The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-30

umns; but Ii may be stated that the re-
sembance extends also TO the formulae
and properties of their compounds Thus
the chlorides of lithium and sodium are
each white soluble salts, of the formulate
LiCl and NaCl oxides OF magnesium and
of beryilium are both insoluhle white
earthly powders, MgO and BeO (GeO), anu
so on. Newlands in his preliminary
sketch termed this order the Law Of DC.
certain undiscovered elements which
should occupy unified positions in the
burg, in 1869 amplified and extended these
relations; and he and Meyer pointed out
that the volume occupied by equal num-
oers OF afoms OF such elements underwent
periodic variation when the elements
are classified as above. The prediction
of undiscovered elements was made ny
Mendeleef in more assured manner;
and in several cases they have been real
lied. Thus what Mendeieef called 'ekab-
oron" has since been discovered by Lecoq
de Boisbandron and named patriotically
"Gallium;' Mendeleef's "eka-silcon" is
now known as ''germanium," discovered
by Winkler; and .'eka-aluminum'' is now
Cleve's ''scandium." Moreover. the atom
ic weights of caesium. beryllium. molyb-
denium and mercury have been altered so
that they ut the periodic table, and fur
Their research has justified the alteration.
The yalency of these elements increases
from right 70 left, as viii be seen by in
spection Of the following series
Na q n Ms % q 3d. B. ). osi .. , FH e.
Monad. Dyad. triad. Tetrad. Triad and
Pentad.
OH FIJI Ne
os Cl (OH) o. A
Dyad and Monad and No valency
Hexad Heptad
The elements OF no valeney are of re-
cent discovery. In 1894, Lord Rayleigh
had determined the density of the nitro
gen of the atmosphere. having separated
from II the oxygen and cargon dioxde
which is mixed with nitrogen in air, lie
found II 70 be of somewhat higher densi-
~ than that obtained from ammonia and
other compounds OF nitrogen In conjunc-
ton with Ramsay he investigated at
mospheric nitrogen; IL was absorbed eth
err by method devised by Cavendish, or
by making II combine with magnesium at
red heat. They found that the unab-
sorbable residue possessed an unknown
spectrum. apd that its destiny was near-
name 'argon," or inactive, seeing that all
attempts to cause it to enter into COM
bination had failed. In 1925, Ramsay,
searching for possible combinations of ar
gon in minerals. experimental with one
which had been previously examined by
Hillebrand, of Baltimore. and obtained
from II helium, a gas of density 2, possess
sing spectrum which had been previous
ly discovered in 1868 in the chromosphere
of the sun by Jannsen. of Paris, and
named belium by Frankland and Lockver
Subsequent liquefacion of crude argon
by means of liquid air prepared by a
process invented simultaneously by I.inde
ana fdfHpsOn, gave q residue which WAS
named by its discoverers, Ramsay and
Travers, neon" Liquid argon has YIELD
ed two other gases also, 'krypon' and
"xenon.' These elements form separate
group In the periodic table, commencing
with helium, with atomic weight. q; neon,
20; argon. 40; krypon. ~; and xenon, l28.
They an agree IN being mono-atomic:
atoms: and they have no tendency to
form compounds. i. G., they possess no
valency.
In this sketch OF the progress OF chem
istry during the century which has just
passed, attention has been paid chiefly
to the progress of thought. illusions
must however, be made to the applica-
tons of chemistry to industrial purposes
The development of the soda industry
the preparation OF carbonate OF soda and
caustic from common salt-initiated in
France by Leblanc Q7+2-ls06)--has been
developed by Tenant In Scotland and
Muspeath and Gossage, and by Har-
greaves. Weldon and Maetea in England:
this process has at present serious rival
in the ammonia-soda process, developed
by Solway in Belgium and by Drummer
and Mond in England. The main action
of sulphuric acid. so long associated with
the alkali process, has made enormous
strides during the present century, but Is
STILL in the main, tho original process
of causing sulphur dioxide in presence OF
water to ABSORB the oxygen of the air
through nitric oxide. But the saving OF
the oxides OF nitrogen through the inyen-
ton Of sulphuric acid power by Gay
I.ussac. known by his name. and the re-
utilization OF these oxides In the Glover
power invented by John Glover, OF
Newcastle, have greatly lessened the cost
OF the acid. Concentration OF the acid
IN iron vessels rs now common. the cost
OF platinum or OF fragile glass vessels
being thereby saved. The desulphuFiza-
ton OF iron and the removal OF silicon.
carbon and phosphorus by Bessemer's
christ through the introduction OF a 'sbas-
&c magnesia lining" for the ccnHertors
has made II possible 20 obtain pure iron
and steel from ores previously regarded
as OF little value
The use OF artificial manures. prepared
by mixing refuse animal matters with
tetra-hydrogen. calcium phosphate and
nitrate Of soda Or suiphate OF ammonia,
first introduced by lAebig. has created a
revolution In agricultural methods and In
the weight OF crops obtaiuabie from a
given area OF s0il. The influence Of ma
nures on crops has been fully studied by
Lawes and Gilbert for more than fifty
years on their experimental farm at Roth
nmpstcad. The most remarkable adj
vances which have been made. however
are due 70 cheap electric current The
slectroiyEls az alunuina~ dissolved IN fused
cryoiite to obtain aluminium, an operation
carried out at SchaGheuheu. on the Rhine
and al the falis % Foyers. IN Scotland.
the elariroaeposltion Of pure copper FOR
electric wires and cables. acknowledging
gliding and nickeiiBg all these are in
stances where decomposition 81 a conn
pound by the electric current has led 10
important iE1AfN4A4 FthAitn- Al present
soda and chlorine are being rnanufac-
tureG by the eleeiTnlysis OF salt solution
contained IN rocking trays. one Of the
electrodes being mercury by the Castner-
kellner process. This manufacture is be-
ing carried on AZ Niagara as well a. in
England. But electricity az a heating
agent 0naa eveT-e1 Lending apaifaat{nn
Louis Noisson professor at PariHj LED
Tho way by utilizing The enormous heat
~ tae orc ia hiH electric furnace, there
by. among other iuieresting reactions.
manufacturing diamonds. small * u true.
though none the less real The use of
electricity 90 healing agent has re-
ceiveG new applications Phos shnrus 3
now made hY distiiing mixture % phoN-
rhatez " lrue and algmiua with coke.
q new polishing agent has been found In
CDR turNNdLrn Is compound u rarstqn
and silicon. produced by heating "a
"e-t Tic furnace mNjure ~ sand ana
coke. hnd cyanide 60 potassium almost
Indispensable far the eNtrs t.ou ~ 10 &
from ores popF In Snld. a. Los nausi-
fArture1 by heatlEs q mixture 81 cafb IA
and carbonate q baT!am in an sieetrls
furnace ia a current % carbon rnurox al.
IntF are but some ~ the instances iu
winch electricity has been adopted IA an
agent tf fsfwCffuW rfHrfstFaI ola t...s...