PROCEEDINGS AT THE MEETINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. Anniversary Meeting March 30 135 2. PROFESSOR D AU B E N Y President in the Chair. Thefollowing Annual Report was read by the President. Gentlemen The Twelfth Anniversary of this Society which we are to-day assembled to celebrate opens under circumstances peculiarly aus-picious suggesting to us matter for congratulation as to the past and for encouragement with respect to the future. Our body has already by the number of its members by the value of its contributions to science and by the increasing interest testified in its proceedings vindicated to itself a full claim to the place which under the presidentship of Mr. Brande it had acquired amongst the chartered scientific societies of the metropolis ; and is now moreover I am happy to add established in a locality more worthy of its high position and capable of affording those accommodations for the reception of its members and for the display of its library and of its collections of which it has long felt the want.The advantages of the present abode need not indeed be particu- larized in addressing members upon the recollections of most of whom the deficiencies of our former locality must be vividly impressed; nor could they have been secured at a more fortunate moment than the present when they enabled us to accommodate that large assemblage of chemical products n hich were so liberally contributed by various individuals at the close of the Great Exhibition of last year. In coiiscqucncc of these donations may indeed flatter ourselves tm PROCEEDINGS OF THE CE-IEMICAL SOCIETY.that the Chemical Society will hereafter be resorted to not only as the spot where the newest discoveries in this department of science may be expected to be announced and the most authentic information on the existing state of our knowledge on such subjects obtained; but also as the depository of all that is curious and important amongst the natural or artificial productions which may from time to time be elaborated through the instrumentality of chemical processes And when we recollect how difficult and hov toilsome even in expert hands the preparation of many of these compounds is found to be how little there is to induce the mere manufacturing chemist to exercise his skill upon them and how unprofitable it would be for the most assiduous cultivator of the science to obtain by his own unassisted labours any considerable number of the mnltifarious combinations which art is capable of bringing about between the elements of matter the utility of such a depbt for the reception of such presents as we are now attempting to form cannot perhaps be too highly appre- ciated.Each of the substances indeed stored up within our cases may be regarded as a standard with which to compare any new body lighted upon in the progress of chemical investigation and thus as not only aiding directly in the advancement of science but also in the preve,ntion of much unnecessary labour by pointing out what has already been ascertained in each department of inquiry.I may therefore take upon myself to congratulate the Society most warmly on the progress that has been made towards the formation of a Chemical Rilluseurn and to point out as one of the incidental benefits flowing from the Great Exhibition of last year that it has been the means of affording such ample contributions to that treasury of scientific products which it is our pride to possess. I should indeed have deemed the acquisition of a place in which these advantages might be secured as a worthy object upon which to expend a portion of our reserved funds had the general interests of science alone been consulted in this appropriation of them ; but there was also reason to hope that every addition to our means of imparting knowledge would be followed by a greater disposition on the part of the public to avail itself of them ; and hence that these increased facilities would be followed by a proportionate augmenta- tion in the number of our members.And although the influence of these changes will be more felt hereafter yet I am happy to report that already the increase which has taken place in our members is such as to show that this anticipated result has to a certain extent been realised. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. It appears from the Secretary’s Report that there have been elected since the last Anniversary Meeting 24 members whilst the deaths and resignations together amount only to 8; showing an increase over last year of 16 from which number however might perhaps be deducted 2 who have suffered the time to expire within which the payment of the entrance-fee should have been made and whose election is consequently void.According to this calculation the actual number of Fellows will be 2413; whereas at the last Anniversary Meeting it was only 229 showing that the steady though slow increase in our number which had been remarked on former anniversaries still continues. STATEMENT OF THE NUMBER OF FELLOWS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY AT THE PRESENT TIME AND AT THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF LAST YEAR. Present number of Fellows . . 