The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-20

the first perhaps without giving that careful inves-
tigation to the subject that might have been ex-
pected from in his high position Professor
Stokes of the University of Cambridge. man of ex
cellent judgment and thoroughly acquainted with
spectroscopic work, another who stands in an ex
pectant attitude. 1t seems that DIR. Higgins and
Professor Roscoe have given great deal or attention
to Mr.. Lockyer's theories. and am informed that
DIR. william j. Russell, f. Il. s., lecturer on chem
istry at the medical school of st. Bartholomew
Hospital has made the examination with the spec
troscope OF various substances in solution u special
study. In reply to my inquiry respecting his opn-
ion OF Mr.. Lockyers work he said that he thought
that the chemical evidence of dissertation OF the ele
had utterly failed thus far. but it was quite
impossible to say what results might be obtained
even in short time. 1t very unfair to criticse
Mr.. Lockyer. He was enthusiastic a man Of genius
and had singularly active mind Ii he were not
enthusiastic lie would not be Lockyer.
Mr.. Lockyer tells me it will take fifty years to
complete these studies.
"Yes. no doubt. it will be great many years be-
fore get the dissociated substances in bottles. 1t
is very difficult to distinguish impurities. In his
argument MIR. Lockyer has referred to those sub
stances he has most experimental with and is pre-
pared to stand or fall by the evidence of those ex-
periments; but it would have been better IL he had
withheld the publication of his argument till he had
more thoroughly completed it, DR.. Russell thought
that in the end it would be shown that Mr.. Lockyer
had made an important discovery.
DIR. L. Lander Brunton. +. Il. s. had faith in the
value Of Mr. Lockyer's discoveries. He thought it
possible that the transmutation Of metals might be
accomplished ut some future day. He believed it
highly probable that the alchemists. who by
means fools had really succeeded by chance in trans
muting baser metals into eold put when they found
little gold in the bottom of the crucible as the
stories tell US, it only through some chance
bination, and they were unable to produce the same
results at another time.
TOO SOON TO JUDGE
DIR. Henry x. Armstrong. +. Il. s., professor Of
chemistry at the London institution is young man,
but ali eady has a reputation that many older men
might envy. He said it was hard to give opinion,
the whole subject was yet in its infancy. Com
pairing Professor Crookes' work with Mr.. Lockyer's,
he thought Professor Crookes work magnificent and
manfestly so. Lockyers, too will be magnificent IL
in the sun aud stars. The same ideas had been adj
vanced before, but Mr. Lockyer the first to bring
forward proof of that description Much that had APP
peared in print the subject OF Lockyers discove
ries extremely sensational and not to be regarded
He thought it would be long time before any one
succeeded in actually separating and bottling the
stituent atoms. He thought highly OF Mr.. Lockyer's
work but it too early to judge of it, for he had
not gone far enough in his researches to make the
proof conclusive.
LENGTHY KxEaEsIs.
DIR. j. H. Gladstone. +. II. S.. president Of the
impressions OF Mr.. Lockyers discoveries. This
week he delivered very interesting lecture on the
the West London Scientific Association, the princi-
pal points of which he gave me during an interview.
The earliest of the Chinese writings he said make
mention Of five elements, namely Fire, air, water,
wood and metal. The ancient Indian philosophers
substituted earth and ether for the last two. The
first Of these passed on to Greece and be-
came part of the creed of the Middle Ages. The al
chemists, however, introduced mercury. sulphur
and other substances as the probable constituents of
all matter but the early chemists at the close Of the
last century, relying upon the principle that the
weight Of body is the sum Of the weight Of its
stituents set to work to analyxs all things into their
ultimate elements. In this way they drew up list
of substances which could not be resolved into
simpler This list has gone increasing until
| it includes ffty-one metallic and thirteen nom
| metallic elements. There Is reason to suppose
that these socalled elements not themselves
pound bodies excepting that they have not yet been
resolved into simpler forms. On the other hand it is
more and more recognized in modern chemistry that
| certain bodies known to be compound such <Ss
| cyanogen ethyl play the part OF elements. and
also that many supposed elementary bodies, such as
carbon or sulphur. are found under different forms
with different properties, such Us diamond graphite
and charcoal-all three varieties Of carbon. There
have been many specuations on the nature of the
| elements founded on their atomic weights. There Is
| Prouts theory that all are multpes Of hydrogen.
supposed to be dsproved by Stas recent experiments
| CHEMICAL SECRETS.
