NEWS 1920 a counterpart in brothers whose blood is unshed, which, secondly Poverty, which brings the races together in such avaits discovery and exploitation. Yet whatever may be argued, there are certainly elements in our white civilisation which we prefer to any other, and which, because of their intrinsic worth, we do well to guard; but the question of relative superiority while affecting our relations with Eastern peoples in one degree, to a much greater extent enters into the relations between European and Bantu or Negro peoples. The sense of superiority is often accompanied by a feeling of repulsion, and seems to be so overwhelming as to admit of no sort of moral control, and proceeds to ignore wellnigh every claim which the other race may have to treatment based on fairness, while the innate consciousness of that race that, though at present debased by its history and environment, it has the capacity to rise and develop is treated as a presumptuous dream. The clashing forces are in operation, and if science may not be able to elaborate any system of final adjustment of the differences, it does demand the recognition of the known facts of the situation, and the application of the laws of the case so far as they can be ascertained. a way as to lead inevitably to marriage, and in which the parties. most concerned are seemingly quite content to accept the conditions in which they find themselves, notwithstanding the penalties which Society often inflicts. There is thirdly Affection, the genuineness of which there is no reason to doubt-that uncontrollable and mighty force which ere now has brought dynasties into conflict and devastated the fairest of lands. Then, fourthly, there is the old and yet ever new manifestation of natural instinct, which, unbridled and often blind, contributes its quota to the number of those who dwell on the borderland of racial purity. To these may be added, perhaps, genius, character, some outstanding quality on the part of man or woman, on the one side or the other, which tempts to a leap over the racial barrier. It is evident that in neither of the policies indicated can we find a permanent or satisfactory solution of our problem, or even a temporary method of treatment which can be contemplated with equanimity. (e) There remains what Science points out as the only true method of dealing with such a question as this: the clear conception of the facts involved in race consciousness, the candid recognition of the basal right of all races and every human being to live and advance, which must be followed by such readjustments of social and political relationships as may be found desirable and practicable. It is here we find great fundamental factors neglected, and a trailing of false scents across the line which con The facts present themselves in various phases in different parts of the world-(a) in Central Africa, where at the earlier stages of contact no question of social equality is presented and no democratic political rights are considered; (b) in South Africa, where the social and political advancement of the native peoples is pressing the difficulties forward with ever-increasing urgency; (c) in the Southern United States, where the two races, infuses the main issue. more nearly equal numbers than anywhere else, and with theoretical equality as a political basis, have found at present no solution satisfactory to either side; (d) in Spanish South America, where we have such a near approach to a fusion of the races in certain areas as to make it difficult to draw a colour line. When the condition of the various communities is considered, the conclusion is easily reached that a monochrome race and civilisation would be universally desired if such were possible. That cannot be, and the courses open to us await consideration. These are (a) The Policy of Segregation which is only partially possible, and which offers no real solution if the respective races are to live in the same country. It is a theory the real benefits of which can never be realised in practice as long as human nature remains what it is and makes its present demands. (b) The Policy of Haphazard, if that is not a contradiction in terms; the continuance of a state of flux, controlled by passing impulses of feeling, personal and often irresponsible, and selfish interests tempered by efforts for betterment, which must be continually frustrated or reduced in value by insincerity of application. (c) The Policy of Antagonism, a state of more or less open conflict, in which each race seeks its own advancement regardless of the feelings of the other, and which can only result in a growing unrest with all the possibilities of disaster, the end of which it is difficult to foresee. (d) The Policy of Miscegenation; a deliberate lowering of social ideals to make one race, which is unthinkable, although we are compelled to recognise that it is just here hat the most powerful influences are always at work in a bi-racial community to make a breach in the colour line. No discovery of science and no effort of the lawmaker has produced any effective barrier in the way of this where the two peoples live together in the same country. It is one of the facts which have to be accepted, part of the price which has to be paid for the exploitation of countries which once were given over to another race, unless another conception of the sanctity of race can be substituted by individuals for that which at present exists. Deprecate it as we may, there are four distinct forces at work to break down the colour line. There is first Wealth, which, where the colour line is most attenuated, is a contributing factor in not a few mixed marriages. How it operates is too well known to need comment. There is The mental hysteria which has been manifested here and there in South Africa and in the Southern States of