New-York tribune., 1907-08-04
TRIBUNE'S FOREIGN NEWS.
FIGHT OVER THE ATOM
SCIENTISTS IN CONFLICT.
keiU5n and Ramsay Lead IN Defend
ing and attacking 1t.
Especial by French Gable to The Triounel

ing and attacking 1t.
Especial by French cable to The Tribunel
ICopyr1rht 1907. by The Tribune Association
London. Aug. 3-Tle meeting of the British
Association at Leicester this week has been .
notable tournament over radio-activity- The
champions Of the atomic theory have rallied in
force under Lord Kelvin's leadership, but Sir
Oliver Lodge. Professor Rutherford and Sir
William Ramsay have held their ground and
helped to unsettle the scientific articles of
faith.
Sir William Ramsay has not added much 70
his previous disclosures respecting the trans
mutation Of elements. but his followers, notably
Professors Rutherford and Lodge, have trans
lated the results Of his experiments into the
language OF speculative philosophy The atom.
according to their view. is a trap for enmeshing
electrons. and IS fairly sluirIning with cleo
tricity until It happens to be changed OF de-
graded into something else They are aQpar-
emily reviving the old astrolOgists' idea ihat
matter is only form Of force, or, in modern
phrasing. is a mask for electrical energy LORD
Kelvin has strenuously opposed them denying
that matter is form Of electrical motion ana
reaffirminE that clements are tmmutable and
atoms indivisible and incapable Of being de-
composed by radio-activity.
Lord Rayleigh's son, z. J. Estrutt, has made
helium. originally discovered by the spectre
scope IN the sun. is found in granite, quartz
and all common minerals, and Is not produced
alone from the emanations OF radium-
Echoes Of these discussions viii be repeated
fl scientific assemblies throughout the world.
The sciences Of physics and chemistry are un-
dergoing revolutionary processes, whatever may
happen 70 elements. atoms or electrons-
The chief novelty announced by Sir William
Ramsay. in addition 10 the production Of neon
-g-e~-- ii
bar with film Of radioactive matter when it
IS subjected TO electrons from ra6ium in q her
rneticaLly closed glass vessel This film he de-
scribed as Transmitted form OF nickel, char
acterized by radium-activity
PROFESSOR R4NS4T'S WORK.
Sir William Ramsay has not produced copper
hv chemical processes. He contradicted the re
port as soon as # was published, but declined
70 explain the results Of important research work
on which he was engaged Yet il IS evident
from his own modest account OF his most recent
experiments with TadiUm that the olGtIme al
chemists dream Of the transmutation Of ele-
rnenrs fascinates his imagination and that he
cannot forget II while he IS working in his lab
oratory.
In his memorandum for Mature" he Is content
With describing some Of the results Of these eX-
rerfrnents as Remarkable but scientific com
rnentators are 50 deeply impressed by them that
they 90 not hesitate % use The word marvel
one Of the most enthusiastic among them asserts
in THE Athenseunl" that everything goes 10
indicate that gold and silver may some day he
produced by q chemical process n the labora-
tory" That conclusion certainly is premature
Sir William Ramsay. working in cooperation
with Mr. Soddy. proved four years ago that
the eInanatton from radium when left in glass
tube assumed the definite character OF another
element, helium. Other investigators discovered
that actinium and thoriuna, allied clements. IN
der similar conditions evolved heliuu- These
were apparently transmutations in a series OF
inert atmospheric gases, with which argon and
neon were grouped.
What Sir William Ramsay has now ascer-
tained IS that heliuu IS not the only form into
which the onanat.on OF Tadium IS changed.
When dissolved IN water the gas produced IS
mainly neon with only q slight trace OF heiurn-
When "a saturated solution OF COPPER suIphate'
IS substituted or water the product e arson,
possibly with q H-..s aF % I'D. From radiucn are
evolved three lighter mental gases. and in
the third Troe.r- something IS taken from the
conper salt OF frl tho nitrate that be sub
sti+lted for L. for after its removal the spectrum
discloses the presence OF calcium and Iithium
with traces of sodium.
PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE.
Apparently the eInanation Of radiurn has been
converted in the last instance into uthium
through the intermediate stage Of helium, or
else as Sir William Ramsay IS disposed TO be-
l.eve, the Iithium, calcium and sodium and he
also includes potassium, ara degradation prod
UCts II courer Unless there are inaccuracies
IN the experiment there is prima facie evidence
os convertibuity of clements. and there is
ground for expectation that after thorough re
search work gold and silver may be produced
by chemists IN laboratories
It IS fine scientific play with clements. 10 say
the least. when they are carried through
such q masquerade Of transmutations. Ths
analogies with biology are so close that an in
geni0us writer at once classes the CapriCiOus
atoms with organisms. Does the Nthium line
indicate survival Of the fittest% Why does the
enaratfor Of radium "a ONE alternately helium
argon and neon. and why. when the copper salt
is used, does the characteristic line Of lthium
except the influence Of environment affecting
atoms as though they were living organisms and
transforming elementaly the germinal material
a Sir william Ramsay describes it?
Speculations like these open up new heavens
and a new earth for scientific investigators with
a more comprehensive range for development
and degeneracy under conditions Of environment
than Darwin ever imagined in his investigation
Of the origin Of species. 1t IS, however, a long
reach from the evolution Of gases Of the helium
series by radio active properties or the hypo-
tbarical degradation Of copper into nthiurn to
the conversion Of atoms into self-regulating yet
supersensitive organisms. There are so many
missing links in the new chain that the old
fashioned atomic theory Is not 10 be hastily
challenged on the superficial evidence Of Sir
William Ramsays glass tubes and spectrum
lines More proof than IS yet available IS needed
T,efore the widest dreamer forecast a
creative alchemy by which gold. silver and cop
rer can be crystallized from atmospheric gases.
I. n. T.
RUSSIANS KIDNAPPED CHINESE.