tour of the three Fair centres and their reception at Manchester, the delegates have enjoyed every facility for a rapid and thorough survey of British industry. The fresh connections formed by the members of the Missions with the leading representatives of the trades of this country should be productive of much fresh business and increasingly harmonious commercial relations between the United Kingdom and the Continent.-Board of Trade Journal, March 10.

DIAMOND-CUTTING SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA.

According to the local press, a school for training men and women in diamond cutting is shortly to be established, probably in Johannesburg. The Transvaal Provincial Council has voted £15,000 for the purpose, which will provide for suitable premises and machinery, a highly-skilled technical head, and competent assistants. In the opinion of a member of the Provincial Council, the school should be completed by about the end of April. One of the drawbacks to the establishment of a diamond-cutting industry in South Africa in the past has been the alleged absence of cutters, but with the establishment of this school, which will teach the work thoroughly and completely in all its branches, there should be nothing to prevent the building up of a large and flourishing industry.

STATE-OWNED ARSENIC IN QUEENSLAND.—Among the trading enterprises of the Queensland Government is an arsenic mine, from which about 3,000 tons of ore have so far been obtained at a gross expenditure of some £17,000. The ore is passed on to arsenic treatment works, also owned by the State, whose aim is to afford relief from the very high prices ruling for arsenical products. During the last financial year, the gross expenditure on the works was £14,040, bringing up the total since the commencement to £23,311. The arsenic produced is distributed among the farmers of the State at £10 a ton for the destruction of prickly pear, and at £23 a ton for cattle dips and other farm requirements.

DYESTUFFS (IMPORT REGULATION) ACT, 1920.The list of products covered by the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act, which has been drawn up in consultation with the Dyestuffs Advisory Licensing Committee, is now available, and may be obtained on application either to the Board of Trade, Industries and Manufactures Department, Great George Street, Westminster, London, S.W.1, or to the Dyestuffs Advisory Licensing Committee, Board of Trade, Danlee Buildings, 53, Spring Gardens, Manchester.

CONTRIBUTION TO STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF THE FERTILISING ACTION OF SULPHUR.-A certain number of researches have demonstrated that flowers of sulphur, applied to the soil in suitable quantities, act as a fertiliser and increase yields. One of the essential elements in plant life, sulphur exerts at least a double action. In the first place it supplies sulphuric acid, by bacterial oxidation in the soil, directly assimilable, presence of which especially in non-calcareous soils, permits absorption of certain mineral elements (potash, iron oxide, alumina, and even manganese). Then it facilitates the work of ammonia bacteria and nitrifying bacteria, thus placing larger quantities of nitrogen at the disposal of the plants. Such are

the facts acquired by experiment. It has even been thought that sulphur favours development of nodosities in the roots of leguminous plants. Experiments made in Algiers in 1918 and in the Jardin des Plantes of Nancy in 1920 to elucidate this question, with peas, haricots, Lathyrus Ochrus and Lupinus Albus, grown in pots containing sulphurised soil in the proportion of 100, 200, 300 kilogrms. of sulphur per hectare gave no clear results, perhaps because the sub-soil of mould was rich in nitrogen. These experiments demonstrate, once more, the fertilising action of sulphur as illustrated by the following figures for

the haricot Souvenir de Dreuil :—

13 12

4'9

0.376

5'310

0.462

5.745

O'574

5°115 0'426

100 kilogrms. of sulphur 200 kilogrms. of sulphur 300 kilogrms. of sulphur are interesting chiefly from another point of view. They demonstrate that in suitable proportions sulphur can favour carbureted nutrition of plants. In suitable proportions, variable with each species (200 kilogrms. per hectare for haricots and 300 for peas) sulphur favours formation of starch and photo-synthetic action, the latter being the consequence. Messrs. Mazé and Demolon have already demonstrated that sulphur is necessary for development of chlorophyll, its absence causing chlorosis. In consequence of this action on the bonic gas is stimulated, carbon is fixed in larger green pigment, decomposition of atmospheric carquantities and reserved in form of starch. Rewould probably confirm this assertion. searches on the gaseous exchanges of assimilation Thus, according to these observations, in addition to the value of sulphur as an aliment in form of sulphuric acid and catalytic agent in assimilation of essential, exerted on fixation and atmospheric soil nitrogen, we may add the influence, also carbon in consequence of its action on chlorophyll Owing to this multiple action, its employment in agriculture deserves exhaustive study.-Comptes Rendus, January 3, 1921.