America in pogrom-like attacks on natives is at once lowering to our conception of the white race, and an intensifying of the complications already involved in our problem. We dare not contemplate the idea of turning South Africa into a permanently armed camp as between white and coloured races, and the cost of tolerance and helpfulness on the part of the white man towards the native may as well be faced honestly and fearlessly. Otherwise we force the matter into the hands of the agitator, whose opportunities will increase and not lessen as the years pass, unless the nation is aroused to its responsibilities. Accepting the present superiority of the white race and its civilisation, we cannot escape the obligations and responsibilities of that superiority. Though scientific experiment and theory may not directly concern character, yet we cannot, in adopting a method which asks for all the facts, explain race consciousness and either justify or condemn its expression, or attempt to improve its outward relations without recognising the ethical element. Starting on the lower ground, science allots to objects and organisms the functions of which they are capable, and in utilising them, suggests the aid needed in performing such functional operations to the best advantage. The coloured races are no longer in the dark concerning their own potentialities, and the social, economic, and political rights which are enshrined therein. Chinese, Japanese, and Indian on the higher platform, and African on the lower, are advancing with strides, which in some instances are assuming gigantic proportions, and, as one has tersely put it, "The race must come to terms with the races." We cannot, if the dictates of science are to be obeyed, place the native life, with which we are in contact, and our treatment of it, on a lower plane than that of our growing crops and domestic animals, yet that is precisely what those are doing who reject all attempts at education, social advancement, and any other effort towards the betterment of conditions, save such as subserve the purpose of producing a labourer at the minimum of cost, and with the least possibility of making him a competitor in any other department of life. It is essential that due regard be paid to the race-consciousness of a people who recognise a sense of lack in their present degraded condition, who feel the need of education to supply what is wanting, and who are moved by a desire, increased by a knowledge of what some have already accomplished, to attain to a higher standard of life and service in the community. That everything which is desired cannot be granted or attained all at once is no reason whatever why all that can be done should not be done. Civilisation in a hurry would necessarily produce pernicious results, but to block it almost completely by unfair and unreasonable repression is to sit on the safety-valve, and the community which does that of set purpose, or even through carelessness, must accept the consequences. Citizenship cannot in these days be permanently withheld from any section of the community which shows its fitness for it without endangering the peace and safety of the body politic. The duty before us seems to lie in this direction (a) To conserve the universal interests, as far as may be, which the consciousness of both races conceives to be of permanent value. (b) To supply the lack which either expression of raceconsciousnes fails to recognise, which can only be done by a process of mutual education through intellectual intercourse. (c) To so advance the interests of the community as a whole that security and progress for the future shall be ensured. In regard to these propositions it is a commonplace of all race intercourse that the relationships must be characterised by justice, not only in matters pertaining to law and its administration, but in due consideration for each other's point of view, in opportunity for advance freely granted, and in the provision of such means as are essential thereto. Our native people must learn that claims and aims must be clearly and temperately advanced, and that the value of character behind them is of prime importance. They should be encouraged in this direction by due recognition of the nature and spirit of such efforts for advancement, as against the engineering of crises which call for the use of force and delay progress. They must have clearly revealed to them the sources from which our greatness has been derived and taught the value of them. In this respect no little assistance is afforded by a grasp of the mutuality of the interests involved. This is evident, sometimes distressingly so, in such a matter as Health. A Southern Officer of Health affirms of the negro : "If he is tainted with disease you will suffer." What is true of physical health is equally so in regard to Morality the same officer affirms in adding: "If the negro develops criminal tendencies you will be affected." The nation as a whole loses by every physical degenerate which it produces, and by every criminal which it helps to create, and national efficiency has its standard lowered throughout in proportion to the extent to which its individuals do work inferior in quantity and quality to that of which they are capable. these. Car yle once drew a cynical distinction between the respective attitudes of the North and South of the United States towards the black population in the follow ing way: The South said to the black, "You are slaves, God bless you!" The North said to the black, "You are free, God damn you!" We need not follow either example. This we must recognise, however: every race has a right to existence; every race has a right to the best of which it is capable of becoming; every man has the responsibility of not hindering other races in their struggle for the best; every race which seeks