director and provide for the necessary office expenses. These funds are now in sight, and Prof. W. K. Hatt of Purdue University has been engaged to take charge on July 1. The committee on economic theory of highway improvement, one of the committees coming under this board, has secured the cooperation of eight or nine State highway departments in conducting a number of research projects relating to this subject. It is estimated that in this way not less than $250,000 will be made available for this work during the coming year.

NEW PROJECTS.

Molding sand research.-In cooperation with the American Foundrymen's Association, the division is organizing an investigation on the reclamation of used sands in molding operations and for other foundry use. A well-planned investigation in this field will undoubtedly yield information which will result in an annual saving of millions of dollars. A bibliography has been prepared and progress is being made in preparing a critical summary of existing knowledge which will serve as a basis for drawing up a carefully selected research program. The financial support comes largely from the

American Foundrymen's Association.

Welded rail joints.-Welding is being used very widely in making rail joints, and several of the large electric railway companies each spend over $100,000 a year for this work. More or less trouble from breakage has been experienced in all types of welding in commercial use, and although much experimental work has been carried out by individual companies (both manufacturers and users), no satisfactory solution has been obtained. Realizing this need, the American Electric Railway Engineering Association has appealed to the Amercan Bureau of Welding (the welding advisory board of the division of engineering) for assistance in organizing a rail-welding research, with the assurance that the necessary financial support will be provided by the electric railway companies and by the manufacturers of welding equipment, several of these companies having already promised such support.

The provisional organization committee has already had one meeting and the organization is under way.

Marine borer research.-Owing to the very sudden increase in the destruction of marine piling in San Francisco Bay resulting from the attack of marine borers, and amounting to about $15,000,000 in the last year or two, there was organized a San Francisco Bay Marine Piling Committee of the American Wood Preservers' Association. This committee prepared a very elaborate report covering all available knowledge concerning this subject. It has also established a

marine laboratory in San Francisco Bay for the purpose of furthering investigations, and has raised $30,000 for this purpose.

Realizing the danger of the spread of this activity to other parts of the coast line, the nation-wide importance of the problem and its solution and the need for the sponsorship of some recognized and unbiased national organization, the above-named committee appealed to the National Research Council for assistance in the organization of a national movement for the attack of this problem.

Accordingly a committee was appointed by the council, consisting of the chairmen of the divisions of engineering, of chemistry and chemical technology, and of biology and agriculture, to consider means for undertaking coordinated investigations upon the problem. This committee is now preparing a statement of the present situation in regard to the use of timber in marine construction and also a tentative program of investigations. It is hoped to secure the participation of all agencies concerned in the marine borer menace in carrying out this proposed extensive study.

This is one of the most important problems presented to the National Research Council since its organization and one of the best illustrations of the important service which can be rendered by a national body of this sort. It is also an excellent illustration of the need for cooperation between the scientific and engineering groups.

The problem is a decidedly imminent one and some attempt at a practical solution must be made immediately. This, however, does not preclude a more thorough investigation of the fundamentals involved looking toward the most effective and economical solution. Everything possible is being done to push this work along.

*

Revision of steam tables.—The best steam tables now available are recognized to be in error by a sufficient amount to warrant the very extensive research work necessary for a comprehensive revision. In fact, there are certain differences of opinion involving thermodynamic theory which can only be reconciled by careful experimental determination. Moreover, the present tables do not go high enough in temperature or pressure to meet the needs of modern steam engineering.

A movement is now under way to organize a national committee for this purpose, under the general advisory board on mechanical engineering of the division of engineering. This board is sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. For the purpose of planning this organization a meeting of the most prominent steam engineers of the country was held in Cambridge, Mass., at the laboratory of the Harvard Engineering School, on Thursday, June 23. A report of the meeting will be available shortly. A small 86660°-22-4

part of this experimental work has already been completed at the laboratory of the Harvard Engineering School, a part of the expense being borne by the university and part by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY.

[F. G. COTTRELL, Chairman.]

(For present personnel see Appendix A.)

The committee on synthetic drugs, Julius Stieglitz, chairman, has been inactive during the past few months owing to the fact that but very few inquiries have been received. From this it would seem that the manufacture of synthetic drugs in this country has now re turned to a normal basis, and, on recommendation of the chairman, the committee will not be continued for the ensuing year.

The committee on methods of organic analysis, C. G. Derick, chairman, has confined its activities up to the present to an educational campaign carried out by a few addresses by members of the committee on the value of qualitative organic analysis. The committee is considering the publication of a brief laboratory manual on this subject, and Mr. S. P. Mulliken, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is also continuing his very valuable methods of analysis for organic compounds. It is hoped to get the committee into active cooperation with various universities in order that the needed research may be completed on methods of separation of organic compounds and of their identification.

