thrown down from an aqueous solution of the dichromate at 50° C., but upon being stirred and allowed to settle, the precipitate is in a moderately fine state of division. The precipitate is finer when thrown down from a weak aqueous solution at room temperature, than that deposited from a strong solution under the same conditions. It is conceivable that the ionic state may have some influence here; it is, however, open to doubt. (For the purpose of examining the precipitates microscopically, a low power objective was found the most suitable as giving a larger surface than a high power objective). em Alteration is made in the speed of precipitation by utilising different solvents for the lead acetate and potassium dichromate. Aqueous solutions of these salts are ployed in analysis, in which case the precipitation is rapid and the deposit dense. If, however, clear alcoholic solutions are used, the rate of deposition is reduced to a considerable extent and the precipitated chromate only appears as a slight deposit which makes the liquid more or less turbid. Upon the addition of a little water the lead chromate is rapidly thrown down in the normal way. In this case the reagents are only ionised to a comparatively small degree, and therefore the precipitation value is not so great as that reached by the use of aqueous solu tions. The introduction of water increases the ionisation and the chromate is deposited in the usual manner. The addition of an alcoholic solution of the dichromate to a solution of lead acetate in glycerol likewise gives only a slight precipitate. Here, again, the reaction advanced by the addition of water, as shown by the voluminous yellow lead chromate which is produced in the solution when ine water is added. In the case where carbon disulphide is used, the results are indicative of the total inactivity of the liquid. A mixture of the finely powdered compounds, when treated with carbon disulphide, is not affected by the addition of this liquid, and hence no precipitate is formed. No signs of chemical action are observed. For the purpose of causing the dichromate and the lead salt to react, water is always added the aqueous solution is always used. Hence the water acts as a kind of "link" by which the two compounds are in a position to react. carbon disulphide does not function as a "link," hence the absence of chemical action. The THE INSTITUTION OF MINING AND METALLURGY.-PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. (Delivered at the recent Annual General Meeting), By S. J. SPEAK, A.R.S.M. It is the privilege of a President when assuming office to give an address upon any subject that may interest him, without previously submitting his intended remarks to his colleagues on the Council. I hope that I shall not abuse the latitude thus allowed me if I speak on matters concerning the welfare of the Institution instead of some non-controversial subject. I was present at the meeting held at Winchester House in 1892 when the Institution was founded, and I feel that I cannot avoid contrasting the situation then with what it is now, and with what it perhaps ought to be. Hence my remarks this evening will be concerned mainly with the work that the Institution has already accomplished, and with what still remains to be done. en Thirty years ago, the so-called practical miner or smelter was regarded by many people as the most suitable man to place in charge of mining or metallurgical operations. The development of the Witwatersrand Goldfields was no doubt an important factor in the education of the public in mining and metallurgical matters, and towards a better appreciation of the trained gineer. Under the conditions of those days, it is readily understandable that properlyeducated mining engineers and metallurgists were not regarded by the general public as professional men in the same sense as they regarded lawyers and medical men, for there was no marked line to enable discrimination between professiona land practical mining engineers. One of the objects of our Institution has been to make clear the distinction between the educated engineer and the so-called practical one, and this has been so far accomplished and become effective that the latter type is rapidly becoming extinct. Civil engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers have in general gained more in public esteem than mining engineers; perhaps mainly because their work is more visible to the average person. We must also recognise that as mining is a business and as mining engineers, besides their professional duties, usually direct also the commercial side of the businesses, they are often more closely connected with financial transactions than perhaps any other class of engineer, with the result that the professional status of mining engineers is liable to be somewhat dimmed. Our Institution, however, concerns itself only with the technics and economics of the mining industry, and as a body is purely professional and only indirectly concerned with the financial side of the industry. PROFESSIONAL STATUS. During the past 30 years it has been the endeavour to attract to the banner of the Institution all suitably qaulified men who wished to live up to a truly professional standard; but without solicitation or propaganda. President Cox in 1899 said: "I hope in the not distant future, all mining and metallurgica! engineers of standing throughout the world will have become enrolled as members. In his Presidential address in 1913, Bedford McNeill said: "I hold no one should be permitted to style himself a mining engineer unless he is qualified to do so, and of his qualifications for mining other than coal, this Institution ought to be the tribunal. What we wish to do is to protect the public on the one hand, and on the other secure an hon ourable career for ourselves." In so far as British engineers are concerned, we have now almost reached the stage when we may stigmatize as quacks all those who do not belong to the engineering institution that represents the particular branch of engineering they profess. As you are all aware, our Institution does not represent all classes of mining engineers or metallurgists, but fortunately the most important of the Institutions representing the other classes hold