the highest for itself will be foremost in helping other races to attain their best, for only in so doing can they reach their own highest. it should not be real growth. To put the practical issue, Race growth must be slow, but there is no reason why there are four directions in which native aspiration is revealing itself which seem not unreasonable life. (a) Fair wages according to the nature of the work done, and the right to the necessities of advancing social (b) Better housing, with special reference to town residents. (c) Educational facilities. With increasing capacity for better classes of work better wages must inevitably come. The housing of natives in and on the outskirts of our towns is a disgrace for which terms of condemnation can scarcely be too strong. Facilities for better and wider education in letters, in agriculture, and industry, are being granted, but there is much leeway to make up. And the devising of an adequate and progressive system of political representation should not be beyond the power of a community like ours. Referring to the larger aspects of race difference, Sir Douglas Haig has recently observed: These and other problems which must, unsolved, give rise to mighty wars are capable of solution by giving to all races, however insignificant, what we proudly regard as British freedom and justice, and thereby, in the course of many years, levelling them up to our own standard." 66 Perhaps the first practical difficulty in developing these aspirations arising out of native consciousness is the financial one. Money! Yes, it will cost money. Sɔ it does to keep out East Coast fever; bat Science says, Dip!" and the money has to be found. It costs money to get better crops; but Science says, Phosphates," and money to improve the industrial output; but Science says they have to be obtained from somewhere. It costs along and scraps it. the old machinery is wasted power, and Economics comes Is it necessary to point out the analogy? Vested interests say, "It will cost us much in the way of social prestige, return for our labour, and in analogy of natural law, and by each disclosure of experi the profits on our capital;" but Science declares by every ment, that if the Best will not improve the Worst, then the Worst will drag down the Best. Social questions which involve money do not, after all, take long to right themselves by natural processes of readjustment. Sir William Ramsay, whose word should not be without "Anyweight in these circles, observes that, "The test of for to-morrow; the morrow of the race as well as the civilisation is prevision; care to look forward, to provide morrow of the individual; and he who looks furthest ahead is best able to cope with Nature and to conquer Herbert Spencer's dictum is worth pondering in this relationship: "No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happy." A system of life which persistently ignores the claim and potentiality of the moral consciousness in the working out of these problems is self-condemned. system of ethics must aim to develop character; it must establish a standard of good and evil; it must judge actions according to this standard and provide an inner check, which will restrain the will of the individual," is a sentiment recently uttered, which has its application here. Shelley sings of her." Our Geography defies our puny efforts to destroy it; we are here together for better or for worse. Our History refuses to be blotted out; we came here and must fulfil the responsibilities of being here. Our Science discloses the inexorableness of Nature's laws and bids us obey them. Our Consciousness as men, built on the solidarity NEWS of the race, though manifested in great diversity, bids us be true to our higher instincts; be faithful to the best in the best; join hands for the destruction of the worst in the worst; and aid the rise of all who seek to climb the eternal heights. LECTURE EXPERIMENT UPON COMBUSTION. By A. PRICE, B.Sc. (Lond.). WHILE arranging experiments to illustrate " gas caps," and similar phenomena, for lecturing to classes of mining students, I devised a simple arrangement, which I have carefully lowering a small flame on to the wire, with possibly a little adjustment of the gas supply, the gas can be made to burn off the top of the wire, and to keep on burning indefinitely with a very pale blue luminosity, the form of which is represented in Fig 1, and, in a direction at right angles to it, in Fig. 2. A useful modification can be made by hanging a small rounded object, such as a little bullet, by means of a fine wire as shown in Fig. 3, when the luminosity takes the form illustrated. The phenomenon is of the nature of a "gas cap," which the miner gets in testing for fire-damp by means of a safety lamp; but it has the advantage that it is not kept up by any source of heat, as occurs when using the miner's lamp. The gas is apparently burning below its actual "ignition. point," and the experiment illustrates combustion below not seen described elsewhere. It is very effective, but it requires the absence of draughts of air in the neighbour. hood and a darkened room, as the phenomenon can only be seen in daylight by those close to it. A Bunsen burner is made from a long wide glass tube as illustrated in Fig. 1, and a little above the top of the tube a wire is clamped at right angles to it. The gas is now turned on, so that a mixture of coal-gas and air ascends the tube as in the ordinary Bunsen burner. By this particular temperature, of which a good résumé can be found in Prof. Smithell's Address to Section B of the British Association in 1907. That the temperature is high is shown by the wire in Fig. 3 becoming red hot. The continuance of the phenomenon depends upon the mixed gases coming up the tube at a certain velocity, for by carefully cutting off the gas, so as to