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By Klaus Detert, Joseph Ziebs

The progress of primary recrystallization has been studied in alloys of nickel with 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 at. pct Ta. It can be shown that in one particular alloy containing 0.1 Ta and 0.02 02 a large grain structure (0.5 mm diameter) could he developed by primary recrystallization in thin sheetswhich were cold-worked to 97.5 pct reduction in thickness. Electron transmission microscopy demmstrates that this phenonmena was linked to the occurrence of fine precipitates at subboundaries. A discussion of how fine precipitates can exert under certain circumstances a rather distinct retarding effect on nucleation rate is included. IN a former investigation, the recrystallization and texture formation in a series of binary nickel alloys including pure nickel were studied.' Nickel alloys with some tantalum added displayed peculiarities during primary recrystallization which have been studied in more detail by the present investigation. The alloys were prepared by powder-metallurgy techniques similar to the previous investigations.' Pure metal powders were thoroughly mixed to obtain alloys with 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 at. pct Ta, referred to as alloy A, B, or C, respectively. The metallic impurities were kept below 0.005 at. pct except iron and cobalt with slightly higher values, by using highly purified nickel and tantalum powders.' The mixtures were pressed into bars and sintered at a temperature of 1300°C. The sintering atmosphere was either high vacuum, dry hydrogen, or wet hydrogen. The sintered rectangular bars were rolled 60 pct to a thickness of 3 mm, then annealed under dry hydrogen at 1000°C and again cold-rolled to about 97.5 pct reduction of thickness. After this heavy deformation, the sheet thickness was 0.07 5 mm. In order to study primary recrystallization which occurred in measurable times between 400" and 600°C, samples of the rolled sheets were annealed in a salt bath at various temperatures for various times in order to study the progress of recrystallization by hardness measurements and microscopic examination. For optical observation, the samples were polished and etched in a solution of 65 cu cm HNO3, and 18 cu cm acetic acid in 20 to 100 cu cm H2O, depending of the particular sample and annealing treatment. For transmission electron microscopic observations, thin foils were prepared by the combined window and Bollmann techniques.273 The electrolyte consisted of 23 pct perchloric acid and 77 pct acetic acid held at 15°C. Polishing was performed at a current density of 0.4 amp per sq cm. The examination of the thin films was accomplished by a Siemens Elmiscope-type electron microscope operating with an accelerating voltage of 100 kv. RESULTS The progress of primary recrystallization was very accurately followed in these alloys in order to establish the time when recrystallization started and ended during an isothermal anneal. Table I gives some of the data obtained by these studies. The time for beginning is a mean value, where somewhat less than 5 pct of the matrix has recrys-tallized. The end of recrystallization is the time when at least 95 pct of the matrix has recrystal-lized. Listed are three different B alloys, with 0.1 Ta distinguished by different sintering atmospheres which influence the rate of primary recrystallization. By the above method, the state of the grain structure when primary recrystallization was completed, but grain coarsening had not started, could be clearly defined. The average grain diameter of the recrystallized matrix is also given in Table I. The grain size did not depend on the temperature of the isothermal anneal. With one exception the grain size of the primary recrystallized matrix was found to be rather fine

Jan 1, 1965

By O. Bilharz

The rules laid down by Peter von Rittinger in his classic Lehrbuch der Aufbereitungskunde (Berlin, 1867, p. 513) concerning the designing of dressing-works still possess authority for such works and their operation. Nevertheless, some modifications and additions suggested by practice may be of value at the present time. Rittinger says: "I. Choose the apparatus and machines which can be, under the existing con-' ditions, easily constructed and kept in running order!' This rule contemplates the construction of apparatus (mostly of wood) on the spot, with the command of good sbops and especially of good workmen in wood. But in many cases, particularly for the sake of a prompt supply, the construction of apparatus is now left to special manufactories, which pay more attention in the choice of materials to durability and strength than to easy manipulation and erection. Nevertheless, here,as in many other instances, simplicity of construction and solidity of execution are to be recommended. Especially important is the convenient and cheap replaceability of

Jan 1, 1894

On Feb. 16, 1948, the Board of Directors of AIME authorized the publishing of "Technical Notes" in METALS TECHNOLOGY. The purpose is to provide prompt publication of wry short items of the following general types: 1. Results of short investigations which do not warrant a paper. 2. The conclusions of extensive investigations of insufficient general interest to justify a regular paper. 3. Conclusions arising in the course of an investigation, which, because of interest to others in the field, the author wishes to present prior to completion of the investigation. 4. Pertinent factual comment (not mere argument) on the subject matter of previous "Notes." Such Notes will be subject to the approval of the Auxiliary and AIME Publications Committees, but can be handled more promptly than regular papers because they need not be referred to readers. The recommended maxi- mum length is 500 words; notes in excess of 1,000 words will not be considered for this type of publication. A graph or photograph may be included as part of the note when particularly illustrative. As with regular papers, contributions to the new section should be submitted to the Secretary of the AIME.