similar views to our own regarding professional standards. It may therefore soon be possible, in conjunction with such other Institutions, effectively to control the members of the two allied professions. Other Engineering Institutions besides those representing Mining and Metallurgy also suffer from the abuse of the descriptive title "Engineer," and recent events, in which our Institution has taken some part, point to the probability of the formation of a General Engineering Council, which will, amongst other things, take steps to protect all properlyqualified engineers and correlate the work of the several existing engineering societies. A combination of such a kind would attain its objects more effectively than any Insti tution could otherwise do singly, and, moreover, in these days of political strife it is most desirable that all professional men should combine for self-protection. The closer association with the Institution of Mining Engineers that we have recently entered into will no doubt prove of considerable advantage in raising the status of British Mining Engineers in general. Both being chartered Institutions, the public cannot be expected to discriminate between the two, and accordingly both should aim at achieving the same standards of qualification and conduct. That is, I be lieve, the spirit now animating the two Institutions, and there is every prospect of its being accomplished very rapidly. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT. Under its Constitution the Institution possesses authority to expel a member for unprofessional conduct, and that such expulsions are infrequent is probably due to the careful scrutiny of candidates before admission into the Institution. During the past, many members have asked the Council to formulate rules tending towards a uniform standard of ethics amongst its members. The difficulty of framing a detailed code is that it might imply some disregard of the ordinary principles of honesty and integrity by our members. What, perhaps, is better than any code that could be drafted, was expressed by W. McDermott in his Presidential Address of 1897: "In view of the peculiar difficulties and temptations of a mining engineer, 1 think every school of mines should have a department of ethical culture included the regular course to strengthen in the conscience of the student before he is turned loose." Mr. McDermott probably with intention mentioned only the mining engineer, because the metallurgist during his career does not encounter so many of the difficulties referred to. The student could, I think, also be warned of the pitfalls that may trap the innocent. For example, there is nothing inherently dishonest in owning shares of a mine in which one may be employed; indeed, the idea of workers becoming shareholders is often recommended as a remedy for industrial unrest. It is, nevertheless, very undesirablef or an engineer occupying a responsible position on a mine to deal in its shares, because he will probably be suspected of using his information before the other shareholders obtained it. No special code of ethics is needed to tell a man that it is wrong to misuse the confidence placed in him; but, on the other hand, he should not be specifically forbidden to do a thing which is perfectly honest if done honestly. Similarly in the case of a mining engineer receiving a percentage of profits; some cmployers desire such a method of payment, as being likely to create the best results; in later years the engineer, however, may find himself wrongfully accused of neglecting development and maintenance work for the sake of his share of profits. Though the Institution might usefully point out to its members some of the dangers they may encounter, it would surely be undesirable to forbid a member any transaction, which was honest in itself, for it would pre-suppose that our member could not otherwise perform it honestly. The matter of "contingent fees" is in some respects a different matter from the two examples I have just given. The simplest and worst form of this, is for an engineer examining a mine to take part-payment of his fee in shares of a company that is to be formed. Young engineers are not supposed to undertake such examinations, and the older ones, who do, are presumed to know the dangers of such procedure. Every cautious engineer before undertaking an examination, insists on a considerable payment in advance, and the balance on handing in his report, for he knows that in the event of an adverse report, the same will be worse than useless for the objects of an unscrupulous promoter. The latter will often decline to pay for the report and will trump up every possible charge against the engineer in the endeavour to show that the report was unreliable. Though the Institution has no written code of ethics, any complaints against its members are brought before the Council. consisting of men of experience, and most surely they would regard with grave sus picion any member who had accepted a contingent fee for a report. They would be inclined thereby to believe that any other charges of misconduct brought against him were probably true. Another aspect of the matter is that anyone undertaking work for contingent fees thereby injures his fellow engineers who demand proper payment for their services. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. The Institution has from its commencement attached much importance to scienti I need hardly fic and technical education. remind you of what it has already done to assist the training of Post-Graduate Students. The value we have placed upon a sound education has always been shown by the conditions of admission to Associateship, and more recently by arranging under our new By-laws that before long it will not be possible for anyone to become a full Member who has not ha da suitable scientific training. By maintaining our qualifications for admission at a high level, we hope that future generations of mining engineers will be freed from many of the difficulties the present generation has en- countered, and that whilst assisting to secure a suitable reward for them the more stringent qualifications will also improve the status of the mining industry in general. In the matter of technical education