CATALYTIC HYDRATION OF NITRITES.-Nitrites, as is known, can be prepared by ctalysis of a mixture of an acid and ammoniacal gas, in contact with a dehydrating catalyser like thorine or alumina.

Now

The same reaction also occurs with ether salts in which the group CO loses its atom of oxygen which forms water with ammoniacal gas. we know that a catalyser will accelerate the speed of a reaction; it also accelerates the inverse reaction. One might, therefore, think that nitrites would undergo catalytic hydration in contact with thorine and alumina, and be thus transformed into acid RCN+2H,O=RCO2H+NH,. This was demonstrated in experiments made by M. A. Mailhe.-Industrie Chimique, January, 1921.

PRICE OF THE UNIT OF NITROGEN IN CHEMICAL MANURES IN SPAIN. The Informacion Agricola gives the following observation in favour of Chile nitrate. The difference in the effects of various nitrogenous fertilisers equally rich in nitrogen are not comparable considering that the nitrogen in some, like nitrates, is better utilised by plants, not undergoing any transformation before being

assimilated, nor losses in the soil through decomposition and the atmosphere, whereas in fertilisers which contain nitrogen in ammoniacal form, or other more complex forms like cyanamide, the losses are considerable, and thus with equal percentages the effects of nitrates are greater than those of other nitrogenous manures. Consequently, the prices of nitric nitrogen is always greater than ammoniacal nitrogen. Nevertheless, existing circumstances in the markets make the nitric nitrogen of nitrate of soda the cheapest in Spain. Taking the quotations in the markets of Valencia and Barcelona, for all the nitrogenous chemical manures we have nitrate of soda, 4 pesetas; granular cyanamide (only practical form of this fertiliser), 4'47 pesetas; sulphate of ammonia, 463 pesetas; nitrate of lime, 504 pesetas. To make this calculation, we took the average guaranteed percentages of all of these fertilisers, viz., 15 to 16 for nitrate of soda, 19 to 20 cyanamide, 20 to 21 sulphate of ammonia, and 12 to 13 nitrate of lime.-Revista Minera, January 8, 1921.

VANADIUM IN STEEL.-A method for analysis of vanadium in steel, by M. E. Jaboulay is as follows. The metal being dissolved in sulphuric acid, the vanadium, and eventually chromium, are transformed into vanadic and chromic acids by potassium permanganate. Chromium, if necessary, can be titrated with ferrous sulphate and permanganate. The vanadium is estimated by adding small measured quantities of ferrous sulphate to the solution to a slight excess. When a blue colour appears, all the vanadium is in form of hypovanadic sulphate, and the solution contains a slight excess of ferrous sulphate, which must be destroyed, so as to only leave as reducing compound the hypovanadic sulphate, easily titrated with a permanganate liquor. The ferrous sulphate is destroyed by an excess of potassium bichromate. The chromic acid thus produced acts slowly on the greatly diluted hypovanadic acids, and titration can be made with permanganate before it exerts its oxidising action; however, titration should be promptly made after addition of bichromate.—Génie Civil, February 5, 1921.

RESEARCHES ON THE ACTION OF GUANOL.-Guanol is a fertiliser obtained by methodic fermentation of peat bathed with vinasse from distillation of beet molasses, under the action of microorganisms, which produce ammonification of the nitrogenous elements (especially betain). The product is then dried; it contains 35_per_cent nitrogen, and 7 to 8 per cent potash. Results of experiments demonstrate that (1) the effects of guanol are very slight in pots, being about equal to percentage of nitrogen in the fertiliser; (2) In the case of potatoes, in a clay soil, 6 parts guanol gave an increase of 287 in the crop; (3) There was no favourable effect with beet in heavy clay soil. Thus the action of guanol is not clearly specified, and new researches are necessary.Chimie et Industrie.

