f it’ I SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY ._r _ . _ K.C.B., F.R.S. MEMORIALS OF HIS LIFE AND WORK BY SIR WILLIAM A. TILDEN, F.R.S. VmT POST FUNERA VIRTUS MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON 1918 • » PEEFACE Every reader of this volume will at once perceive that its compilation would have been impossible but for the active co-operation of many friends. Foremost among them was, of course, Lady Eamsay, who has not only placed at the disposal of the writer the immense collec- tion of letters preserved by herself and by members of the family on both sides, but she has contributed many facts and incidents, and with her own pen has set down her recollections of tbe journeys taken with her husband to the West and to the East. The source of quotations inserted in the text has been indicated in each case, but the writer is under special obhgations for the use of correspondence and for in- teresting recollections of early days in Eamsay’s life to Mr. H. B. Fyfe, of Glasgow, his hfe-long friend and legal adviser, and to Sk James Bobbie, his early pupil and associate in chemical research, also to Professor Sydney Young, Eamsays assistant at Bristol and colleague in research during a period of some seven years, while Professor Bicks, of Shef&eld, has kindly supplied much information relative to the progress of the movement :; PREFACE wMch ultimately resulted in obtaining pecuniary assist- ance for university colleges from the Government. To Lord Rayleigh the writer desires to express his best thanks, for kindly consenting to read the MS. -of that part of Chapter V. which relates to the discovery of argon, and for notes thereon, which have been embodied in the text. Mr. W. G. Ramsay has taken the trouble to compile the chronological list of honours conferred on his father, which will be found at the end of the book. The long series of letters addressed by William Ram- say to his cousin. Miss Ramsay, the eldest daughter of his uncle, the late Sir Andrew C. Ramsay, has afforded much insight into his character and the intimate rela- tions subsisting in the family. Among other friends who have supplied information, or have allowed the use of letters, are the following Mr. James Rafter, the Registrar of the University of Bristol ; Professor E. C. C. Baly, F.R.S., of Liverpool University ; Professor J. Norman Collie, F.R.S., Pro- fessor F. G. Donnan, F.R.S., and Professor W. P. Ker, of University College, London ; the Provost of Univer- sity College (Sir T. Gregory Foster) ; Mr. Otto Hehner, Dr. Geotge M'Gowan, Miss F. MacVicar, Mrs. M'Nicol, Mr. M. M. Pattison Muir ; Professor Alfred Marshall, of Cambridge ; Professor Lloyd Morgan, F.R.S., of Bristol Sir Henry A. Miers, F.R.S., Principal of the University, Manchester ; Mr. B. J. Padshah ; Lieut.-Colonel A. lls, F.R.S., of Leeds ; Professor F. Soddy, F.R.S., .Derdeen University ; Mrs. John Baird Smith, Mr. PREFACE vii Wi]1ifl.rw TumbuU, Mi. Robert Dowie Urqubart, Mrs. Wortbington, and lOr. Morris Travers, F.R.S. Thanks are also due to the Council of the Chemical Society for permission to photograph the portrait oppo- site the title-page and to the Council of the Royal Society for the figures of apparatus. Professor John M. Thomson, F.R.S., has kindly supplied the excellent portrait taken by him m 1912. A word of explanation may also be looked for in regard to the authorship of the volume. Late in the autumn of 1916 I was requested by the Professors in the Chemical Department of Univejrsity College to undertake the work. This may have been suggested by the fact that I had already prepared hastily an obituary notice for the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry by desire of the Council of that Society. I did not, however, feel at liberty to undertake the task until I had been assured that my doing so would be consonant with the wishes of Lady Ramsay. I cannot refrain from ofiering to her an expression of more than ordinary thanks for the privilege, as I regard it, of being admitted to the view which I now have of her brilliant husband s life and character. I can claim an acquaintance with ViiTn of more than thirty-five years, and I can boast of a friendship of at least twenty-five. Nevertheless, I feel that it is only now that I know something of the man. The long series of letters which have been pre- served, extending over nearly fifty years, many of them written in the full confidence of youth and a close intimacy with friends and relations, reveal the dominant vm PREFACE features of his character, which are quite in accord with the estimation formed by the frien&s who knew him from earliest days. The contents of some of these letters, especially to his wife, are too sacred to be quoted, but they have left deep impressions on my mind, and these I have endeavoured to indicate in the book. Since the beginning of the war it has become more