*r- jr y ..i:^<. i»»i Mic^ (SfOvmli IniticrHitg ffiihratg Strata, S^ein fatk THE GIFT OF /\uo r\^ mou^ Cornell University Library arV18625 Britain's heritai of seienoe. II 3 1924 031 226 370 olin.anx The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031226370 BRITAIN'S HERITAGE OF SCIENCE Sir Isaac Newton From an engraving BRITAIN'S HERITAGE OF SCIENCE BY ARTHUR SCHUSTER, F.R.S. AND ARTHUR E. SHIPLEY, F.R.S. ILLUSTRATED LONDON CONSTABLE & CO. LTD. 1917 : : ERRATA. Page 70, line 5 from bottom for " Robert " read " Charles." Page 286, liae 10 from bottom : for " Sir William Herschel " read " Sir William James Herschel, eldest son of Sir John Herschel." for " Foulds " read " Faulds." Page 291 , line 11 from top for " Thompson " read " Thomson." LIST OP PORTRAITS Sib Isaac Newton - - Frontispiece From an engraving of a painting by Kneller, in the posses- sion of Lord Portsmouth. John Dalton - Facing p. 16 From, a painting by R. B. Faulkner, in the possession of the Royal Society. Michael Faraday - Facing p. 32 From, a painting by A. Blaheley, in the possession of the Royal Society. The Hon. Robert Boyle - Facing p. 72 From a painting by F. Kerseboom, in the possession of the Royal Society. John Clerk Maxwell - Facing p. 86 From an engraving in " Nature " by O. J. Stodart of a photo- graph by Fergu,s, of Olasgow. SiE Humphry Davy - Facing p. 112 From a painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, in the possession of the Royal Society. Sm George Gabriel Stokes Facing p. 124 From a photograph by Fradelle <fc Young. VI List of Portraits James Pbescott Jottxe . - Facing p. 160 From a photograph by Lady Roscoe. William Thomson, Loed Kelvin - Faxjing p. 190 from a photograph by Messrs. Dickinsons. Thomas Young ... - Facing 212 p. From a portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence. - John Ray Facing p. 232 After a portrait in the British Museum. Stephen Hales - - - - - Facing p. 236 After u, portrait by Thomas Hudson. Charles Daewin - Facing p. 268 After a photograph by Messrs. MauU <& Fox. William Haevey - Facing p. 294 After a painting by Gorneliva Janssen, now at the OoUege of Physicians. - Charles Lyell - - - Facing p. 310 After a daguerreotype by J. E. Mayal. — SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS Chapter Pages I. The Ten Landmarks of Physical Science 1-45 Roger Bacon—Gilbert, the founder of terrestrial mag- netism, his electrical researches—Napier's discovery of logarithms—Continuity of scientific progress in Great Britain from the seventeenth century onwards—^New- ton's laws of motion and discovery of gravitation Importance of Newton's work—Foundation of modern chemistry by Dalton—Foundation of undulatory theory of light by Young—Faraday's electrical discoveries Conservation of energy established by Joule and Thom- son—Clerk Maxwell's electro -magnetic theory of hght —His work on kinetic theory of gases—Biographical notes on Newton, Dalton, Young, Faraday, Joule, Thomson, and Clerk Maxwell. II. Physical Science—^The Heritage oe the Universities during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 46-71 Activity in the Universities during the seventeenth cen- tury—Foundation and early history of Gresham College —Briggs, tables of logarithms and decimal fractions Edward Wright and Meroator's projection—^Wallis Lord Brouncker's use of infinite series—^Wren's mathe- matical and astronomical work—The Gregory family, first suggestion of reflecting telescopes—Newton's op- tical discoveries—Robert Hooke, " Miorographia " — Flamsteed, first Astronomer Royal—HaUey's mag- netical and astronomical work—Bradley's discovery of aberration and nutation—Bliss—Maskelyne, founder of the " Nautical Almanac "—Density of earth—The Scottish Universities—^William Cullen, founder of the Scottish school of Chemistry—Black's chemical dis- coveries—Latent heat—^Use of hydrogen for filling balloons—Rutherford's isolation of nitrogen—Robison —Playfair—Desaguliers—Robert Smith. ——— viii Contents Chapter Pages III. Physical Science—The Non-Academic Herit- age DUEING THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH Centuries - - - 72-105 Distinction between amateurs tind professional men of science—Robert Boyle's life and work—Boyle's law —Optical and chemical experiments—Taylor's theorem —Early history of the Royal Society—First record of electric spark by Hauksbee— Isolation of argon forestalled — Joseph Priestley, chemical production of oxygen—Composition of water—Direct proof of gravitational attraction by Cavendish—Michell's tor- sion balance—Horrocks, first observation of transit of Venus—Molyneux—William Hersohel, discovery of Uranus and other astronomical work—Discovery of infra-red radiations—Importance of construction of scientific instruments — Oughtred's slide-rule — Gas- ooigne's eyepiece-micrometer—Hadley's sextant—Tem- perature compensation of pendulum by Graham and Harrison — Divided circles — Ramsden's eyepiece Achromatism : More Hall and DoUond—Early history of steam engine : Somerset, Savery, Papin, Newoomen —Improvements by James Watt—Invention of con- denser—^First locomotive constructed by Trevithick First compound engine by Hornblower—Murdock and illuminating gas—Bramoh's hydraulic press. IV. Physical Science—The Heritage of the Nineteenth Century - - - - 106-142 Nicholson's electrolytic decomposition of water—Cor- relation of physical forces—Count Rumford's generation of heat by mechanical power^Humphry Davy—Dis- covery of laughing gas—Isolation of metallic potassivim and sodium—Safety lamp—Revival of scientific re- search at Cambridge—Woodhouse, Peacock, Whewell Physical optics advanced by Airy and Baden Powell The golden age of mathematical physios at Cambridge —Green—Stokes' researches on light and hydrodynamics —Fluorescence—Discovery of Neptune by Adams Sylvester, Cayley, Routh—Miller's work on crystallo- graphy—Physical science in the Scottish Universities Maximum density of water discovered by Hope Leslie's investigations on radiant heat—Brewster's researches on light—Important work of Forbes—Tait, Chrystal, Kelland—Rankine and conservation of energy —James Thomson—Hamilton, discovery of conical refraction—Physical science in Ireland—Trinity College —- Cont^its ix Chaptbb Pages —Lloyd, MoOullagh, Jellett, Salmon, Haughton—Fitz- gerald, Johnstone Stoney—Andrews on ozone and liquefaction of gases—Science at Oxford : Henry Smith, Odling, Vernon Harcourt, Pritchard. V. Physical Science—The Heritage of the Ndtetebnth Centuky—(continued)- - 143-186 Fomidation of University of London—^University Col- lege and Bang's College—De Morgan—Graham's re- searches on gases^Discovery of palladium and rhodium by Wollaston—Chemical work of Williamson—^Electrical researches of Wheatstone—Owens College and Man- chester University—Chemical school of Frankland and Koscoe—Osborne Reynolds and scientific engineering Balfour Stewart on radiation and absorption—^History of spectrimi analysis—Discovery of thallium by Crookes -—Riicker's researches on thin films, his magnetic sur- veys—Poynting and energy paths—Radiation pressure —Distinguished work of amateurs : Baily, Gassiot, Grove, Spottiswoode, Schunck, Sorby—^Waterston's neglected investigations on theory of gases—Progress in astronomy : Jolm Herschel, Gill, Rosse, LasseU, Nas- myth—^Application of photography to astronomy : de la Rue, Common, Roberts—Application of spectrum analysis to astronomy : Lockyer, Huggins—NewaU's large telescope—Early history of photography : Wol- laston, Wedgwood, Herschel, Fox Talbot—Dry plates and gelatine emulsions—Abney's work on theory of photography—Colour photography : Rayleigh, Joly Geophysical work of Kater, Sabine, Clarke—Meteoro- logical work of Wells, Howard, Apjohn, Glaisher, Archibald, Buchan, Aitken—George Darwin and oos- mical evolution—Foundation of seismology by Milne Recent advances in physics—Rayleigh's discovery of argon—Researches of Ramsay—Discovery of helium— Crookes' radiometer—His improvement of air pumps J. J. Thomson and electric discharge through gases Electric constitution of matter—Larmor—Discovery of radio-activity—^Rutherford's discovery of emanation Theory of radio-activity—Moseley's brilliant researches and early death. VI. Physical Science—Some Industrial Appli- cations 187-202 Manufacture of steel—^The electric telegraph : Ronalds, Cooke, Wheatstone—Submarine cables : Kelvin, Newall, Hancock—^Vulcanization of rubber—The microphone — X Contents Chapter Paoes of Hughes—Sturgeon's electromagnet—Development of electrical industry—^Wilde—Hopkinson, Ewing, Ayrton Muspratt, The alkali industry : Gamble, Leblano, Gossage, Solvay, Mond, Deacon, Weldon—Royal Col- lege of Chemistry—Discovery of coal-tar dyes—Perkin, Nicholson—Early promise and subsequent neglect of industry—^Meldola—Explosives : Abel, Dewar—Play- fair and encouragement of science. VII. Physical Science—Scientific Institutions 203-215 Early history of Royal Society—Privileges as regards patents—Their action in promoting food production, inoculation, the prevention of jail fever, and protection against lightning—Repository of natural rarities—Pro- motion of scientific expeditions, surveys—Comparison of standards—Connexion with Greenwich Observatory and Meteorological Office—Foundation of National Physical Laboratory—Friendly relations with foreign academies—Royal Society of Dublin—Royal Society of Edinburgh—Royal Society of Arts and other scientific societies—Constitution of Royal Society compared with that of foreign academies—Royal Institution—Dewar's work on liquefaction of gases—^The British Association.