Jan 1, 1948

GENTLEMEN Submitted herewith are the report of the Treasurer for the year 1938 and reports for the same year of the following standing committees: Admissions, Membership, Papers and Publications, Mining and Metal¬lurgy (Magazine), Library, Speakers for Local Sections and Student Societies, and Student Relations. To these reports members are referred for further details. Membership.-The end of the year 1938 saw Institute membership at an all-time peak: 12,474, made up of 2898 Student Associates and 9576 members of other classifications. The next highest level had been reached at the end of 1921 when corresponding figures were: total, 10,329; student members, 1450; all other classifications, 8879. The net gain for the year was 1495, of which 751 were Student Associates and 744 in the other categories. Two factors contribute to the growth of membership: (1) the enrolment of new members; and (2) the retention of members already on the roll as reflected in a relatively small number of resignations and suspensions for nonpayment of dues. For the first, much credit goes properly to the general Membership Committee that functioned for a second year under the chairmanship of Clyde E. Williams. With the cooperation of Institute members in general, to whom Mr. Williams expresses appreciation in his report, the Committee has been successful in acquainting eligible nonmembers with the purposes, activities and advantages of the Institute. The result has been the receipt during the year of 1162 applications, exclusive of Student Associates. This compares with 1212 during 1937 and 1266 during 1936. However, in considering this modest decline, account must be taken of the somewhat less prosperous conditions prevailing in the mineral industries and, consequently, among engineers engaged ?in those industries.

Jan 1, 1939

By Horace V. Winchell

This paper, embodying information acquired by the writer in his work in connection with the Geological Survey of Minnesota, is presented by permission of the State Geologist. Historical.—On November 16, 1890, the workmen of Captain J. A. Nichols, of Duluth, Minn., encountered in a test-pit on the northwest quarter of section 3, township 58, range 18, west of the fourth principal meridian, the body of soft ore now called the Mountain Iron mine. Hard ore, chiefly magnetic, had been known for many years on the Mesabi range, and explorations made by Mr. E. W. Griffin, of Minneapolis, near the falls of Prairie river in T. 56-24 and T. 56-25, and by John Mallmann, at the Mallmann explorations, T. 59-14, had revealed some hard hematite interbedded with quartzite and low-grade soft ore; but this was the first discovery of merchantable hematite on the range. Captain Nichols had been exploring more or less along the range for some two years. To him and to the Merritt brothers, of Duluth and Oneota, who, unshaken in Faith by the discouraging reports of explorers, miners, experts, and geologists, had persevered in the search for ore, great credit is due for the final success, and large rewards have accrued to them already.

Jan 1, 1893

By James H. Courtright, Kenyon Richard

L. H. Hart (Chief Geologist, American Smelting & Refining Co.)— Because of a widely recognized association between breccia pipes of one form or another and many important copper deposits, conditions under which breccia pipes develop have been of great scientific interest for many years. Since these phenomena first attracted attention, many theories have been advanced to explain their origin. This is not unexpected, since it is likely that they have been formed by and under a wide range of conditions. Moreover, the entire subject is confused by the fact that the term brec-cia pipe is applied to a wide variety of occurrences. To discuss any part of the subject intelligently, therefore, it is necessary to start with definitions of the terms used. In their discussion of the Toquepala deposit, Richard and Courtright have carefully defined the terms they have used in their presentation of a very logical geological history of Toquepala breccias. This is a real contribution, as there is no reference in the literature known to the writer where the history of a series of breccia pipe epochs, confined essentially within one channelway, may be read with the degree of certainty that appears to be possible at Toquepala. Although the following comments are intended primarily to emphasize points brought out in the article by Richard and Courtright, certan subsequent detailed mapping by Hollister and Houston7 within the main central mineralized area of the Toquepala deposits not only supports most of Richard's and Courtright's con- clusions but also contributes additional facts that strengthen and broaden the whole concept of the origin of the Toquepala breccia pipes. In detailed mapping by Hollister and Houston,' the most significant feature disclosed is a well developed system of concentric fracturing in rocks peripheral to the main breccia pipe throughout an arc of 300°, interrupted only by the late dacite agglomerate in the north quadrant. Although Richard and Courtright noted that such fractures were developed in the southern and southeastern areas, continuity in the east and west quadrants is established by consistent orientation of the stronger set of fractures and joints. The existence of these structural weakness trends is emphasized by the emplacement of dike-like phenomena in and along members of this fracture system. Richard and Courtright described one of these dikes in the southeast quadrant. They referred to it as a ring-dike, composed of dacite porphyry. This suggests an apparent structural control of at least a part of the dacite porphyry intrusion by features related to the Toquepala breccia pipe center. This raises a perplexing question, since the dacite porphyry intrusion had been presumed to antedate breccia pipe activity. However, if this ring-dike is related to the breccia pipe center, it may indicate that some part of the dacite porphyry intrusion advanced in a manner resulting in an intensely localized stress center, which produced the concentrically arranged fracture system. The ring-dike would then appear to be evidence strongly sug-