CHEMICAL MECHANISM OF THE ASSIMILATION OF CARBONIC GAS BY GREEN PLANTS.-The existence of hydroxylamine in leaves is made certain by transformation of the ammonia into oxygenated compounds of nitrogen and vice versâ. These transformations comprise numerous intermediary

compounds. Hydroxylamine must figure in this double series because the phenomena of oxidation and reduction realised by the living cell occur gradually, and only regard a single atom of oxygen in each stage. The experimenter, M. Mazé, has not succeeded in bringing hydroxylamine into evidence in nitrifying or denitrifying mediums. This does not mean, however, that this will not be done by aid of a suitable device. It is probable that hydroxlamine combines with the aldehydes and cetones to give oximes, and it is by virtue of this property that it acts as examination of facts shows. The existence of hydroxlamine is also shown by the constant presence of free nitrous acid and that, rather frequent, of hydrocyanic acid, two derivatives of oximes.-Comptes Rendus, January 17, 1921.

ew Patents.

THIS List is specially compiled for the Chemical News by Messrs. Rayner & Co., Registered Patent Agents, of 5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.2., from whom all information relating to Patents, Trade Marks and Designs can be obtained gratuitously.

Latest Patent Applications.

6897-Du Pont de Namours & Co., E. I.-Cellulose ester compo sitions. March 2nd.

6783, 6784-Eustis, A. H.-Recovering sulphur dioxide from furnace gases, etc. March 1st.

6679-Grainger, J. E.-Apparatus for drying solid chemicals. Feb. 28th.

6686-Hansford, J. B.-Apparatus for drying sulphate of

ammonia, etc. March ist.

7045-Kelly, A.-Manufacture of borax and boric acid. March 3rd. 7830-Caspari, W. A.-Manufacture of benzene mono sulphonic acid. March 12th.

7906-Dieenthalero.-Manufacture of molybdenum metal or its alloys. March 12th.

7597-Goldschimdt, V. M-Manufacture of magnesium chloride. March 9th.

7879-Jones, B. D.-Production of alkali pentaborates direct from boron ores. March 12th. 7569-Little Inc., D. A.-Cellulose derivative and process of preparing same. March 9th.

Specification published this Week.

147530-New Jersey Zinc Co.-Production of metal oxides and other compounds of metals. 159337-Pascal, P.-Process and apparatus for the manufacture of liquid sulphurous acid from dilute sulphurous acid gas. 136158-General Chemical Co.-Production of oxides of nitrogen and a catalyzer therefor.

143260-Lilienfield, L.-Process of manufacture of dialkylsulphate. 159568-Ballantine, W. B.-Production of ferro-chrome alloys. 159587-Bolton, E. R. and Lush, E J.-Neutralisation of fatty acids in fats and oils.

159659-Collins, J. J.-Purifications of tin or the production of tin salts from crude tin.

139470 Kilburn, B. E. D.-Removal of iron from solutions of aluminium nitrate, sulphate or chloride.

145709-Krupp Akt. Ges. F.-Process for producing low carbon ferro-chromium.

152643-Zack, M.-Processes for separating oxygen and nitrogen and apparatus therefor.

Abstracts Published this Week.

Acetic Acid.-Mr. H. Dreyfus of Pall Mall, Westminster, has obtained a Patent No. 156916 for an improved process of obtaining acetic acid. The ferric oxide employed as a catalyst in the manufacture of acetic acid by the oxidation of liquid acetaldehyde, is prepared by precipitation from a ferric salt solution, followed by heating to a temperature between 310-500 C. Its catalytic activity is stated to be enhanced thereby. Sodium acetate may be associated with a ferric oxide but only in a quantity not exceeding about double the amount of ferric oxide present

Sulphuric Acid.-Mr. P. Parrish and the South Metropolitau Gas Co., of Old Kent Road, have been granted a Patent No. 156328 for an

THE CHEMICAL NEWS.

VOL. CXXII., No. 3181.

SRIVASTRA'S HYPOTHESIS :* A CRITICISM AND AN APPRECIATION. By H. T. F. RHODES.

mean

SOME difficulties of the electronic conception of the constitution of matter have been, from the beginning, evident; and it would seem that they do not tend to decrease. This does not of course, that the theory is untenable, but there seems to be a growing tendency to exaggerate its claims to unqualified acceptance.

At least Srivastra has shown that the electronic theory of matter is not without an alternative; and this alternative, whatever difficulties it may present, certainly breaks new ground.

