The herald., 1897-08-22


to the manner in which we apply it,
without transmitting its form or state
so we may alter or prevent the altera-
tion of the density of body such as
water, SO long as the energy ap-
Piled is maintained in the static
state at constant temperature such as
dead unvarying load or pressure, SO
is the state or form of the water on
which it acts conserved in that state
by reason of the absence Of transforma-
ton in the applied energy.
Another significant fact in connection
with the Transformation of water is
that when ice is acted, upon by sufficient
pressure it becomes flexible and tough
like a metal, its coefficient of cohesion Is
enlarged as though its structure, like
that of most wrought metals, is fibrous.
We know this fact on the grandest
scale of natures demonstration in the
case of glaciers, whose ice of ages, by
virtue of this flexibility, accommodates
, itself to every turn, in the slow, contin-
uoue, downward movement of the gla-
cier, to every altera tion of shape and di-
mension which its rock bound path de-
mands. This is also shown by a very
significant model in pitch or cobbler' s
wax in the apparatus collection attached
to the chair of natural philosophy in the
University of Glasgow so long and so
successfully held by its present occu-
pant, Lord Kelvin Because of its me-
tallic-like property, Forbes accounted
for the extraordinary Elasticity of gla-
cier ice-which fact many careful OBJ
servers who have travelled in Switzer-
toll
quainted with.
Anyone who has followed the re-
searches of Dewar at the Royal inIs'titu
ton cam have no doubt as TO the general
law of transformati ton of matter by the
Influence of transformation in the po-
tential energy without transformation
in kind, but with the notable exception
of the experimental proof by Lord Kel-
vim of his brother Professor James
Thompson $, predictions in respect of ice,
we have as yet no categorical, actual
knowledge of the transformation of one
substance as it Uormally exiStS-by a
step or steps of differentiated amounts
of energy influencing it-beiDg trans
formed into another substance as this
normally exists, and with the qualities
OF attributes of this latter. We have, for
example, no known instance that 1 am
aware of, of the change of one pure
metal into another pure metal.
There are several qualities whereby
the metals are distinguished from one
another, but primarily they may be said
to differ most markedly in color and
density, and there is reason to believe
as Percy has shown in his "Metallurgy,"
that the former is dependent upon the
latter.
Silver is very much less deree than
gold, of little more than ore-half its
specific gravity. The specific gravity of
cast gold is 1926, that of stamped gold
being 1881. The specific gravity Of cast
silver is 104, that of stamped silver be-
ing 1857, and it is colorless. But if the
density of silver could. be increased to
that of gold is it unlikely that it might
not resemble gold in all its qualities.
density and color included? 1t does
seem likely that in natures processes
in the unknown how remotely passed,
both silver and gold were derived from
the same sources are of the same primary
matter; they are almost always found
together in nature, and tellurium with
same mine, they are so associated in
the mine that you cannot mine the one
without mining the other Silver too,
at other times, indeed except in the ra-
tive state, is always found in the mine
in association with lead. 1 believe in
deed it is fact that lead, saving occa-
sionally in the native condition, is never
found excepting with silver in associa-
tion with it, whilst a. some iror works
in Wales gold is found in association
with iron ore, and the blast furnace in
which this particular ore is melted is
constructed with separate small cruci-
BILE to collect the precious metal, which is
sold as a source of revenue. Whenever
iron, too, is found in a silver mine it is
a sure indication that gold is present In
association with the silver. This is nota-
bly, the case in the newly developed
mining district of K0otenay, respecting
which l have recently been consulted,
and where gold is found producing $42
per ton of gold IN the iron ore.
Many other facts besides the foregoing
doubtless exist, but of which 1 may be
ignorant for the present. whereby the
conservation of matter by reason Of
ieal dissertation and recombinat ton, is
explained, but I may be permitted to d.
rect attention again to DeWar'S expert
ments on the metals which from an cleo
trical standpoint, seem to indicate the
derivation of all metals from the same
primary matter. Dewar has proved
| that by influencing all the pure metals
in the same way by Don transformed en-
ergy they are, in one respect at least,
rendered all alike viz, by reductionto a
very low temperature. At ordinary tenn
| peraturesthe capacity of the pure metals
| as conductors of electricity varies ex
ceedingly. Copper. iron, platinum, Sill
ver lead, have very different attribute IS
in this respect. AS their temperature is
| lowered, however, a change takes place
in all, and the increase of cold renders
| them rapidly better conductors. The va
ration or decrease in electrical resistance
is not however, directly known to be
precisely alike in amy two, but the CO.
efficents expressing these converge as
the temperature recedes, coming closer
ard closer together as 1928 degrees below
the zero of Fahrenheit's scale is APP
preached, pointing to a still lower tenn
perature indeed, when the conductivity
of all pure metals would BE-
the same, and this appears to
| be the same point ON the minus
| side of the thermometric scala