Jan 1, 1959

By R. Lagneborg

WhEN mechanical twins initiate cracking it has been proposed1 that the friction stress for dislocation motion, in the Cottrell criterion for brittle fracture2 should be replaced by the stress required to propagate a twin, ttp. TF is the fracture stress, d the grain diameter, ß a geometric constant, u shear modulus, and y the effective surface energy. Since TTp is likely to vary with grain size, it cannot be substituted by a constant in Eq. [I]. If an expression for the energy change caused by a twin in a stressed material could be obtained, it is in principle possible to compute the critical size of the twin, i.e., the size at which the system can decrease its energy spontaneously, as a function of applied stress, thus giving the stress required to just barely propagate the twin, i.e., TTP. Consider a circular twin disc with a radius r and having a lenticular cross section, Fig. 1. Twin dislocations3 of strength b exist in the twin boundary parallel to the twin plane, one loop on each atomic plane. Assume that the total numbers of loops, n, can be replaced by one circular loop of a multiple dislocation, nb with a radius r. The energy change of the system, AW, due to such a twin in an applied stress field can then be calculated: The first term is the total twin surface energy, the second the elastic energy due to the twin dislocations, and the third the energy released by the twin in the applied stress field. yt is the twin boundary energy, r, the radius of the dislocation core, and T the applied

Jan 1, 1968

By H. C. Vacher

THE limiting concentrations of carbon and oxygen which may co-exist at equilibrium in liquid iron are important in determining the degree to which liquid steel may be refined before it is deoxidized. Most refining processes depend upon the oxidation of a highly carburized iron which invariably results in contaminating the steel with oxygen. The oxygen .thus introduced presents many problems to the refiner, who in turn has attempted to rid the steel of this impurity by deoxidation with elements such as manganese, silicon and aluminum. The importance of the limiting concentrations of carbon and oxygen is accentuated in view of a number of recent researches which have indicated in many instances the existence of relations between oxide inclusions and dissolved oxygen and physical properties and chemical behavior of steel. The determination of the equilibrium concentrations of carbon and oxygen existing in iron under steelmaking conditions is obviously of fundamental importance. It has been generally assumed that the product of the equilibrium concentrations of carbon and oxygen in liquid iron is a constant and that this product is directly proportional to the carbon monoxide pressure in equilibrium with the liquid iron. Herty1,2 has computed values for this product based on open-hearth data which are all in the neighborhood of 0.01 to 0.03 (per cent. FeO X per cent. C) for temperatures in the vicinity of 1550° to 1600 C. and one atmosphere pressure. Kinzel and Egan3 have attempted to determine the value of this product by exposing liquid iron to carbon monoxide at one atmosphere pressure. The value reported by them was 0.0005 at 1550°. C. In. order to apply certain equations to the rate of carbon elimination in the open-hearth process, Feild4 found it necessary to assume. a value of 0.0102 at 1580° C. for this

Jan 1, 1931

By C. F. Jr. Tolman

IN February 1913, Prof. L. C. Graton and Dr. Joseph Murdoch1 presented to the American Institute of Mining Engineers a notable contribution to economic geology under the title The Sulphide Ores of Copper. The value of the work was recognized by mine operators, and Mr. Graton was assisted in his plan to extend his investigations,. by the organization of a commission to undertake a "secondary enrichment investigation." In this work lie secured the cooperation of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Their report 2 on the chemical phases of the investigation has just been published. Incidental to investigations 3 carried on in my laboratory by advanced