It is supposed that aether is atomic and not continuous and the difficulty, therefore, becomes an ultimate question; since it must be allowed that if this could be established, the cause of all phenomena, whether of matter or of force, must be sought in aether-the cause of causes; so that it appears that there is not one hypothesis, chemical or physical, that will remain unaffected.

In the domain of physics, this statement will more in particular apply; since without the original conception of aether-that of a continuous medium-part of the modern superstructure of physical science tumbles incontinently to the ground. It is because of this that definition must ultimately be applied in other directions that that of the structure of atoms; for, until now, matter has been matter, and aether has been aether; and the assertion that aether is matter will, without careful definition, lead to that very confusion which the new hypothesis has been designed to avoid. Further criticism is undesirable, for it is partial to criticise in general terms a theory which has a particular application, and which may, when fully developed, be found applicable to all cases that may fall within its scope.

It is supposed that "matter is aether condensed”; and that "electricity is aether in motion." This is excellent, for it maintains that matter and force, despite their common origin, differ; and a fundamental distinction is therefore recognised that it seems desirable, at present, to preserve.

It can

not be denied that "the aggregate of fixed electrons" of the electronic hypothesis is unconvincing, and it introduces an element that borders upon the inconceivable.

Srivastra claims that the particles of aether in motion constitute the negative electrons, but he denies the existence of the positive electrons. Even a superficial knowledge of the electronic theory of matter suffices to make some of its difficulties manifest; but the extracts from Prof. Berthond's paper seem to make the case for the positive electron very weak indeed, since it is maintained that "an electron appears as a corpuscle of electricity, devoid of any basis of matter; in the ordinary sense of the word it is at one and the same time the elementary particle of negative electricity, and an elementary particle of matter." Some such CHEMICAL NEWS, cxii., No. 3172.

conclusion as this is certainly inevitable, but it involves a verbal contradiction, at least; and one so preposterous as to make the statement manifestly absurd.

It has been claimed for the theory of electrons that it has but amplified Franklin's hypothesis, but it must not be forgotten that the latter preserves a more definite distinction between the two kinds of electricty; or rather there is but one "positive fluid" and the "matter". The positive together with some negative electrons have been defined as matter, and in case of hydrogen, it would seem that one positive electron constitutes the nucleus; the resulting confusion is inevitable. Srivastra seems to agree more nearly with Franklin; but the latter's positive "fluid" has become the negative electron; a necessary inversion which agrees with the electronic hypothesis. There seems to be some verbal confusion, however, in the manner that in the first place it is said that: "Electricity is aether in motion"; and later that "Negative electricity is produced by the motion of indefinitely small aether particles." This is open to more interpretations than one; and it might be construed to mean the very opposite of that which Srivastra desires to maintain. But that aethereal particles in motion are particles of electricity, i.e., negative electrons, is doubtless meant.

The assumption that the condensed nucleus, by rotation about its own axis in one direction, generates positive electricty, and that the negative particles are in motion around the nucleus, but in the opposite direction, is convincing and satisfactory.

The real difficulty of the new theory lies in the fact that it may be difficult to restrain; in fine, aether has been made an element, and therefore, will not subordinate itself to its original function; while on the other hand, since its atomic weight is supposed to be zero, it will not subordinate itself to the laws of the other elements; and for such an element as this, insubordinate seems scarcely too strong a term. These difficulties are not necessarily insurmountable, but a more extensive survey is required; and it is hoped that before long, this matter will be again before us, for the question is interesting, and deserves, therefore, a detailed discussion.

NOTES ON

THE ELECTROLYTIC REDUCTION OF

GLUCOSE.*

By ALEXANDER FINDLAY and VERNON HARCOURT WILLIAMS.

THE possibility of reducing glucose electrolytically has attracted some attention in recent years, but the results obtained are somewhat conflicting Thus O'Brien Gunn [D.R.P. 140318 (1900)], states that glucose dissolved in sulphuric acid of 1-3 per cent concentration, can be reduced electrolytically using graphite electrodes and a cell with a diaphragm, the current density at the cathode being o15 amp. per square decimetre. A yield of manitol (?) amounting to 98 per cent of the theoretical is claimed to have been obtained.

*A Paper read before The Faraday Society, Tuesday, March 22, 192