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Additional Notes
One of the best known local violin makers in the nineteenth century was William Mackay who was born in 1815 and who was still active in 1899. In all he made about 50 violins, 6 violincellos and 6 violas. His violins were covered with yellow varnish, bore no label or date but had written inside the back, “William Mackay, Crosshill, Kincardine on Forth”.
Absolute Zero
The lowest temperature on the Kelvin thermometer scale is –273.16 degrees Celsius or –459.69 degrees Fahrenheit. The Kelvin Scale is the standard for all scientific temperature measurements. This temperature is the one which matter would have if ALL heat were removed from it and is therefore the lowest possible temperature. A temperature of absolute zero can never be reached but only approached. In his scientific experiments Sir James Dewar was gradually approaching it – but still had some way to go. “A few millionths of a degree above absolute zero is the lowest ever attained so far in a laboratory” (Encyclopaedia Americana).
Tribute By The Royal Institution
At a meeting of the members of The Royal Institution on Monday, 9th April, 1923, a tribute was paid to Sir James Dewar which, inter alia spoke of how nobly he had “maintained and enhanced the fame of The Royal Institution and by his invaluable discoveries had made contributions of incalculable and far-reaching value to the wealth and welfare of mankind. … His whole-hearted devotion to science like his predecessor Faraday, his remarkable skills in experimental research and lecture demonstrations.” His researches which had lasted over a period of more than fifty years were summed up under seven headings, the honours conferred upon him were listed, his skill in arranging courses of lectures not only on every branch of science but also on different branches of literature and the arts was recorded and the tribute concluded by making reference to his devotion to the welfare of The Royal Institution itself, his generous donations to the Fund for Experimental Research, his frequent presentation of books to the library and his paying for the complete redecoration and refurbishment of the Lecture Room to mark his completion of a period as long as Faraday’s as Fullerian Professor of Chemistry – thirty-four years.
The resolution approving the tribute was moved by the Duke of Newcastle. His Grace said: “By his death we have lost one of the great world figures of science and a very faithful and devoted member of this Institution and all of us feel too that we are mourning the loss of a great personal friend. His name stands second to none in the list of great names who have conferred honour on The Royal Institution and with our sorrow is mingled pride in his achievements.” The resolution was seconded by Sir James Crichton-Browne who said: “It may be affirmed that no greater British man of science has lived during the last fifty years. … His career at The Royal Institution has been a succession of triumphs. Here it was he carried out his researches on the liquefaction of gases and on the properties of matter at close to the absolute zero liquefying and then solidifying in turn air, oxygen, fluorine and hydrogen elucidating at the same time the effects of the low temperatures reached on magnetic powers, on electrical conductivity, on the tensile strength of metals, on chemical and photographic action and on living organisms. Here it was that he produced cordite, that he invented the vacuum jacket, that he utilised the absorptive powers of carbon and revealed the iridescent marvels of the soap bubble. These researches were conducted not without risk to life and limb… His services here have been practically gratuitous. His emoluments have never exceeded £300 per annum. On two hundred and three occasions in all – in forty-eight Friday evening discourses… one hundred and seventeen afternoon lectures… thirty-eight Christmas lectures – to rapt and overflowing audiences – he described his excursions into the hidden arcane of Nature and has shown us, in exquisite experiments, the treasures he brought back… Medium of height and slight of build he had a charming and approachable manner which won him a host of friends. He had a very attractive personality. Bright, breezy, open-hearted and not without the saving grace of humour he was one of the most lovable of men, always accessible to the student, full of encouragement for the honest worker, brimful of knowledge and as generous with his brains as with his purse.” … On a personal note Dr Chrichton-Browne spoke of his having known Sir James for fifty years: “their friendship had never known a jar and had ripened into almost fraternal relations”. Sir Ernest Rutherford spoke of Sir James Dewar “as a heroic figure in science, one of the greatest experimenters of our age”. He had a great admiration for Sir James as a scientist, a deep affection for his personal qualities and treasured the remembrance of his many acts of kindness.
The Resolution, moved by the Duke of Newcastle, was then put to the meeting and adopted unanimously, all the members standing while it was read.
Grand Discovery
Air is so condensed and congealed that it becomes visible as a sky-blue liquid – that is the latest marvel of science. The discoverer of the process is Professor James Dewar who explained it at The Royal Institution. He liquefies nitrous oxide or ethylene by subjecting them to a temperature respectively of 162 and 180 degrees of frost; then by allowing these volatile elements to evaporate in the presence of their own liquids he produces a still greater degree of coldness. By ethylene, for instance, a temperature can be obtained equal to 31.8 degrees below the freezing point and at this with a pressure of 750 lbs to the square inch the oxygen and nitrogen of the air pass into a liquid state. The audience actually beheld liquid oxygen in a little globe. The professor hopes to get yet farther and to produce solid air. He has only to increase the degree of coldness and atmospheric pressure. He was used this liquid air already so as to produce a vacuum with only a small fraction of a millioneth of an atmosphere of gas pressure and this becomes a new agent of investigation by means of which it is hoped the nature of the electric current may yet be detected. If the sun were to be extinguished, we know from this beautiful discovery that the air would tumble to the ground and form a liquid layer thirty-five feet deep, of a beautiful blue colour: and if all the universal suns were also quenched the liquid would probably become solid. Even as it is, ice is, compared with the liquid air, twice as hot as boiling water is to ice. Alloa Advertiser, February 25th, 1893.
Liquid Air for Export
Professor Dewar has successfully conveyed a considerable quantity of liquid air from London to Cambridge, where it was appropriate exhibited at Peterhouse, the College which always must be associated with the great scientific work of Cavendish. The liquid air reached Cambridge with only a trifling loss of bulk, notwithstanding the incessant jolting of the train. Alloa Advertiser, November 25th, 1893.
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