245 Elected since last Anniversary Meeting . 24 Dcaths and resignations since last Anniversary Meeting . 8 Increase since last Anniversary Meeting .-16 Number of Fellows at period of last Anniversary Meeting 229 T. REDWOOD Secretary. March 22 1852. The three Fellows whom we have lost by death since our last Anniversary are Mr. Richard Phillips Mr. William West and Mr. Henry Beaufoy. The first of these gentlemen had vacated the office in this Society in which I had the honour to succeed him only a short time when he was seized by an attack of bronchitis which quickly terminated an useful and busy life mainly dedicated to the investigation of physical truth. Mr. Richard Phillips and his elder brother William who died several years ago were the sons of a printer in George Yard Lom-bard Street a member of the Society of Friends. The elder brother was distinguished as a crystallographer and as a mineralogist in which capacities as well as by his compilations in geology he aidcd matcriatly thc early progress of that science.The PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEI1lICAL SOCIETY. younger educated as a druggist under the late Mr. William Allen of Plough Court became at least equally distinguished for his acquire- ments in Chemistry. His reputation indeed in this line secured to him at an early age the honour of a place in the Royal Society and caused him also to be elected as an honorary member of the Medico-Chirurgical Society thus bringing him into intimate connexion on the one hand with the chemical philosophers and on the other with the physiologists and physicians of the age. He might indeed be regarded during the latter part of his life as a connecting link between the chemists of the last generation and of the present having been the contemporary of Davy and Wollaston no less than of Faraday and Graham; and in his death we have lost one of the last of that distinguished band of philosophers who before chemical science had so enlarged its boundaries as to include within its domain and to comprehend within the operation of its laws the products of animal and of vegetable life occupied them- selves almost exclusively in the investigation of the combinations of which mineral bodies are susceptible.Mr Phillips’ labours in this latter department were characterized by great neatness and precision ;so that they may indeed be appealed to at the present time as models of skilful and exact research.To him we are indebted for the first correct analyses of the Bath waters in the course of which investigation he discovered the cause of the apparent uncertainty in the indications afforded by the common tests for iron caused by the variations that occur in their effects according as carbonate of lime is present or not. This was followed by an examination of other celebrated mineral springs and by that of several rare minerals one of which relates to his discovery of phosphoric acid combined with uranium,* a fact which had escaped the searching eyes of Berzelius who was thus as much outdone in the above particular by the subject of this notice as Davy had been by him when he detected the presence of phosphoric acid in Wavellite which the great English chemist had overlooked.By this and other of his contributions to science Mr. Phillips so raised his reputation that he was pronounced by Dr. Thomas Thorn- son in his Chemistry the first of modern analytical chemists. It was however in the pharmaceutical branch of the subject that his services were most conspicuous as might be expected from one of his acuteness after a training in the above-mentioned establish- * Annals of Philosophy foi 1823. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. mcnt in Plough Court of which the chemical reputation ranked justly so high. Indeed the perfect familiarity he possessed with the processes in use enabled him to detect the errors into which the framers of our London Pharmacopoeia had fallen ; whilst the keenness of his reviews gave currency to his censures of which even those who smarted under their severity could scarcely help acknowledging the justice.Accordingly at a subsequent period he was especially con- sulted on the drawing up of two of the editions of the London Pharmacopmia by the College of Physicians itself whose previous labours in that department he had so severely criticised and thus led the way to many of the much needed corrections in the processes since introduced. Indeed during the latter part of his life he was appealed to as perhaps the highest living authority in this branch of chemistry; and his translation of the London Pharmacopoeia the last edition of which he was engaged at the time of his death in superintending was looked upon as the best book of reference on all