bc rcquircd to inform tlicir customers \vlietlicr tlieir flour tins untlcrgonc n proccss of clicnlicnl blencliing or ‘‘ iiiiproving,” or both, rind if so witli wlint substiiiiccs iinil i n d i n t proportion.

REVIEWS r 1 1 ~ I E : C)IIIMISTIW OF DWIXG. 13y .JOIIS l i ~ 1 ~ 1 : 0 0 ~ 1l1oon.

New and revised ctlition. Pp. 07. London : Giirncp ~k Jnckson, 1926.

‘L‘liis is ii snIijcct wliioli Itnu iittr:tctcil iiiuch rcsciirall, but ngrcciiieiit hiis not yct bccn rcnchcd oil n. subject dcaling witli so innny fibres arid vnrying proccsscs, nor docs it iippeiir likely t h n t one theory cnu CO\W the \\.hole ground.

‘Clic work iilreiidp piiblislicd is so lt~rgc t l in t Dr. M\‘ood’s monogrnpli is vcry wclcoine to s t d c n t s and thoso practicid dyers wlio iiiay bothor libout, tlicory by suin- mnrising i t in 11 corincctcd w y , whilst giving n~nplc rcfcrciiccs to tlic original publications. Tlic field id 110w bciiig so intcnsivcly workcil that nlrcndy inucli ncw work lins bccn pnl~lishctl since tliis second cditioii wns prcpnred.

Pricc : 3s. Gd.

274 CIIEhLISTRY AND INDUSTRY Afar. 25, 102;

Artificial silks should be includcd in thc list of cliicf tcrtilc fibres (p. 3). It is not true, except in tlic most general sensc, to say that viscose rcscrnbles cottoii in its beliaviour to clycstuffs : many direct cotton dycstuffs suitnblc for cotton arc unsuitable for applicntion to viscose, and the csplanation, wlicn found, will 1)rob:ibly illuminate tlic thcory of onc briinch of dyeing. I t is also not truc to say that ccllulosc ncctatc prcsciits tho greatest dificnlty to tlic dyer : the csccllcnt work done by British tcchnologists in producing suitable dycstuffs and siniplc mctliods of application has inadc its dycing n simplc process whicli, from micro-~~liotogrn~~Iis at various stages 01 dyeing, nppcnrs to bc csplaincil 1)y Witt’s solid-solution theory. In dcaliug witli vat dye- stuffs (pp. 14-16) the Gcrnian and Swiss, but, iio British, gcncric names arc given. Is j t iiot tinic tlirii British tcstboolrs wcrc illustrated by British csnniplcs, especially so in this case, sincc tlic proiluction of wit, clycstufis by British manufacturers 1111s becn onc of t h e most fruitful of their activities ?

GI~APILZT. By Dr. 13. RSSCIIK~~:WITSCII. l’p. sii + 3%. Lcipzig : S. Hirzcl, 19%. l’ricc : paper, 14.50 111. ; bolind, 16-50 III.

This book gives a systciiintic survey ol tlic clieinicnl and physical properties of grapliitc, of its niincrnlogical cliarncter, and of its prcpnration, purificntion, and indiis- trial iiscs. Thc subject is :I Inrgc onc, and tlic author is to be congratu1:ttccl on having covcrctl tlic grourid so t,lioroiiglily within thc limits of :L modcratc siecd volunic.

The first chnptcr deals with tlie cliciiiical and physical propcrtics of grapliitc, and is followed by onc dealing wit11 tlic inineralogy thcreof. Tlic t,liird chapter on tlit! winning and rcfining of graphite from its orcs tlc;ils fully with thc diffcrcnt proccsscs used, ranging froill simplc grinding aiid grndiiig to tlic inore clnborntc li~droiiiccl~a~iiciil, flotation, cliemiecil, and clcctro- cliciiiical proccsscs of refining. Tlic following cliaptcr is dcvotcd t o tlic artificial production of grnphitc by thc ilclicson and otlicr proccsscs. Tlic last cliaptcr on t.ho npplications and uses of grnpliitc is pcrliaps tlic most intcrcsting to tho nverngc clicinical technologist. It, is divided into f i ~ c scctions, tlic first four of which de:rl rcspcctivcly mit,li tlic usc of grapliitc as n lieat-rcsisting inntcrinl for cruciblcs, ctc., :is a conductor of clectricit y, as n pigment, nnd as (L lubricant, whilst tlic fifth cont:iiiis statistical data of thc production and use of graphite. All tlicsc scctions :ire csccllcnt, tlint on grapliitc as i i pigincnt containing n bricf but iisetul s~iiiiiiai*y of tlic manufacturo of pcncil ‘‘ leads.” Good author :init subject indexes concludc thc volumc.