reduce the velocity, the phosphorescing gas can be made to leave the wire, and to "strike back" down the tube to the gas jet at the bottom The presence of the wire or the little bullet lowers the velocity of the mixed gases, and so enables the gas to burn, but the combustion cannot be transmitted to the uprising gas as its velocity is greater than the rate of propagation of burning. Here again the experiment can be utilised for explaining the action of the Bunsen burner, and that the ignition cannot be propagated against the uprising current of mixed gases if the velocity of this be too great. Chemical Laboratory, Technical School, Barnsley. NICOTINE AND TOBACCO SMOKING. By NEHEMIAH ASHERSON. EXPERIMENTS were undertaken with a view to determining to what extent the nicotine in a cigarette is destroyed in the smoking and thus find out how much is inhaled, and to test for the alkaloid in the fumes. Text-books are obscure on the point. The method of procedure adopted was to set up an "automatic" smoker and estimate the nicotine in the inbalation and smoke. The diagram shows the apparatus. A is a large glass jar of about 4 litres capacity, and has two openings. To the upper one is attached a tube loosely packed with plugs of cotton-wool. This filter will effectively retain any liquid co stituent of the smoke drawn through it. It is in connection with an aspirator (the filterpump in this case), and thus the air in the jar will be constantly filtered through this tube; B is a similar tube, but very much longer. It contains a glass cigarette holder fixed to one end, while the other end is in connection with an aspirator capable of drawing a slow regulated current of air through a cigarette in the holder. Care must be taken that the tube is long enough and that the inhalation is deprived of all its nicotine. The ignited cigarette is inserted into the flask and its rate of combustion regulated by the aspirator of the water flow type. The ordinary puff and rest of the smoker is imitated. All but half an inch of the cigarette was consumed. The nicotine contents of the tobacco was determined by Pinette's method and calculated on the dry basis, the percentage of water being first found. An average of 15 per cent was found for the water content. The dried weighed tobacco, after crushing, is extracted with ether in Soxhlet for two hours-some alcoholic caustic soda being added initially to liberate the alkaloid from its combination with organic acids. The ethereal extract is evaporated to dryness and steam distilled-500 cc. being collected. This distillate is titrated -100 cc. at a time-with N/20 H2SO,. The best indicator appears to be rosolic acid, although this indicator is not the one popularly recommended in books. One cc. N/20 H2SO4 corresponds to 0.0081 grm. nicotine. To estimate the nicotine in the inhalation, the cotton-wool in the smoking-tube is steam distilled after the addition of caustic soda and the distillate titrated as above. The average nicotine content of the cigarettes was 20 mgrms. About forty cigarettes were taken, in which the water and nicotine content were known from the analysis of an aliquot portion. These were weighed and smoked in the apparatus. The ends were collected and weighed, and thus the weight actually smoked was known. About two-thirds of a cigarette is normally smoked; e.g., in the first series of experiments the total welght was 29'7 grms., the ends yielding 9 grms.; in the second series these figures were 26.5 and 9 grms. respectively. The amount of nicotine in the inhalations was then determined. Knowing the amount in the burnt portions the amount destroyed can be estimated (Table I.)." (NOTE.-The weight of the burnt cigarettes being known the nicotine in the inhalation is referred to this weight and given as a percentage). smoked, about 14 mgrms., of this about 7 mgrms. enters the mouth. (According to Blyth in his book on " Poisons," the fatal dose is about 6 mgrms. of the pure alkaloid). Blyth has also on record several interesting cases of nicotine poisoning through smoking. In South Africa, farmers-who are great pipe smokersoften kill snakes by means of the "pipe oil" which accumulates in the pipe. It contains a high percentage of nicotine (estimated at 40 per cent), and has rapidly fatal results when taken by the snake. In the smoke of thirty cigarettes only a trace of nicotine was found. Analysis of the cigarette ends yielded the expected result, A summary of the results are given in Table III. viz., a slightly higher nicotine and water content. due to the presence of particles of free carbon as a result Tobacco-ash from cigarettes has a greyish black colour of incomplete combustion, which would also account for the fact that all the nicotine is not destroyed. The average amount of carbon in ash was about 10 to 15 per cent. A determination of the amount of carbon in the ash of the artificially smoked cigarette yielded a similar figure,, for their sole benefit, or for the sole benefit of a particular and was used as a check as to the combustion in the group of members, at a cost price, but the Council shall apparatus, being the same as would be if the cigarettes❘ were smoked naturally. The amount of carbon is determined by gentle incineration and noting the loss of weight; the temperature must not go too high, otherwise the carbonates in the ash would be destroyed and thus give a high result. Another fact to be noted is that the ash of a cigarette constitutes 15 per cent of the total weight. It is well known the tobacco crops exhaust the soil of inorganic constituents rapidly. The above work was carried out in the chemical depart ment of the University of Cape Town, and the writer owes a lot to Prof. H. Tietz, M.A., Ph.D., for suggestion and help as well as materials. THE NON-FERROUS METAL TRADES. THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. THE