The committee on pharmaceutical research, J. M. Francis, chairman, has met with many perplexities and it is not ready as yet to report a definite program. It is expected that in the near future a committee will be named to outline a proper plan of procedure.

The committee on the chemistry of colloids, H. N. Holmes, chairman, has vigorously continued its activities initiated at the beginning of the year. A number of lectures have been given by members of the committee before universities and local sections of the American Chemical Society, and the attendance at these lectures indicates a growing interest in colloid chemistry. W. D. Bancroft has completed and published a stimulating textbook on "Applied Colloid Chemistry," and the chairman expects to have his "Laboratory Manual" ready for publishing soon. Suggestions that the committee act as clearinghouse for colloid chemists and manufac turers have brought ready response, but it would seem that the vigorous development of colloid chemistry in this country is too recent to have created an adequate supply of men needed. The classified bibliography, which has been in course of preparation for some time, will soon be issued in mimeograph form and distributed

for criticism and suggested additions, and a final edition will be published in some suitable manner later on. The list of 200 colloid problems, now being published in the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, is another part of the general plan of the committee, and is calling forth decidedly interesting letters of inquiry.

The committee on ceramic research, Albert V. Bleininger, chairman, after a review of the present status of ceramic research, selected the following four subjects to receive the first attention: (1) A study of the elements which determine the plastic nature of clay; (2) a critical examination of certain methods used in silicate analysis; (3) a study of American pot clays and their proper compounding for the production of refractories used in the glass industry; (4) a study of the relationship between crazing and the expansion coefficients of bodies and glazes. These subjects were considered as especially promising and likely to attract the attention of the industries. The attitude of the makers of glass was very encouraging, and also of several firms engaged in the producItion of pots and blocks; but a number of other manufacturers of these clay products, however, declined to support the movement on the ground that such investigations should be conducted either with public funds, or, if supported privately, the results of the work. should be kept confidential.

As several of the larger glass manufacturers had made their support contingent upon the cooperation of the manufacturers of glass house refractories, cooperative investigation did not appear promising and the matter was dropped for the time being. Manufacturers of pottery and other clay products were then approached with reference to the other subjects mentioned, but also with negative results. However, negotiations along these lines are still under way and it is believed that within the present year positive cooperation may result.

As the result of the efforts of the chairman of the committee a number of manufacturers of heavy structural clay products have become interested in cooperative research and an executive committee for several associations has been organized, and also a special technical committee; and a program has been outlined and the problems involved have been assigned to the members of the technical committee to be worked out in detail and specific plans outlined for attacking them. When this plan has been approved, research men will be employed who will have the status of fellows and will work at the various institutions under competent direction in prosecuting the investigation of specific problems. It is planned that the results of this cooperative research program shall be presented at the meetings of the heavy clay products division of the American

Ceramic Society, and this division will constitute a clearing house for the various associations of manufacturers in handling the work and making recommendations as to its continuance from year to year.

The committee on explosives investigations, Charles E. Munroe, chairman, has continued the work on problems initiated last year. As a result of its work on the utilization of surplus military explosives the entire surplus of T. N. T. (21,000,000 pounds) has now been distributed over a wide area, and though much of it has been used by the inexpert not a single accident from fire, explosion, or poisoning attending its use has been reported, while the reports of its behavior are quite enthusiastic. The tests by experts of the best methods of using picric acid (there being a surplus of 12,000,000 pounds to dispose of) have been made and instructions for tests in the field have been prepared, but it is not thought safe to look upɔn the instructions as final until the results of field tests by the inexpert under the supervision of experts, which are now under way, have been carried out on a large scale.

The committee has prepared translations of several publications deemed of special value; and a cooperative arrangement has been made between the Ordnance Department, United States Army, the Bureau of Ordnance of the Navy, and the Bureau of Mines under which a translation relative to explosives or a cognate subject prepared for one of them is manifolded for transmission through this committee to the others. A special feature this year is a review of the files of the Bureau of Mines and a carding of all the reports of investigations of accidents from or outrages committed with explosives made from the foundation of that bureau, so that in future investigations this material may be readily accessible.

No report has been received from the committee on sewage disposal, Edward Bartow, chairman, but the committee has been continued for the ensuing year.

At the annual meeting of the division, held at Rochester, N. Y., April 27, it was decided to undertake the publishing of a list of research chemicals in this country, and a committee representing the division of chemistry and chemical technology and the research information service was appointed, as follows: Messrs. W. D. Collins (chairman), Roger Adams, Capt. D. B. Bradner, Messrs. H. T. Clarke, W. F. Hillebrand, George C. Spencer, Clarence J. West (secretary). Mr. West has already entered upon his duties and some 500 letters have been sent out to manufacturing chemists throughout the country, and so far about 100 replies have been received; these replies will be assembled and a draft or bulletin will be submitted to the members of the committee for approval in due

course.