Jan 2, 1916

Discussion of the paper of Archer E. Wheeler and Milo W. Krejci, presented at the Butte meeting, August, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 80, August, 1913, pp. 1831 to 1880. BRADLEY STOUGHTON, New York, N. Y.:-I would like to ask Mr. Krejci whether they have tried mixing coke dust with the lime in those converters and, if so, if any advantage has been found. It has been a very great advantage in the steel converters where coke dust has been mixed with the lime near the tuyeres. Of course the agent that causes the corrosion at that point is oxide of iron, and coke seems to prevent the formation of the oxide of iron and so protect the tuyeres. It would be interesting to know if it had the same effect in the copper converters. MILO W. KREJCI:-We have never tried it here. At Anaconda the tuyere section was formerly put in by mixing magnesite with tar and ramming that into the tuyere section, but they have abandoned that. Might I ask how you would apply the coke dust? How get it into the tuyere section ? How hold it there ? BRADLEY STOUGHTON :-The coke dust is mixed with silica and clay and then rammed in and burned. I suppose in your converters it would be mixed with the magnetite or magnesite and then agglomerated with the material in place. MILO W. KREJCI:-We never tried it here. PROF. JOSEPH W. RICHARDS, South Bethlehem, Pa.:-I would like to ask how thick this deposit of magnetite is on the lining. How thick a layer would be practical ? MILO W. KREJCI:-About 21 in. would be sufficient. SOLOMON LE FEVRE, Mineville, N. Y.:-I was interested to hear of the use of magnetite in connection with the copper smelter. I am interested in the mining of magnetite, but was not aware that it had been used at all' by the copper metallurgists.

Jan 11, 1913

By Charles A. Ashburner

At the Philadelphia meeting of the Institute, held in February, 1881,I had the honor of reading a paper on "A New Method of Mapping the Anthracite Coal Fields of Pennsylvania."* At that time the State appropriation for the Second Geological Survey had just expired, and, as a new appropriation was not assured, no detailed plan had been adopted by Professor Lesley, State Geologist, for the practical examination of the mines, and the solution of the geological structure of special localities, or the representation in sections, vertical and columnar, of the general structure of the coal basins and coal beds. I had merely proposed a plan of mapping, as the material for the construction of maps was most available, and it was at that time uncertain what money the Survey would have to enable it to extend the surface and underground explorations, in order to make the examinations complete. After a continuation of the Survey was authorized until January, 1884, by the legislature, in May, 1881, the Anthracite Survey was regularly organized, and a plan adopted for a systematic and exhaustive geological and mine examination of the region. This plan provided for such work, other than that of mapping, as was necessary for a complete and practical geological and mining survey of a coal field. To do any geological work, of however general a character, it was absolutely. necessary that the members of the Survey Corps should obtain unrestricted access to all the mining records of the operators, which have been made with great care and accuracy and at an enormous expense during the past thirty years and more. The unanimous and generous support of the individual and corporate coal operators, of the plan of carrying on the Survey, was promptly assured, on condition that the results should be of such a character as to render them of practical utility to the property-owners and those directly interested. It was hoped

Jan 1, 1883

By T. Guilford Smith

In presenting the subject of " Armored Turrets for Coast Defense " to this Institute, I am indebted to the Gruson Ironworks, a company incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, for valuable information, model and plans, by which I hope to make clear the construction and peculiar merits of this class of gun-protection. I wish it understood, however, that this is not an undeveloped and untried inventor's ideal, but an advanced and fully perfected system, which has long since passed the experimental stage and has been adopted by most of the foreign governments, after years of extensive experimenting and the expenditure of millions of dollars. The present seems an appropriate time to present the matter to the scientific public, since, for the first time, it is possible to produce these turrets in this country, of American material, and made by American workmen, owing to an agreement entered into between the Gruson Iron-works and the Fried. Krupp Grusonwerk, of Magdeburg-Buckau, Germany, where they have hitherto alone been manufactured. Although its full development and present perfection have been attained at the German works, it may be of historic interest to state that the first idea of using a rotating protected platform for large guns originated with Mr. Theo. Ruggles Timby, a native of the State of New York, who filed a caveat in 1843 for a " metallic revolving fort, to be used on land or water, and to be revolved by propelling engines located within the same and acting upon suitable mechanism." This was followed in 1862 by the issuance to Mr. Timby of two patents (No. 35,846 and No. 36,593) covering the ideas described in his caveat of 1843. The first practical application of this system was made on the " Monitor," of Civil War fame, Mr. Timby receiving $10,000 for two