British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association has established its headquarters in Birmingham (at 30, Paradise Street). It will take the form of a limited liability company working without profit and with a nominal guarantee from members in piace of shares. The province of the Association includes all the non-ferrous metal industries throughout the country, including copper, brass, zinc, aluminium, gold, silver, and other alloys, and its objects are defined as "to arrange for the carrying out of scientific and industrial research and the dissemination among its members of technical and other information relating to the production, treatment, manufacture, and uses of non-ferrous metals." All British firms engaged in any branch of the non-ferrous metal industry, whether producers, manufacturers, or users, are invited to join the Association, and thus to become eligible for benefits resulting from its scientific investigation. Non-British firms are excluded from membership. The members will make an annual subscription based upon the capital employed in the business. The scale of assessment is as follows:-Minimum annual subscription, £25; maximum annual subscription, £200 (for the first year). Subscriptions for firms wholly engaged in the non-ferrous metal industry are:-On the first £20,000 capital, 38. per cent; on the next £20,000 capital, Is. per cent; on all over £40,000, 6d. per cent. Subject to certain conditions, e.g., that research is conducted on a sufficiently large scale, for every £1 expended annually on research and the Information Bureau, a grant of £1 (up to £5000) will be made annually over the agreed period from the Government fund of a million sterling placed at the disposal of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. not be bound to grant such request, and may, in granting it, impose any conditions or restrictions they think fit; (4) subject to certain limitations the right to benefit by all results of the work undertaken by and carried on for the Association or any part of same; (5) the right to the use of any patents or secret processes resulting from all researches undertaken, either without payment for licenses or at only nominal payment compared with firms outside the organisation. It is intended at an early date to obtain suitable quarters for housing an Information Bureau at Birmingham, to appoint a staff, and later to establish branches in various centres of the country. A librarian has been appointed, and a beginning has been made in the filing and indexing of material, and every effort will be made to develop the Bureau as quickly as possible so as to meet the requirements of members as far as possible within the scope of the Association and its allied institutions. The Association will not carry out routine investigation such as should be done in a works laboratory, and it is hoped that the system of research departments which have proved so valuable in the ferrous metals trades will be more generally adopted by firms in the non-ferrous metals industry. In the near future a programme of research will be drawn up, primary attention being given to the more urgent needs of the industry. At the outset, at any rate, the Association will not set up its own laboratory, but will work through the laboratories of existing institutions, such as the universities. Arrangements have already been made for the Association to take over the work and equipment of the Brass and Copper Castings Research Committee, which, under the direction of Prof. Turner, has for the past two years been investigating the production of sound ingots. Power has been taken to encourage the training of expert research workers, and to improve the technical education of persons engaged or likely to be engaged in non-ferrous metals industry. The following gentlemen have promised to assist the Research Association in an advisory capacity:-Mr. W. R. Barclay, Prof. H. C. H. Carpenter, Prof. C. H. Desch, Prof. C. A. Edwards, Dr. W. Rosenhain, Mr. A. E. Seaton, and Prof. T. Turner. NEW METHOD OF DEHYDRATING FOOD. MEATS, eggs, vegetables, and fruits can now be dried in a manner which preserves their original properties and nutritive value and still have an appearance of freshness when prepared for the table. Although in former years there were dried fruits and vegetables that had a fine appearance, it was often found that they had been treated with sulphites and other materials, the use of which had been questioned by food experts. Dr. K. George Falk, of the Harriman Research Laboratory, Roosevelt Hospital, New York, explained the new methods in an Address before the New York Section of the American Chemical Society, of which he is a member. He announced that, following the experimental stage in this process, meats and vegetables bad been thoroughly dried in the Industrial Chemistry Laboratory of Columbia University under the supervision of Prof. Ralph H. McKee, and had been shipped to different parts of the world, where they have been used with success. One consignment of the meat dried in this manner gave great satisfaction in Armenia, where it was distributed by the Near East Relief Fund. Other products of the new dehydration process bad been taken to distant parts of the world by exploring parties and had been found to answer all the requirements. ihe advantages to be derived from membership are as follows:-(1) The right to receive from the Information Bureau scientific and technical information; (2) the right to recommend for the consideration of the Council specific subjects for research and enquiry; (3) the right to ask the Council for a specific research or enquiry to be undertaken made, the taste of which would commend them to any Dr. Falk said that from these meats and other foods which were dried in a vacuum delicious dishes could be |