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styles in matters of thought transmission sooner or later work their theme around to “Efficiency” or “Cooperation.” Men trying to accomplish something worth while often find the conviction gaining on them that both of these words are “happy thoughts” but are a long way from tangible realities. People are daill- becoming more reluctant to undertake public work, not because they are unwilling to sacrifice their time, ability and money for the good of others, but because they are met at the outset with a condition which for x a n t of a better term vie shall call “negative cooperation.” Men of energy and ability are often elevated to positions of honor and trust and are pelted by their friends with bouquets only to find that the bouquets are sooner or later displaced by bricks. Others hesitate to accept political responsibility because they know that the blatant unreasoning criticism of the yellom- press is inevitable. Why do we not practice cooperation as well as preach i t ? Why do we select a most able mechanic to erect a structure of great importance to us and then give him a kit of tools containing saws, hammers and chisels made of rubber? Is it not enough to ride on the wagon me have delegated one of our fellow workers to draw for us without letting our own feet drag? This issue of the Journal contains the final report of the Secretary of the Eighth International Congress and also a n address by Dr. Hesse, drawing some striking lessons and offering suggestions which should be of inestimable value to future organizations. Some vivid examples of negative cooperation are disclosed in these records. Early in May, 1912,definite arrangements between the officers of the Congress and the printers were completed, in which i t was provided that all copy received before July 16th should be made up into 4000 sets of 24 volumes, or a total of 96,000 volumes, and delivered a t the Columbia University Gymnasium before the Congress opened. The printers fully lived up to t h a t agreement. They further agreed to give the subsequent printed matter of the Congress the right of way over everything else in their office (provided copy was completely delivered by the close of September) and to have all such matter printed and bound b y Sovember I j , 1912. I t became perfectly clear in September t h a t the necessary cooperation on the part of lecturers, participants in discussions and contributing authors for complete delivery of copy according to agreement, would not be forthcoming. Therefore, the right-of-way arrangement with the printer had to be cancelled in order t o avoid unnecessary financial loss. Xot until March I I , 1913,was it possible to get from the authors all of the copy of what is now Volumes 2 5 , 2 6 , 2 7 and 28-this in spite of repeated and most urgent letters from the Secretary asking for that material. The printer was then under contract with others and the Congress matter had to take its place in line. with consequent additional delay. Even now many of those whose formal remarks or other communications should be emNEGATIVE COOPERATION bodied in these volumes are not represented. Had these Speakers who pretend t o keep up with the latest volumes been sent to press in September with only
Information on any chemical subject t h a t has been investigated and p u t into print c m now be supplied a t reasonable cost t o busy professional men, technical publications, lau-yers, patent attorneys, manufacturers and teachers. On short notice articles mdl be copied, translations made, bibliographies prepared and searches of chemical or patent literature carried on, both in the Chemists’ Club Library and in t h e principal libraries of New York City. The xorld’s work in chemistry is thus made available to all. While the Chemists’ Club Library is making every effort t o obtain all the most valuable chemical textbooks and treatises and possesses a great many of them, i t realizes that its greatest service to chemical progress is to be rendered by means of the scientific and technical journals t h a t contain original articles and reports. Every chemist owns the best books on his particular branch of the subject but it is absolutely impossible for him t o possess complete editions of the multitude of valuable journals now being printed or t o obtain the back numbers he needs when he needs them. At the same time the various branches of chemistry are so intimately connected, interwoven and dependent upon each other that in research of any sort it is practically always necessary t o cover the whole field in order t o find out what has been done as well as t o prevent duplication of work. Only- such facilities as are now offered by the Research Bureau of the Chemists’ Club can supply the needs of modern chemical investigation and progress. I n addition to the Research Bureau, Club members, resident and non-resident. have access t o the Circulating Library, on payment of handling charges. Eight thousand duplicates of books, pamphlets, reprints, etc., are available for study and use by any member in the reach of mail or express service. Many triplicates are also on hand to be exchanged for desirable literature or sold t o those who need them for the completion of personal files. I n return for the many advantages now offered by the Chemists’ Club, every chemist in America owes it his most hearty support. Any books, reprints, or journals in odd numbers, volumes or broken sets can be used by i t with unusual and often surprising results. Odd, old volumes and particular editions are of the utmost importance in patent and research work, as well as for completing sets that are in many cases useless if incomplete. The Chemists’ Club believes in the spread of chemical knowledge and understanding. It knows t h a t modern chemistry can no longer depend upon accidental discoveries for progress. It offers ample material for intelligent and productive research. May the American Chemists use abundantly these new resources and justify the patience and faith of those who have labored so long to make possible this remarkable expansion of the work of the Chemists’ Club !