Jan 1, 1901

By C. G. Brennecke, R. T. Gallagher

This paper is the result of a research program entered into cooperatively by the General Reinsurance Corporation and Lehigh University in January 1944. The research program was instituted to find a more positive method to determine the presence of hazardous roof conditions in , mining operations. The co-authors, together with Mr. R. D. Currie, Engineer for the General Reinsurance Corporation, started working on the project in January 1944, first undertaking a library search; second, a preliminary study based on some existing equipment; third, the design of new and more suitable equipment; and finally, the field testing of equipment and methods. Purpose Any study of the accident statistics of mining operations will disclose the rather startling fact that approximately 50 to 60 per cent of all fatal underground accidents in the anthracite and bituminous mines are caused by falls of roof and coal, the metal and nonmetal mines showing only a slightly smaller percentage. Advancements in safety engineering have produced definite results in the decrease of accidents due to blasting, haulage, electricity, and explosions but no such decrease is shown in those caused by falls of roof, coal, or ore. Table Il,2 is a compilation of statistics as published by the United States Bureau of Mines, showing the percentages of fatal accidents caused

Jan 1, 1947

By R. T. Gallagher, C. G. Brennecke

This paper is the result of a research program entered into cooperatively by the General Reinsurance Corporation and Lehigh University in January 1944. The research program was instituted to find a more positive method to determine the presence of hazardous roof conditions in , mining operations. The co-authors, together with Mr. R. D. Currie, Engineer for the General Reinsurance Corporation, started working on the project in January 1944, first undertaking a library search; second, a preliminary study based on some existing equipment; third, the design of new and more suitable equipment; and finally, the field testing of equipment and methods. Purpose Any study of the accident statistics of mining operations will disclose the rather startling fact that approximately 50 to 60 per cent of all fatal underground accidents in the anthracite and bituminous mines are caused by falls of roof and coal, the metal and nonmetal mines showing only a slightly smaller percentage. Advancements in safety engineering have produced definite results in the decrease of accidents due to blasting, haulage, electricity, and explosions but no such decrease is shown in those caused by falls of roof, coal, or ore. Table Il,2 is a compilation of statistics as published by the United States Bureau of Mines, showing the percentages of fatal accidents caused

Jan 1, 1947

By W. C. Elmore

THE magnetic powder method, long used for roughly mapping mag-netic fields, has recently been refined 1,2 for investigating the microscopic variations in the surface magnetization of ferromagnetic crystals. Bitter2 first discovered regular powder patterns connected with the crystal structure of such specimens. Several other investigators3 have used Bitter's original technique, with slight modifications, to study the varia-tion of the patterns with variations in the magnetizing field applied parallel to the surface, and their dependence upon the state of strain, of polish and of crystal cut. All of the explanations of these patterns on metallic ferromagnetics have been couched in general terms. In a preliminary report we have described an improvement in the powder technique which led us to the discovery of a new effect throwing con-siderable light on the magnetic secondary structure of alpha iron4 and of nickel5 single crystals. We now report additional evidence confirming the existence and stability of a magnetic block secondary structure.

