Evening star., 1912-11-03
CORRECT WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

! bureau by representatives of the national
laboratories Of England, Germany,
France and America. The investigation
showed that the previously recognized
! type was subject to large errors. These
can be corrected, however. with the re-
suit that the instrument will be accurate
| in its measurement UP to few parts in
100000. The facts thus obtained will be
| used in drawing up the official specifica-
| tions for the use of the voltameter.
Another branch of electrical work car
| ried on at the bureau is the testing OF
| mea assuring instruments used largely by
| electrical engineers. small testing
of which may be maintained at any de-
!, sired point between widely separated linn
| it's in order that the effects of tempera-
ture upon any instrument may be deter
| mined.
The chemical work done by the bureau
| is for the most part, directly for the
! government This includes
| Chemical the analysis of iron. Steel
A,a,r,;. alloys. cement. rubber OILS
'10' paints, papers, inks and
| similar materials. The majority Of
the work has been done for the isthmian
| canal commission, the Office of the super
| government printing Office. An instance Of
| the work done with cement was in connec-
ton with the Panama canal in determin-
| ing the best possible materials with
| which to make a concrete which will
| withstand sea water. Other lines OF
| work include investigating celluloid and
| articles made from 1t with reference to
| their acceptance for transportation in
i oil nf no
| investigating printing and record inks.
with the intention of improving their
| quality, and the preparation of the purest
| possible ethyl alcohol to serve as OASIS
| for new density tables for mixtures OF
| alcohol and water for use by the internal
revenue and customs service.
Part of the work assigned to the bu-
reau by the act establishing 1t was test
| ing materials. branch which mas come
| to be exceptionally important. In this
| connection several cement-testing labora-
| tories have been established. The branch
at Northampton. Pa, Is the one at Which
| cement for the Panama canal Is being
| tested, the quantity inspected here daily
averaging from 5000 to 1900 barrels. A
small cement kiln has been constructed
| at Pittsburgh for studying problems In
| connection with the manufacture OF ce-
ment etc. while an exposure station has
recently been established at Charleston,
| 8. c., for the purpose of continuing the
| Investigations begun at Atlantic City rel
ative to the effect of sea water on ce-
| ments, mortars and concretes
The tests in connection with paper are
also important. All the paper used In
the publications and printing
/ PAPER of the government is tested
NJ by this bureau. AS a result
ACStS. of the movement for more In
teIligent buying, print papers are bought
on specifications and samples Of all de-
| Iiveries are analyzed and tested at the
bureau, which includes determining the
| fiber composition. folding endurance,
weight. breaking and tensile strength.
Researches are also in progress to de-
termine the effects of humidity upon the
properties of paper. such as weight
strength and thickness, the deterioration
! of paper by coloring matter. and the
study of the durability of wood cellulose
| as compared with cotton and linen. A
paper-making machine for producing ex-
perimental papers under prfdetermined
] conditions and Of definite composition -
| installed at the bureau.
Textile raw materials are sold by
| weight, and the change OF weight que 10
! the absorption from the air is therefore
a matter of commercial Importance rms
gated by the bureau. Metals are tested
| for their strength, while finished metal
products are tested under working conoi-
| tions. Leather Is inspected to determine
| its quality, strength, stretch. absorption
and weight Rubber in the form or me-
| chancal rubber goods, is tested Tor
strength, elasticity and general Quahty.
| These tests, usually done for other gov
| ernment departments. have had the re-
suit of bringing up the character OF the
l general run of materials uSeQ.
! The bureau Of standards is only eleven
years old. At the present about 800 peo-
pie are connected with 1t. and four large
buildings are in use. A fifth is in course
| of construction, which will be used Tor
the electrical work of the bureau. w. s.
Stratton Is the director of the bureau.
| More than 100000 is the amount ap-
| propriated for the bureau for single
| year. OF that sum,
, Elahorate $4,000 Is for labora-
tory purposes.
Equipment. s1so,ooo for testing ma
chinery. In many respects the equip
| ment is unique, since the range or work
done there embraces a wide variety oi
needs. In temperature work ranges
| must be available from that OF liquid
air TO the heat of the electric arc; In
electrical work all varieties and the max
| imum ranges Of current practicable are
used: in chemical work the usual factli-
| ties are supplemented by many special
| instruments. For all divisions of the
| work electrical power, refrigeration,
| steam, gas, compressed air, vacuum. hot,
| cold, iced and distilled water, liquid air,
| cold brine, etc, are available as required.
| In certain classes of work temperature
! control is required. In other tests con-
| troll of the humidity is needed. while In
others the humidity is varied at Will.
| The character and quantity OF the re-
| suits attained by the bureau have large
| ly depended upon the facilities available
for constructing special apparatus for Its
| investigation and testing. In almost
every field new and improved apparatus
| must be designed and constructed. The
| bureau has consequently well equipped
! instrument shop, skilled mechanicianS
| and modern machinery. which have been
| an important factor in the maintenance
| of the high standard in the technical
work.
| AS is the case with practically all gov
| ernment bureaus the distribution of in
| formation is largely through bulletins,
embodying the results of the scientific
ments, methods of measurement and ply
sical constants. The circular of the
| bureau contains Information upon scfen-
! tific subjects, including methods of test
| ing properties of materials legislation
concerning weights and measures, regu-
| lations, specifications and other informa-
| ton of general interest. The technologtc
papers of the bureau cover the more
strictly technologic work OF the bureau.