chemical ques- tions involved in the preparation of medicines.Froin the year 1821 Mr. Phillips conducted the Annals of Philosophy ; and when that periodical was incorporated with the London Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine his services were secured as one of its editors a post he held till his death. For this office he was well qualified from the frankness and friendliness of his character no less than from his acuteness of intellect which enabled him to subject the scientific communications which came befcwe him to that rigid scrutiny which the promulgator of every new view and original fact must be prepared to encounter before either the one or the other receives the stamp of public recog- nition and can be admitted as a part of the common patrimony of science.Mi*. Phillips was successively Lecturer on Chemistry at the Lon- don Hospital ; at the Government Military College at Sandhnrst ; at Mr. Grainger’s School of Medicine in Southwark; and at St. Tho- mas’s Hospital. In 1839 he was appointed Curator of the Muscuni of Practical Geology now in Jermyn Street an office which he continued to hold till the date of its formal opening under the auspices of H.W.H. Prince Albert in July last on the very day before which he breathed his last at the age of seventy-two after a short illness. Although I was not myself fortunate enough to be frequently thrown into his society I had seen enough of him to be persuaded of PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY.the truth of the character given of him by his intimates who describe him as not less remarkable for his ready powel. of repartee and keen sense of the ridiculous than for the quickness of observation range of knowledge and precision of intellect by which he was publicly distinguished. Mr. William West was born at Wandsworth in the year 1793 of parents both of whom were members of the Society of Friends. In the year 1816 he established himself as a druggist at Leeds where he became quickly distinguished by his exemplary diligence and unremitting attention to the scientific as well as to the comniercial part of his business. His spare moments were mostly occupied in the study of the most recent discoveries in chemistry in analytical researches and in the preparation of the various papers which he contributed to different scientific societies.Of these no less than twenty-three may be enumerated which were read before the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society; and these were not only of a kind connected with his own professional pursuits but also related to various other depart- ments of science and literature. He took an active and prominent part in the foundation of the above-named society of which he became successively the Honorary Secretary the Vice-president and the President. He also interested himself warmly in the Leeds Mechanics’ Insti- tute and was Vice-President of the Geological and Polytechnic Society of the West Riding of Yorkshire to which he contributed various papers.On the 1st of March 1842 he was elected an Associate of the Institute of Civil Engineers and was awarded the Telford Medal on the 9th of December 1846 for a paper “On Water for Locomotive Engines.” He was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on the 19th of February 1846. Mr. West was Chemical Lecturer to the Leeds School of Medicine from the year 1831 to 1846 when ill-health compelled him to resign this post as from the same cause he soon after did the commercial part of his business though still continuing to be engaged in analyses and in scientific investigations of a judicial kind in which his authority was much esteemed up to the period of his decease which took place on the 10th of September of last year.My own acquaintance with Mr. West dates as far back as the period when he formed with myself one of that little band of pro- moters or cultivators of science who obedient to the summons of Sir David Brewster assembled at York in the year 1831 and PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. whilst there in spite of the smallness of our numbers (which however besides the illustrious philosopher who first projected the Meeting included the names of Dalton of Murchison of Forbes and of Sowerby) had the boldness to organise the scheme of that great scientific association which next year obtained its full develop- ment at Oxford and has since been welcomed in almost every large city of the British dominions.The last time I saw Xlr. West was at the meeting of this same body which took place last year at Ipswich when he exerted himself to persuade the General Committee to fix upon his native town for their place of meeting in the year 1854 although with a conscious- ness of declining health which the event has shown to have been but too well founded he declared his persuasion that he should not be alive at the time to welcome us himself. The late Mr. Henry Beaufoy of South Lambeth passed his time in such complete