Curious relations have been pointed out bet een
| the numerical constants of analogous clements.
Thus the atomic weights OF the akali metals hthium
| sodium. potassium. rubidium aud caesium differ
| from one another by multiples Of sixteen. When
spectroscopc analysis first introduced, DR.. Glad
stone and some other chemists hoped that it might
| confirm some Of these speculations to the com
pound nature of the elements But the linear spectra
of all the elements seemed to be quite Independent
of one another There are, however two difficulties
with regard specroscopic evidence. The spectrum
of compound body is not made up of the spectra of
its components and the same body will give differ
ent spectra at different temperatures 1t has, in TACT
| been long known that rays not seen before make
their appearance when the vapors OF the elementary
! bodies obtained not from . common fame but
| from the electric spark. The recent re-
searches by Mr.. Norman Lockyer have greatly
phenemens. lie has shown. for instance,
that hydrogen will give five different spectra under
| different circumstances. His observations and his
| many hundred photographs also show a very large
number condolences between the spectral lines
| different metals These are doubtless often due to
impurities, but in large number Of instances he be-
lieves that he has eliminated this difficulty by show
ing that the bright lines characteristic particular
element absent while the fainter lines pres
emit These socalled bssic lines" appear to be com
mon to several elements. when they volatilized
at the high temperature Of the electric arc. Admit
ting these observations to be correct three conclu-
sions appear possible:-
trThat two elements may give out the same rays of
even these eoned.ness may result from
community Of nature between the two socs.sd elements
without substance common ~ the two being actually
TNir-That the socallcd element 10 actually
at the high just carbonate Of ime
cyanogen would be.
OF this view there seems IS yet to be no expert
mental verfcation, although II two substances
actually dissociated the means will be found
| exhibit them separated from another. Indeed.
the fact that in our hot furnaces where chemical
force is at work well heat decompositions of
any OF the socaed elements have been observed to
take place renders 1t difficult for chemist to accept
| this view. These researches of Mr.. Lockyer can
scarcely fail to make better acquainted with the
ultimate constitution of bodies. whatever intcrpreta-
| ton OF them may be finally adopted.
LocKYER's OPPONENTS.
As to the objections to Mr. Lockyers discovery, IL
had been said that the condolences in the spectral
lines of different elements subjected to very high
temperatures were due to impurities in the metals
employed. No doubt Mr.. Lockyer had sometimes
been niised by impurities, but these would not ac-
count for the greater part of the phenomena. DIR.
Russelps examination of pure nickel and cobalt
showed an immense number of coincdent lines.
Therefore 1t to be inferred that two distinct
bodies might yield the same vibrations under heat
Why should they not? Do not different metals crys-
talze into common form? There is. then. some
community of form II not Of composition Mr.. Lock-
yers statement that dissertation often takes place
| In the low heat of spirit lamp he thought very
difficult for chemists to believe. In that the
daily processes in laboratories and manufact ories
should have long ago revealed the fact. DR.. Glad
stone thinks that Mr.. Lockyers facts have n
troduced difficulties suppose find num-
Der of lines In the solar spectrum corresponding
with those of iron; may come to the conclusion
that iron is there This kind OF positive evidence Is
not affected in the present On the other hand,
IL is now unsafer than ever to infer the
absence OF metals in the sun-such gold
and silver-because the spectroscope discloses
nothing OF them. II Is the so-caled mega
tive evidence against which Mr.. Lockyers investi-
cations The positive evidence remains be-
fore Dr. Gladstone thinks that Mr.. Lockyers theory
of the is very pretty He does not