Tlic book is well printed and illustrntcd cind contrtins iiinny iiitcresting and useful graphs. It, nppcnrs t,o bc rcniarkr\bly frcc from errors, but 13ritisli gcography is it

slight st,unibIing block to tlic author, \die trnnsfcrs tlic couuties of Ncrioncth and Montgomcry to North Scot- laid, nncl misspells Ctimiiock ns Cumcock. In spitc 01 t,lic csistcncc of otlicr uscfiil books on graphilc by E. Doniitli and 1%. S. Spcncc, this book contains so ~niicli tliut is spccinlly good that it must bc cordially rcconi- mcndccl t o all iiitcrcsted in tho prodnction niiil USC of

C. Bl. l \ r ~ ~ ~ ~ r u u < i :

graphite. Pisncr MAY

REPORT Report of lhe Goniinillee of the Privy Couiicil for ScieiiliJc

aid I,tidttstriccl Resenrck for tAe Year 1925-26. Cnicl. 2782. Pp. iv + 178.‘ €1.11. Stationery Office, 1 B 7 . Pricc 3s.

The Coininittcc of tho Privy Council, in its Report for 1025-26, sccs no grounds for ansictyin tlic ficld of purc scicncc, but points out t h a t tlierc is etill much to bc donc bcforc o w industrial position is rc-cstnbIishec1, tnliougli it cmplinsiscs thc nchicvcnicnts of tlic p s t tcn ycnrs, wliich are full of encouragcmcnt for the futurc if thc efforts nlrcady made can bc continucd and incrcased.

NCW rcscnrcli associations contiuue to bc formed, tlic lntcst bcing for thc preserved food industry, nnd for tlic paint, colour, and varnish trades. Furtlicr grants 11avc bccii mndc to otlicr rcscarcli associations, such as tlic silk, cast-iron, rcfractorics, rubbcr and tyrc, lcather manufacturers’, aiid othcr cissociations, but it liav iiot bccn found possiblc to give further aid to tlic slialc oil and sugiir associations. During thc financial year grants to nssocicitions totalled f88,21GJ tlic balancc of tho i\lillion 1 ~ u n d a t Blnrcli 31, 1920, bcing f420,984, the iincommittcd I)alnnce, amounting to E144,Gd7.

Tlic cstimntcd nct cspcncliturc of tlic Dcpartnient on rcscnrcli mid nrlministration for 1!3%-2,7 ninouiits to .€442,877, conilinrccl with f350,263 for 1025-26 aiid 2328,281 for 19221-25.

The licport of tlic ild&ory Council opens with a discussion of tlic rclatioiis of tlic Statc and industry to scientific rcscarch. It is consiclcrcil tlint far too ninny inen arc spccinlising in clicmistry, whcrcns tlicrc is a lacli of tliosc who conibiiic clicinistry witli otlicr subjccts, siicli ns agricultiirc, biocliomistry, bot:uip, and so on. Coiisidcring the stntc of industrinl rcscarch, it is pointed out that industrial rcscnrcli must bc rcgardcd, iiot as a cnrc for, but ns 11 prcvciition of, btuiltruptcy. Tho country nccds n full rcalisation of tlic value of :i con- tinuous policy of rcsctircli nnd scicntilic dcvclopinciit in 1niiriy iniportnnt 1)r:inclics of industry, and of tlic fact that progrcss call bc niorc cfliciciitly sccurcd by scientific nietliocls t h n by tlic cspensivc proccss of trial and catiistroplio on tlic liirgc scnlc. More industrial research is bciiig ccirricd out than ever bcfore, but far grcatcr cspnusion and far grcatcr co-ordination of cllort is nccilcd. For industrics consisting of ninny small firms tlicrc arc two nicans to tliis cnd : the forniation of large industrinl combincs and tlic ciicouragcmcnt of co-opcrii- tivc rcscnrch. It is considcrcd that, so fiir ns industri~il rcscnrch is coiiccriicd, tlicrc nro grcnt advantngcs iu tlic fornintioii of large conibiiics, though much cnn bc stiid in favour of the co-opcrcitivc rcscnrcli nssocintions.

Tlic policy of the Dcpnrtnient is to build up gradually tin orgniiisrrtioii t o form n link bctwccii pure scicntific rcscnrcli and iudustriiil nppliciitions. It niiiis a t acccpting full rcsponsibility for investigntions of widc importance to t h o cominunity whicli cannot bc left altogctlier to privnto ciitcrprisc, arid it Iiolds to ba cssential that both lorgc-sccilc n n d Inborntory rcscarcli should 1 ) ~ carried out undor s t r i d scicntific control and with the utniost accuracy of nicnsuremciit. ‘J‘lius tho Depart- incnt Iiuv sct up orgnnisntions maintained out of public. funds to meet tlic nccils of iidustry in rclntion to forest