seclusion from the routine of society that there are very few particulars to relate respecting him. He was educated for many years under Dr. Goodenough at Ealing School which well accounted for his classical attainments and the literary predilections he preserved throughout life.When how- ever on the death of his elder uncle it was considered necessary by the family that he should become a mercantile man Henry Beaufoy under the guidance of Mr. Nicholson of Soh0 Square gave his attention to practical chemistry which eventually enabled liini to conduct with success a large manufactory by causing him to appreciate and adopt some modern improvements in science of great value to his trade. Deeply grateful as he was to that Providence which had bestowed on himself and all his father’s children so many blessings he con- sidered it an act of duty to prove his gratitude while living by appropriating a large portion of his income to charitable purposes. Of the extent of these acts of munificence the following statement may convey a brief although a very inadequate representation.To the City of London School alone he appears to have been a benefactor to the amount of X10,OOO. Then he had established four scholar- ships for four students at Cambridge and had instituted various prizes for the best essays and for other purposes. Amongst the rest was &1,000to encourage the study of Shakspeare the interest to be given away to the most deserving candidate upon the anniversary of the poet’s birthday which chanced to coincide with his own. Mr. Henry Beaufoy was the eldest son of Colonel March PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. Beau foy well known for his elaborate nautical and hydraulic cxpe- riments the results of some of which the subject of this notice published in a handsome quarto volume.The entire impression of this work comprising I believe no less than fifteen hundred copies he with his accustomed liberality distributed gratuitously amongst scientific men and societies thus performing at once a public service and an act of filial duty. He was born on the 22nd of April 1786 died on the 12th of July 1851 and lies buried in Norwood Cernetcry in the same grave with his wife as a monument to whom he had erected at his own expense at Lambeth a very handsome building for a ragged school which he established and endowed most liberally. The Papers that have been read at our Meetings since the last Anniversary are by no means inferior either in number or in interest to those of preceding years.I shall not pretend however to do more than just to present to you a list of their titles which are as follows Papers read at the Meetings of the Chemical Society,from April 7t4 1851 to March lfjth 1852,inclusive. “On the Composition of the Water of the Dee and the Don at Aberdeen with an investigation into the action of Dee-water on lead pipes and cisterns.” By John Smith M.D. Fordyce Lecturer on Agriculture and Assistant in the Chemical Laboratory of Marischal College. On a peculiar property of Ether and some Essential Oils.” By Rr. C. F. Sch6nbein. c‘ On the Analysis of the Sediment deposited from the River Nile in Lower Egypt.” By Matthew Tlr. Johnson. “Notice of a Specimen of Chlorobromide of Silver from Chili.” By Colonel Philip Yorke.“On the Tests for Nitrates and a New Test for Nitrites.” By David S. Price Ph. D. “ On a New Test for Iodides.” By the same. rc‘‘Analysis of Milk.” Observations on the Teas of Commerce.” By John Ellis Roberts. By Robert Waring- ton. ‘‘On the Composition and Properties of the Carbonates of Lead constituting the White Lead of Commerce.’.’ By J. A. Phillips. ‘‘On the Equivalent of Phosphorus.” By Professor Schrotter. 161 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. “Note on a case of Leakage in a Leaden Water-cistern.” By J. H. Gilbert Ph. D. “On Dibenzoylimicle a new derivative of Oil of Bitter Almonds.” By Joshua H. Robson. “On Chromic Acid and Sesquioxide of Manganese.” By J. Adam Fairie.‘’ On the Chromate of Ammonia.” By the same. “On Etlierification.” By Professor Williamson. “On the Valuation and Composition of Protochloride of Tin.” By Professor Penny. “On the Chemical Examination of the Metals and Alloys known to the Ancients.” By 5. Arthur Phillips. “Observations on the Phenomena of Animal Phosphorescence.” By Thornton J. Herapath. Analysis of a Mineral containing Gold from the province of Coquimbo Chili.” By F. Field. “Description of Lapis Lazuli found in large quantities in the Cordilleras of the Andes.” By the same. ‘‘ On the Spontaneous Decomposition of Gun-cotton and its con- geners.” By J. H. Gladstone Ph. D. ‘‘ On the Action of Arsenious Acid on Albumen.” By John B. Edwards. “On the Action of Ammonia on Sebacic Ether.” By T.H. Rowney. cc Analysis of the Water supplied by the Bristol Water-works Company.” By Thornton J. Herapath. I‘ On a quick approximative method of estimating minute quan- tities of Iron by means of a Colorimeter.” By the same. On the Decomposition of Citrate of Lime in contact with putrify- ing Curd.” By Henry How. On a new method of obtaining Hippuric Acid in considerable quantity without evaporating the urine and on some of its products of decomposition.” By Edward Riley. ‘‘On Populin.” By M. Rafaelle Piria. cc On the variation in the qlative proportion of Potash and Soda present in certain samples of Barley grown in plots of ground arti- ficially impregnated with one or other of these alkalies.” By Pro-fessor Daub eny F.R.S.