than ever obvious that in the interest of national in- dustries a larger number of able young men and women should be induced to take up the study of chemistry with a serious view to the applications of the science. But it is clear that for this purpose assistance must be given in many cases to enable promising students to follow to the end the protracted course of study necessary. And it is with this object that the movement for a “ Ramsay Memorial ’’ has resulted in the scheme which includes provision of opportunities for furtber study by advanced students of chemistry. It is even hoped that the idea of founding a Ramsay Memorial Fellowship may assume an international character. There is every reason for believing that the scheme would have received approval from Sir William Ramsay himself, with pro- bably two conditions, namely, that the Fellows selected should be chosen by some method which does not involve competitive examination, and that they should devote the greater part of their time during tenure of the Fellowship to scientific research. W. A. T. Noethwood, F^mry, 1918. — CONTENTS CHAPTER I OHUDHOOD AKD YOUTH Autobiography—^The Bamsay family—^Extract from Gieikie’s Life of Sir Andrew —Grandfather, William Bamsay—Children of W. B , inoluding the father of Sir William—Catherine Bobertson, mother of Sir William—^Birth of their son, 2nd October, 1852—^Beoolleotions of his early ohildhood by Mrs. M'Niool and Miss Blora MaoVicar—Beminisoenoes by Mir. M. M. Pattison — Mnir ; by Mr. B D. Urquhart ^WUham Bamsay’s own reooUeotions, and those of Mr. W. Turnbull—^Belmont House at JOoreggan; W. B. enters the Glasgow Academy—^BecoUeotions by Mr. H. B. Pyfe of the Academy and University—Begins chemistry in Tatlook’s laboratory—^The friends of his youth pp. 1-27 CHAPTER n AT THE UNIVEBSITT Early esjwiienoes in chemistry—Classes at the University—Correspondence begun with his cousin Ella Bamsay—^Holiday in Shetland—^Franoo-Prussian war m 1870—^Proceeds to Heidelberg and afterwards Thbmgen, 1871 Attends Eittig’s lectures—^Idfe in Ttibmgen—^Practice in German, Italian and French—BiUiards—Holiday at home, March, 1872—^Examination in July—^Professor Bemsen’s recollections—^Baok m Glasgow, autumn 1872 Become Assistant in Anderson’s College—^Mr. 0. Hehner’s reminiscences Trip with his uncle Andrew and family to^the Bhine and Switzerland, 1873 —^Appointed Tutorial Assistant in the Umversity—^First papers—^Work on piooline bases—^Work on quinine jointly with J. J. Dobbie, 1876—[Sir James Bobbie’s reminiscenoes—^In the University laboratory—^Preference for physical chemistry—^Appointed Professor at Bristol—^Walkmg tour in Western Highlands, 1878—^Excursion to Norway, 1879]—^Bamsay at the British Association Meeting m Glasgow, 1876 ; at the Frenoh Association at Havre, 1877 ; at the British Association Meeting m Dublin, 1878 Bemoval to Bristol, 1880 pp. 28-65 — —— X CONTENTS r r ^ OHAPTER ni «> THE BEISTOL PERIOD The rise of the University Colleges—^University College, Bristol : its origin and Ptofessor of Chemistry, February early history—^Ramsay appointed 1880 ; Principal, September 1881—^Marriage—^Demonstrators snooessively : D. O. Mafflon, A. BlaOde, W. L. Goodwin, and Sydney Young—Papers on physical anbjeots Dr. Young’s account of joint researches on thermal properties of sohda and liquids, etc.—^Miss Williams’ work on food—^Ramsay’s colleagues—^Interoourae with staff of Clifton College and with residents in Bristol and Clifton—^Professor Lloyd Morgan’s reminiscences—^Visits to —^First meeting with Mendel4e£f—^Finanoial difficulties of the CoUege—^Beginning of the struggle to obtain Government help—^Ramsay’s part m the movement—Record of events by Professor Hiohs—^Ramsay at Oxford—^Deputation to Mr. Gosohen—^The first Government Grant, 1880 List of Papers by Ramsay and Young pp. 66-101 CHAPTER IV UlUVERSITY COLLEGE, 1887 to 1894 The Professors of Chemistry at Universiby College—^Elected F.RS. (1888) Begmning work with new Assistant (Dr. Collie)—Assistant Professor Dr. R T. Plimpton—Admission of women to men’s classes—^The staff in the Ohemioal Department—^Ramsay’s—popularity with the students Methods of instruction in the laboratory “ Experimental Proofe of Chemical ” Theory for Beginners —Habits of medical students—^Letters to Professor Worthmgton—Paper on the Molecular Weights of Metals, 1880—^Researches on the oxides of nitrogen—Meeting of the British Association at Leeds Theones of solution—^Disoussion—^Brownian movement of fine particles Ramsay’s infinenoe at the University of London—^Views as to examiua- tions PP* 102-123 CHAPTER V THE GASES OF THE ATMOSPHERE Lord Rdvin quoted—^Lord Rayleigh’s researohes on the densities of gases Difficulty in the ease of nitrogen—^His appeal to chemists, September 1892 DisouBBion of the anomaly, April 1804—Cavendish’s experiments, 1785— Ramsay’s magnesium method of fixmg nitrogen—Letters to Mrs.