our Institution has played a prominent part in connection with the Imperial College of Science and Technology, more especially in matters concerning the Royal School of Mines. Our desire from the first has been to see that College recognised as the technological centre of the Empire, which would attract graduates from other colleges and universities throughout the Empire for courses of advanced training and research. Last year there were 52 full-time students at the College who came from the Overseas Dominions of the British Empire. The work of the College must necessarily be hampered so long as it possesses no power to grant degrees. It is only natural that many students, after graduating at a Dominion University, will feel that they cannot afford the expense of a year's postgraduate course in London unless they can thereby obtain some special hall-mark. Our Institution has already advocated that the status of the College should be raised to that of an Imperial University of Science. and Technology. There exists, however, powerful opposition to this proposal, mainly from two sources. First from the University of London, which would naturally like to absorb others in order to strengthen itself, though failing to see the undesirability of a county institution absorbing an Imperial one. We cannot expect a graduate of one of our famed Colonial Universities to be particularly enamoured of a London University degree; therefore any facilities that might be offered to students of the Imperial College to obtain London degrees, would not meet the case. Therea re other important objections to absorption of the Imperial College by the University of London, and our Council so long ago as 1914 stated that it was their deliberate opinion that the Imperial College could not possibly achieve the principal purpose for which it was founded, if it became absorbed by the University of London. The more difficult opponents to be combated are those who have themselves been educated on the classical side of existing Universities. No doubt to them a University of Science and Technology, or indeed any University specifically limiting its teaching to any particular branch of knowledge, is unthinkable. We can respect the views of these opponents, notwithstanding their impracticability for present-day needs, for we do not underrate the value of the older forms of culture. We do, however, protest against the suggestion that a study of the humanities is a higher form of edu cation than a study of natural science. Where time or circumstances do not allow of a proper study of both, it is to be regretted that persons who received their educational training in Arts, with little or no Science, should offer opposition to others who place a greater value on Science, and cannot spare much time for Arts. (To be Continued.) DETERMINATION OF ALUMINIUM. A new method for estimating the amount of aluminium in commercial samples is described by L. Losana in Giornale di Chemica Industriale ed Applicata. 0.5 to 1.0 gm. of the metal is heated with caustic potash solution in a flask through which a current of air is drawn. The hydrogen evolved, according to the equation: 2 Al + 6 KOH 2 AI (KO), + 3H2 is first passed through a water cooled condenser into a drying tube containing pumice saturated with strong sulphuric acid. It is then passed through a tube of calcium chloride or phosphoric anhydride into a tube electrically heated to about 200° C. containing palladiumised asbestos. Here it combines with the oxygen of the air, which is continually drawn through the apparatus. and the water formed is collected in two weighed U tubes, one containing CaCl, and the other P2O. 1 gm. Al corresponds to 0.9964 ILO. The amount of aluminium can then be calculated. New Patents. THIS list is specially compiled for Chemical News by Messrs. Rayner & Co., Registered Patent Agents, of 5, Chancery Lane, London, from whom all information relating to Patents, Trade Marks, and Designs, can be obtained gratuitously. chro Latest Patent Applications. 16651-Baumgartner, E.-Manufacture of mate of soda. June 15. 16687-Erikson, O.-Soda recovery process in sulphate paper-pulp manufacture. June 16. 16640-Hurter, A.-Method of manufacture of alumina from sulphate of aluminium. June 15. 16197--Jacobson, B. H.-Process of making anhydrous metallic chlorides. June 12. 16528-Jones, T. R.-Process for manufacture of a zinc-oxide substance. June 14. Specifications Published This Week. 160172-L'Air Liquide, Soc. Anon. Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes G. Claude.Processes for the production of bicarbonate of soda and of ammonium chloride. 180837-Pike, R. D.-Method of treating magnesite. Abstract Published This Week. Hydrocyanic Acid; cyanides. Patent No. 179096.-Messrs. Air Reduction Co., Inc., of 342, Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.. have obtained a Patent in this country for a process of obtaining Hydrocyanic acid. It is obtained from pure or crude cyanides by treatment with carbonic acid, without taking precautions to control the temperature, by removing the gaseous product so rapidly as to prevent polymerization. From one and a half to three times the theoretical quantity of carbonic acid, for example, may be passed through a layer of cyanide in from six to twelve minutes. A reaction vessel on trunnions is provided with a perforated metal false bottom, upon which are several layers of metal gauze covered by a sheet of porous material such as a monel metal filter cloth. The cyanide is ground, moistened, and placed in a layer upon the sheet Carbon dioxide is supplied from cvlinder through a meter, and passes through the charge downwardly. The gases issue hy a pipe and pass through coolers, and preferably a compressor to a coil in which the hydrocyanic acid is liquefied. The liquefied acid collects in a store tank and the uncondensed gas passes to a holder and thence returns to the reaction vessel by a pipe. The reaction chamber may be provided with a jacket for removing the heat resulting from the previous charge The hydrocyanic acid may be absorbed in alkalies for the production of pure cyanides. a Messrs. Rayner & Co. will obtain printed copies of the published specifications, and forward on post free for the official price of 1s. each. |