“On the Cornhounds of Cotton with the Alkalies.” By J. H. Gladstone Ph. D. ‘‘On the Occurrence of Capric and Caprylic Acids in some Fousel Oils.” By T. H. Rowney. VOL. v.--wo. XVIII. M 162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. c‘ On Dr. Keller’s supposed formation of Metacetonic Acid from Flour and Leather,” By R. W. Forster. ‘‘ On the detection of Alum in Flour with remarks on the prepa- ration of Distilled Water and pure Potash.” By J. H. Pepper. ‘I Contributions towards the history of Tannic Acid.” By Dr. Strecker. Besides these Memoirs formally communicated to the Society we have had at various times laid before us interesting notices of researches now in progress in foreign countries; as for instance of the new process for determining urea invented by Baron Liebig which promises when fully worked out to facilitate greatly the observations which the physician and the physiologist are equally interested in making respecting the changes that occur in this important ingredient of the urinary secretion.And now Gentlemen little more remains except for me to express my warmest thanks to the Members of the Council generally and to the Secretaries in particular for the kind manner in which they have relieved me from the more onerous part of my duties by the constant attention bestowed by them on the business of the Society rendered this year more than ever laborious by the arrangements consequent upon the change of our rooms. Without their advice and co-opera- tion indeed it would have been impossible for me living as I do at a distance from the metropolis to have accepted the honourable post you have in so flattering a manner assigned to me however desirous I might be to discharge its duties so far as my time and abilities permitted.Indeed I have more reasons than one to apologize to you for my deficiencies and shortcomings especially when I compare myself to the distinguished men who have preceded me in this office. Not only have I felt myself less able efficiently to discharge its duties by reason of my residing so much farther from my post than any of the former presidents but divided as my time has long been between two complicated and rapidly advancing sciences I am neces- sarily the less competent to grapple with many of those intricate questions in chemical philosophy upo~ which I might be expected to offer an opinion.Perhaps indeed paradoxical as it may sound the wide range of subjects which Chemistry herself embraces or to which she is able to lend a helping hand may be regarded as the very circumstance which has most contributed to reconcile me to undertaking other duties in conjunction with those which devolve upon me as Professor of Chemistry in the University to which I belong. The changes PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. for example brought about by nature or induced by art in the growing vegetable cannot but be influenced by those laws which are common to matter whether inert or living and thus are brought to a certain extent at least under the domain of Chemical Philosophy.Hence Vegetable Physiology (and Rural Economy also so far as that art is directed by scientific principles) appears less alien to the pursuits of a chemist than it would be to those of a man of science who was devoted to any kind of natural philosophy more limited in its range of subjects. And I may add this infinite variety in the nature of the researches which our science includes within its juris- diction affords in my opinion the most convincing argument that can be offered on behalf of the necessity for the existence of a society like ours exclusively dedicated to its promotion. Formerly indeed the attempt to draw off from the Philosophical Transactions any portion of that class of contributions upon which so much of their credit has ever rested might have been viewed with some jealousy by the Royal the common parent of all those societies which have subsequently started up.But such a feeling cannot reasonably be entertained at the present moment when chemistry has so enlarged its boundaries as to embrace within its compass the kingdoms of living as well as of inanimate nature. For without here pronouncing upon the difficult and much debated question as to the extent to which vital functions are influenced by chemical laws it may be sufficient to establish the Justice of my remark if we recollect that an infinite variety of curious and important chemical products omes its origin to vital processes in so