Jan 1, 1936

By Irving Fatt, Robert J. S. Brown

INTRODUCTION The wettability of reservoir rocks is recognized as one of the major factors that determines their multiphase flow properties. Multiphase flow properties in turn govern reservoir performance. For this reason, the reservoir engineer is vitally interested in the wettability of reservoir rock. The production research scientist is interested in wettability because the solution of the problem of improving waterflood recovery by use of surface-active additives may hinge on a detailed understanding of the wettability of reservoir rock. Early workers believed that all reservoir rocks were preferentially water wet. Continued study soon uncovered certain rocks which had flow properties that indicated that they were preferentially oil wet. Recent studies show that there is a spectrum of wettability. Some reservoir rocks have multiphase flow properties which indicate that they have an intermediate wettability. The differences in recovery observed among different reservoirs may, in part be the result of small differences in wettability. Differences in wettability amcng reservoir rocks may be the result of differences in the fraction of the total surface area that is preferentially oil wet and preferentially water wet. Nuclear magnetic relaxation measurements may provide a method for determining the fraction of preferentially oil wet and preferentially water wet area in porous media. Measurements to be reported here were made on water-saturated unconsolidated sand packs which were mixtures of preferentially oil wet and preferentially water wet sands. The resulting data show definitely that the fraction of each wettability in these sand packs can be determined by this nondestructive method of measurement. THEORY OF NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RELAXATION The details of the theory of nuclear magnetic relaxation have been presented previously1. In this paper, only a very brief review of the theory will be given to show its application to the measurement of fractional wettability. Nuclear magnetic relaxation is a process of adjustment undergone by certain atomic nuclei when their magnetic environment is changed. They adjust, or relax, to be in equilibrium with a new magnetic field. The reason that some atomic nuclei are affected by a magnetic field is that they themselves behave in some respects like tiny magnets. In particular the proton, the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, behaves as a magnet. The proton spins, somewhat as the earth spins on its axis. The spinning charge produces a magnetic field just as current traveling in a loop of wire produces a magnetic field. No net charge is required, however; for instance, the neutron has spin and magnetic moment. When the spinning proton is subjected to an externally applied magnetic field, its axis tends to line up with the magnetic field, somewhat as a compass needle tends to line up, but the spinning proton cannot do this as easily as the needle can. The proton also has mass, and its spinning mass makes the proton behave somewhat like a gyroscope. As is well known, a force which tends to change the axial direction of a gyroscope merely causes the gyroscope to precess: lhat is, the axis begins to trace out a conical surface. The gyroscope cannot actually assume the position suggested

Jan 1, 1957

By S. F. Emmons

There is, in the southern part of the State of Illinois, a series of deposits of fluorspar and galena in which the former mineral occurs on a scale of magnitude unequalled, so far as I know, in any other part of the world. In June, 1891, 1 had an opportunity of visiting the region of their principal development, near Rosiclare, Hardin county, Ill., and examined such of the mines in the vicinity as were accessible at that time. A very large proportion of the mining shafts that had been sunk in this region were unfortunately abandoned for the time being, and full of water. Moreover, detailed maps of the region are unattainable, no surveys having been made there, apparently, since the original land-surveys' of the early part of the century. In spite of these disadvantages I was enabled, in the few days at my disposal, to ascertain with sufficient accuracy certain facts not hitherto published with regard to these deposits, which seem worthy the attention of the members of the Institute. Before proceeding to a description of the deposits in question, I will give a brief abstract of the little historical and geological information hearing directly or indirectly upon them, which I have been able to find in existing publications. Historical. That the mineral was known to the Indians, is proved by the discovery, in some of the pre-historic mounds of the region,* of fluorspar, shaped into ornaments. The earliest scientific mention of its occurrence is found in the first volume of the American Journal of Science (1818+), which describes specimens obtained in the vicinity of Shawneetown by Mr. Joseph Baldwin. Similar notices appear in the same journal in 1820 and 1821, but without mention of the exact locality. They remark on the fetid odor which characterizes the mineral and its association with galena. Schoolcraft, as early as 1819, note: the occurrence of fluate of

Jan 1, 1893

Jan 1, 1970

Jan 1, 1961

By P. W. Bridgman

It is characteristic of most scientific investigators that they are not satisfied with the discovery of new facts, no matter how curious or unexpected, but that along with the factual discovery there is a constant effort to understand. It appears that one's interest in, and satisfaction with, the discovery of an array of new experimental facts is enormously increased if one has at the same time a theory or hypothesis guiding one's expectation of what sort of new experimental discovery may lie around the corner. Conversely, as a theoretical physicist one's satisfaction with his theory is greatly enhanced if along with the development of the theory can go the discovery of new experimental facts, confirming or perhaps modifying the theory as it grows. Of course, there have been long arid stretches in the history of physics in which new data of unquestioned ultimate importance have piled up, without much inspiration or illumination in the way of understanding. For 50 years spectroscopy had such an arid history, but how irksome this was felt to be is plainly shown by the almost audible relief that greeted the first success by Bohr in injecting understanding into the situation, and by the fresh rush of experimenters into this field when the prospect of understanding had once been offered. The investigations in the field of high pressure, which have occupied me for a long time,' until the last few years have been in very much the same sort of situation as spectroscopy before the advent of Bohr. A great many kinds of data were collected for a great many solid and liquid substances, and there could be no question of the importance of these data, because the uniform change of dimensions produced by hydrostatic pressure is perhaps the simplest conceivable type of alteration to which a body can be subjected. But except for a few isolated flashes, there was no theoretical illumination, so that it had to be to a large extent the enthusiasm of the collector that kept me going. However, within the last few years the wave-mechanics theory of solids has progressed so rapidly that

Jan 1, 1938