CORRESPONDENCE.

THE PEOPLE'S UNION FOR ECONOMY.

To the Editor of the Chemical News. SIR,-On July 16 last we wrote a letter on the extreme gravity of the financial position of this country, which you were good enough to publish. We were glad to observe the gradual awakening of interest in this matter, and the attention which all sections of the community are beginning to pay to the critical state of affairs. In order to promote further the views we expressed in July last the People's Union for Economy have now established their headquarters at 1, King's Buildings, Millbank, Westminster, S. W.1.

The People's Union for Economy will aim at keeping a watchful eye upon all Government expenditure with a view to directing attention to overlapping and waste in the administrative sphere. For this purpose it will operate through

a

strong Parliamentary Committee including members of all parties and of both Houses of Parliament, and they will seek to co-operate with other Associations working for the same objects. The Central Office aims further at becoming a bureau of information where all Parliamentary papers and estimates will be critically examined and filed for reference. It will be in constant touch with commercial and industrial bodies, individual economists and others in all parts of the country, with a view to providing the best possible material for criticism.

It is obvious that an organisation of this kind, which we believe to be without parallel in the country, must rely for its development upon the support of the public, whose interest it is solely designed to serve. We therefore invite all those who agree with the views we have expressed to give us their support by joining the Union, and by supplying reliable information of any instances of public waste and extravagance.

Forms of membership may be obtained on application to the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Leslie HoreBelisha, 1, King's Buildings, Millbank, S. W. 1.We are, &c.,

NOTES.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.-On Tuesday next (January 18), at three o'clock, Sir G. P. Lenox-Conyngham will give the first of two lectures at the Royal Institution on "The Progress of Geodesy in India"; on Thursday (January 20), Dr. Arthur Harden begins a course of two lectures on "Biochemistry (Vitamins)"; and on Saturday, January 22, Dr. P. C. Buck commences a course of three lectures on the "Madrigal: Rhythm-Key-Technique," with musical illustrations by the English Singers. The first Friday evening Discourse on January 21, will be delivered by Sir Frank Benson on "Shakespeare and Democracy"; and on January 28 by Sir James Dewar on "Cloudland Studies."

£20,000 FOR INDUSTRIAL HARMONY.-Of the many New Year honours conferred by His Majesty none was more deserved than the Baronetcy bestowed upon Col. Sir Wm. Dupree, J.P., D.L., who, early in the great war, foresaw that one of the greatest problems that would evolve from the conflict, and which would shake nations to their foundations, would be the question of relationship between employers and employed. Events that have happened in all countries of the world during the last twelve months have clearly proved the wisdom of Sir Wm. Dupree's judgment of what would be the trend in industrial matters. Serious though the situation has occasionally been in England, this country has happily been spared the terrors of civil strife, and it can with all deference be said of Sir Wm. Dupree, as of other like public-spirited men, that his broad-minded munificence and indefatigable energy have contributed materially to the factors which have enabled England as far to avoid the industrial rocks and snags on which she would undoubtedly have foundered. So keen was Sir Wm. Dupree on what he felt to be his duty to his countrymen in this connection that in December, 1918, he approached the Rt. Hon. G. H. Roberts, M.P., who was then President of the Industrial League, and placed in his hands for the use of the League, and without any reservations whatever, a cheque for £20,000.

THE ACTION OF COPPER ON MOULDS.-The existing opinion in favour of the employment of anticryptogamic bouillies is based upon the theories of Millardet applied to hydrated copper oxide. Continuing the studies already submitted to the Academy, M. and Mme. Villedieu demonstrate that the metal Cu is not more toxic for Peronospoaceœ than for moulds, and that vine stocks are not protected against mildew, although sufficiently bathed with ammoniacal nitrate to find the metal in the ash from tissue of the leaves. Thus it seems possible to replace copper in the mixtures hitherto employed by some less expensive elements. Comptes Rendus, October 18, 1920.

ACTION OF SELENIUM ON MOULDS.-The experiments of Messrs. Nemec and Varchav Kàs related to various varieties of Mucdinea sown in a Raulin liquid modified according to their specific needs and mixed with seleniate of sodium. The influence of Se was especially notable with P. Roqueforti, but in the case P. Candidum, the metal apparently becomes toxic when the percentage exceeds a certain limit. Comptes Rendus, October 18, 1920.

is passed over chalk or barium carbonate until a sufficient concentration of acetate is obtained, and at the same time the methyl alcohol and acetone are withdrawn by means of vacuum. The wash-water contained in the tank A is pumped into the vessel B, provided with a heating jacket, where it passes through lumps of calcium or barium carbonate, and overflows through the pipe bi into the vessel D, which also contains calcium or barium carbonate and is fitted with a cooling jacket. The methyl alcohol and acetone are drawn off from the heated wash-water in the vessel B by means of the pump b into the condensing coil C. The liquid issuing from the vessel D is pumped into the tank E, from which it can be run back to the scrubbers of the suction gas plant. The process is repeated until the content of calcium or barium acetate is sufficient to justify its recovery by evaporation.

Messrs. Rayner & Co., will obtain printed copies of the published specifications and forward on post free for the official price of 1/- each.

MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK.

Monday, January 17, 1921.

Royal Society of Arts, 8. "Aero Engines," by Alan E. L Chorlton.

Tuesday, January 18.

Royal Institution, 3. "The Progress of Geodesy in India," by Col. Sir Gerald P. Lenox-Conyngham.

Society of Chemical Industry. (At Edinburgh). Mineralogical Society, 5.30. "The Olivine Group," by A. F. Hallimond. "A method of rock-analysis diagrams based on statistics," by W. A Richardson. "Identity of Trechmann's 'B-tin' with Stannous sulphide," by L. J. Spencer. "Linarite, Caledonite, and associated minerals from Cumberland," by G. F. Herbert Smith. "On the Adare and Ensisheim Meteorites," by G. T. Prior. Institution of Petroleum Technologists, 5.30.