far as the latter by bringing together the particles of matter under conditions not imitable by art do in fact supply us with a number of new principles to work upon in addition to those furnished by the mineral kingdom ;elements indeed inas- much as they are the roots of new combinations although themselves compounds as being made up of bodies regarded by us as simple.Under such circiimstances it must be apparent to every one that the Royal Society could never have taken cognizance of the whole of that vast range of subjects which modern chemistry embraces and that many papers of great promise and of much practical utility would have been lost to the world but for the existence of such a society as our own. Moreover the experience of the last ten ycars has completely established the position that at no period in the history of the Royal Society have more important Chemical Papers appeared in its Transactions and at none has the number of Com-munications to it in the same department been so numcrous as they M2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY.have been since the Chemical Society has been established. I need only allude to the memoirs of Graham of Hofmann and of Brodie in proofof the formerpart of this assertion,namely as to the value of the Chemical Papers which have been recently supplied to the Philosophical Transactions by members of the Chemical Society. With respect to the second part of my statement I may remark that the average of papers on chemical subjects not including elec- tricity contained in the Philosophical Transactions during the ten years preceding the foundation of the Chemical Society was only about 3 in two years or 16 in ten years; that during the first four years of our existence namely from 1842 to 1846 inclusive the number of papers was 12 or 23 yearly; whilst during the last quinquennial period they have risen to 20 or to 5 on the average each year.* Yet although there is good ground for believing that the establish- ment of this Society so far from damaging the interests of' the Royal has rather tended to advance them serving as it has as a feeder to that great original trunk of scientific information; and although it is true that the spirit of the age no less than the extension of the fields of research in each department calls impera- tively for a multiplication of scientific institutions throughout the country it affords at the same time no argument against their juxta- position Indeed any arrangement which should effect this object with respect to the chartered scientific institutions of the capital would have much to recommend it not only on the ground of economy and convenience inasmuch as one set of accounts might then do the work of several societies and one meeting-house serve the purpose perhaps of the whole number so brought together; but also in materially promoting the object which each of us has in * This may be seen by the following table.1831 2 Papers. 1842 3 Papers. 1832 0 , 1843 2 , 1833 2 , 1844 2 , 1834 2 , 1845 5 , 1835 0 , 1846 1 , 13 Papers.1836 1 , 1847 1 , 1837 2 , 1848 4 , 1838 1 , 1849 4 , 1839 1 , 1850 9 , 1840 5 , 1851 5 , 23 , 1841 0 , --Total . . 16 Total . . 36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOClETY. common by facilitating the intercourse between men engaged in different departments of inquiry and by removing some of the obstacles that impede their mutual co-operation ;thus rendering the same service to the metropolis which the British Association for the Advancement of Science professes to do with reference to the provinces. Whilst therefore I congratulate you as indeed I have already done on the additional conveniences afforded by our present suite of apartments over our last I would still more heartily hail the day which should see all the principal chartered societies of the metro- polis under a common roof pursuing their separate labours indeed independently but at the same time deriving mutual support and assistance from their contiguity ;exercising no paramount juris- diction but moving forwards in harmony and concert as becomes the federal members of the great republic of science.The audited Statement of the Treasurer’s Account was submitted to the Society as follows A4UDITEDREPORT OF THE TREASURER. Dr. ROBERT PORRETT (TREASURER) IN ACCOUNT WITH THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 1_ 1851. 8. 5. d. d. S. d March 31 To Balance from last Account . . . . . . . 263 Y 0 By payment to Mr. Abel for Translations . . . . . 9 2 6 18ft2., Ditto to Mr. Watts One Year’s Salary as Editor of (‘Jour- March 30 , Subscriptions %221 2s.and Compositions 630,since received 25I 2 0 nal” . . . . . . . . . . . 50 0 0 , Donation to Library Fund . . . . . . . 10 0 0 , Ditto to Mr. Medlock One Year’s Salary to 31st Dec. last . %5 0 0 9 If , I , Admission Fees from 22 new Members . 44 2 0 , Ditto to ditto for Petty Cash . . . . . . 8 3 8 , Two Years’ Dividends to 5th Jan. last on L400,3p. c ‘Con , Ditto to Mr. Redwood for ditto . . . . . . 