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the material then available, they would have been very meagre and some of the most important papers would not have appeared.
months' active campaigning for members. Four thousand sets were then ordered with the provision that this number could be increased up to 7500 a t The Congress had placed December 31, 1912, as its any time prior to July 16th. Renewed efforts to obdelivery date, counting with absolute confidence tain members were made, but at the end of ten weeks upon the cooperation of its own members, and for when the time limit for extension expired, the memberthis delay the delinquent members of this Congress ship had risen to only 1800. Therefore, with a surare alone t o blame. The Congress and the printers plus of admost 2000 sets, it was not regarded as essential were ready to perform their part, but they were not to increase the financial burden by adding to the origgiven any chance because the prompt cooperation inal contract. The Congress is now, when it is too they needed, and had every right t o expect, had been late to remedy matters, confronted with a membership far in excess of the number of sets of its proceedwithheld. ings available for distribution. They will be obliged The fact that some of the members of the Congress to exercise the only logical course left open to them will be unable to get copies of Volumes 1-24 is also and that is to distribute all sets now in hand in order due t o another case of negative cooperation. In March, of the dates of the memberships. Will the men who 1911, and in almost every one of the succeeding were dragging their feet in the sand while the officers Congress publications, as well as in the various technical of the Congress pulled hard a t the wagon, assume any journals, attention was directed to the fact t h a t of the responsibility for this situation? memberships completed after July 1st could not be A high and prominent place among the world's guaranteed the full reports. It is perfectly obvious seven wonders should be given to that human quality t o anyone that full information in regard to the de- which impels men such as Hesse to give their time and mand was needed by the officers in order to provide energy to a general cause when they know that by far the necessary number of volumes. AS it was, the con- the greater portion of what they contribute will be tracts for paper and printing had to be made when the absorbed to offset the indifference and negative cototal membership was only 1200-that after five operation of those for whom they work. c
ORIGINAL PAPERS ACCURACY AND LIMITATIONS OF COAL ANALYSIS' By A. C. FIELDNER
Received January 22, 1913 INTRODUCTION
I n recent years chemical and physical tests have come into use in connection with the mining and utilization of coal. Within certain limits these tests are useful not only in establishing the fuel value but in directing the coal into the proper market for which it is best adapted, and of maintaining the standard of the output t o meet the requirements of this market. The .growing practice of buying on specifications demands accuracy and strict uniformity in the methods of sampling and analysis. Chemists who make only occasional analyses of coal do not as a rule realize the empirical nature of the proximate analysis, and while they may obtain concordant results as far as their own laboratories are concerned, their results may not agree with those obtained in another laboratory. These discrepancies, which are more likely to occur in some determinations like that of volatile matter or of fixed carbon, tend to discredit the whole analysis in the eyes of engineers not familiar with the difficulties peculiar to each individual determination. The object of this paper is to call attention to the fact that some constituents may be determined much more accurately than others, and to present some experimental data bearing on the probable variations that may occur in good laboratory practice. I Paper read before American Coal Mining Institute, Pittsburgh, P a . , Dec. 19, 1912, by permission of the Director, P. S. Bureau of Mines.
N A T U R E OF COAL
Coal is used principally for fuel purposes; hence its value, other things being equal, is proportional to its calorific power. The different kinds of coal, however, vary greatly in character, so much so that each has its own particular field of usefulness. For instance, a Pittsburgh steam coal cannot be burned efficiently in an anthracite furnace, nor can a coal high in sulfur or phosphorus be used for the manufacture of foundry coke. Certain other tests, then, are also required, and for this purpose we have the conventional proximate analysis and sulfur or phosphorus determinations. While these tests may be sufficient for most industrial purposes, it is desirable a t times t o know the elementary composition of the coal as shown in a n ultimate znalysis, and its clinkering properties as indicated in the relative fusibility of the ash. No doubt other tests more suitable for individual purposes will come into use as the chemist learns what coal really is. / It is generally conceded by geologists that coal has its origin in vegetable matter that was accumulated' and buried in past geological ages. Several different theories have been advanced as to the exact manner of accumulation and the particular kinds of vegetation or vegetable products that were involved. At any rate, this accumulation became more or less altered and concentrated under swampy conditions and finally buried under a load of sediments, to be subjected to a further change by the action of heat and pressure. In more or less intimate mixture with