6 1 9 I 11 sols minus Property Tax . . . . . . 23 6 0 , Ditto to H. Bailli&re for Publishing Journals . . . 128 13 0 , Proceeds of Sale of &loo 3 p. c. Consols minus Brokerage . 98 5 0 , Ditto to ditto for Periodicats to 30th June last . . 7 11 0 I It , One Year’s Rent in advance to Jan.1853 from the Meteoro. , Ditto to Williams and Norgate for Foreign Books . . 6 0 6 JI It logical Society for use of Rooms , Ditto to John Chapman. for One Year’s Hent of Apartments . . . 4 14 10 142 Strand to Michaelmas last E55 j and for Tea and J Proceeds of Sale of ‘‘ MemoirsIv9 by Mr. Taylor .... 20 0 0 *I I Coffee a8 . . . . . . . . . 63 0 0 , Ditto for a Turkey Carpet for Council-room . . 11 7 0 , Ditto to R. Ireland for Book-cases and Mahogany Seats . 52 3 0 , Ditto to Thos. Ames for Thirteen Mahogany Chairs . . 22 15 0 , Ditto to Thos. Holland for a Mahogany Glass Case . . 21 0 0 , Ditto to S. Gale for Gas-fittings Diagram-board &c. . . 22 0 0 , Ditto to J. Crandal for Bookbinding . . . . 7 8 10 , Ditto to T.Treloar.for Cocoa-nut Matting . . . . 2 11 9 , Ditto to Buns1 & Co. for Floorcloth . . . . 11 10 0 , Ditto to Mr. Rickers for Books . . . . . 22 2 0 , Ditto to W. S. Burton for Coffee-machine and Teaspoons . 3 Q 0 , Ditto for Bottles and expenses in removing Specimens from *.*.(I the Great Exhibition . 5 18 0 , Ditto to Thos. Riddle for Chairs &c. . . . . . 15 18 0 , Ditto to S.Kirkman for tea coffee &c. including $4.9~.for Attendance and Table to 31st Dec. last . . . . 7 14 2 , Ditto to Cavendish Society for Subscription 1852 . . . 1 1 0 Ditto for Envelopes and Postage-stamps for Treasurer . . 0 2 6 , Ditto for Power of Attorney to receive Dividends . . . 1 1 ti , Ditto to John Gifford for Engraved Brass Plate . . 1 5 0 , Ditto to C.Button for 246 Stoppered Bottles . . . 9 14 0 , Ditto to Yo01 & Son for Coals and Wood . . . 1 10 (; , Ditto to Schulze & Co. for Printing Circulars . . . Ditto to Directors of Polytechnic Institution for Rent to 25td 0 19 ti inst. . . . . . . .... 60 0 0 , Ditto to ditto for Tables and Furniture . . . . 15 18 0 .. Ditto to R. Tavlor for 15 Nos. of “Philosouhical illarazine” 1 15 0 ;; Ditto to ditto >or Printing Catalogues &c. -. . . 10 0 0 , Ditto to Collector for Poundage including l4s.for Stamps Prc. 10 I9 6 --, Balance carried to his Debit in next Account . . . . 91 12 -2 714 18 10 London March 30 1852 d 714 IS 10 R. PORRETT Treasurer. Examined and found correct J. DENHAMSMITH JOHN WAY, TEOMAS 167 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY.Mr. J. J. Griffin and Dr. Price having been appointed Scrutators the Meeting proceeded to the Election of Council and Officers for the ensuing year; and the following gentlemen were declared to have been duly elected PRESIDENT. Charles G. B. Daubeny M.D. F.R.S. F.G.S. F.L.S. VICE-PRESIDENTS. William Allen Miller M.D. F.R.S. Robert Warington Bsq. Lyon Playfair C.B. Ph.D. FRS. Colonel Philip Yorke P.R.S. TREASURER Robert Porrett F.R.S. F.S.A. SECRETARIES. Benjamin Collins Brodie F.R.S. Theophilus Redwood Ph.D. FOREIGN SECRETARY. A W. Hofmann Ph.D. F.RS. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. Thomas Anderson M.D. Edin-H. Bence Jones MJl. F.R.S. burgh. J. P. Joule F.R.S. John Blyth M.D. Cork.G. D Longstaff M.D. Dugald Campbell Esq. J. Arthur Phillips Esq. Warren De la Rue Ph.D. F.R.S. A. W. Williamson Yh.D. J. H Gladstone Yh.D. George Wilson M.D. F.R.S. Thomas Graham F.R.S. It was moved by Dr Warren De la Rue seconded by Dr. Lyon Playfair and Resolved That it is desirable to alter the By-laws of the Society in so far as they relate to the number of Vice-presidents; so that those Fellows of the Society who have served the oftice of President shall be annually proposed for election as Vice-presidents in addition to the Vice-Presidents elected under the present Bylaws ;and that such alteration be made as follows PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. At page 11 of the printed Charter and By-laws of the Society in the second paragraph and sixth line from the top the words “four Vice- Presidents” to be changed to c‘ four or more Vice-Presidents.” At page 15 in By-law VII the last line of this By-law being the fourteenth line from the top of the page to be expunged and the following words to be substituted :-‘‘ Fellows who have JilZed the ofice of President at any time since the formation of the Society shall be proposed by the Council for election as Vice-presidents ;and this proposition shall be renewed every year excepting when any such are again elected to the Presidency.There shall be four other Vice-presidents who have not Jilled the oflce of President and every year one of these shall retire from octjice.” The thanks of the Society were voted to the President Officers and other Members of Council for their services during the past year.April 5 1852. COLONELPHILIPYORKE,Vice-president in the Chair. The following donations were announced ‘‘The Pharmaceutical Journal for April :” from the Editor. “The Literary Gazette for March 20th and 27th and April 3rd :” from the Publishers. The following gentlemen were duly elected Fellows of the Society The Rev. W. Thomson >LA. Queen’s College Oxford. Robert Keates Esq. 35 Carter Street Walworth. Samuel Gale Esq. 17 Bloomsbury Square. A paper was read ‘‘ On the Detection and Qualitative Separation of Tin Antimony and Arsenic ; and on the relation existing between these metals and others which are precipitated from their acid solutions by sulphuretted hydrogen,” by Charles L.Bloxam. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. April 19 1852. PROFESSOR President in the Chair. DAUBENY The following donations were announced “Transactions of the Royal Scottish Society,” Vol. 111 Part 5 from the Society. Specimens of Caprylic Alcohol from Dr Williamson. Anhydrous Benzoic Acid from M. Gerhardt. The following papers were read 1. “Researches on the Constitution of Organic Acids:” by M. Charles Gerhardt ; communicated by DP.Williamson 2. “Note on the Prepai*ation of Carbonate of Amyl :” by John A. Bruce. 3. (‘New Formation of Salicylic Acid :” by H. Gerland. (From a Letter of Dr. Kolbe to Dr. Hofmann.) May 3 1852. ROBERTWARINGTON, EsQ. Vice-president in the Chair.John William Perkins Esq. Union Wharf Narrow Street Limehouse and William Wilson Esq. 9 Maida Hill were duly elected Fellows of the Society. The following papers were read 1. ‘‘On the Preparation of Anhydrous Acetic Acid :” by M. Charles Gerh ardt 2. CCChemical Memoranda :” by Robert Warington. 3. (‘On the Action of Ammonia upon Binoxysulphocarbonate of 4. ‘‘On a New Process for the Detection of Fluorine when accom- Amyl :” by Matthew W. Johnson. panied with Silica :” by George Wilson M.D. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMlCAL SOCIETY. May 17 1852. DAUB PROFESSOR ENY President in the Chair. Captain James Whit more 63 Park Street Grosvenor Square was duly elected a Fellow of the Society. A paper was read ‘I On a New Test for Strychnine :” by J.H Pepper The Author suggests the use of a solution of red prussiate of potash in oil of vitriol as a test for strychnine this substance deve- loping in the solution a violet-blue colour when added in the dry state or dissolved in ether. An aqueous solution cannot be used as the presence of water alone produces a blue colour. A verbal communication was made to the Society by Dr. Glad-stone ‘‘ On the Atomic Weights of some of the Elements.” June 7 1852. COLONEL PHILIPYORHE,Vice-president in the Chair. The following donations were announced fc Specimens of Crystallized Lead :” from H. L. Pattison Esq. “Two Specimens of Essential Oil of Bitter Almonds :” from George Whipple Esq. ‘<The American Journal of Science and Arts for May 1852:” from the Editors.lCThe Journal of the Franklin Institute for February March and April :” from the Institute. “The Pharmaceutical Journal for June :” from the Editor. “ The Literary Gazette for May 22nd and 29th and June 5th :” from the Publishers. A Pamphlet on Cotton Flax &c. and their Bleaching ; and on the Oxides and Nitrates of Lead; and Reports on the Examination PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. of the Supply of Water to the Town of Preston:” from F. Crace Calvert Esq. A resolution of the Council was read recoinmending to the Society that the names of thirteen Fellows whose subscriptions are more than four years in arrears he removed from the list of Fellows in accordance with the By-laws of the Society.The following communications were read 1. “A note from Mr. Pepper relating to a paper read at the preceding Meeting on a New Test for Strychnine.” 2. “A note on the Existence of Strontia in the Well-Waters of Bristol :” by William and Thornton J. Herapath. 3. “On the Analysis of Chrome Ores:” by F. Crace Calvert. 4. ‘‘On certain Isomeric Transformations of Fats :” by Patrick Duffy. 5. ‘‘On the Qualitative Separation of Arsenic Tin and Antimony :” by George F. Ansell. June 21 1852. PROFESSOR President in the Chair DAUBENY Alfred Smee Esq. was admitted a Fellow. The following donations were announced r‘ Specimens of Chloride of Platosammonium Chloride of Diplatos-ammonium Chloride of Diplatosammonium and Copper Chloride of Diplatosarnmonium and Lead Bichromate of Diplatosamine Salt .of Magnus Salt of Gros:” from G.B. Buckton Esq. “The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society for May 1852 :” from the Society. lfThe Nineteenth Annual Report of the Royal Cornwall Poly- technic Society ?’from the Society. “The Literary Gazette for June 12th and 19th :” from the Pub-lishers. PROCEEDINQS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. The following papers were read 1. “Observations upon a New Series of Double Chlorides con-taining Diplatosarnmonium :” by G.B. Buckton F.L.S. 2. “ On the Action of Iodine on Phosphorus :” by B. C. Brodie F.R.S. 3. ‘(On the Acid Oxalates of the Earths :” by Edward Clapton. 4. ‘‘Researches on the Anhydrous Organic Acids :” by Charles Gerhardt