COMMITTEE.

William Allen, Esq., F.R. and R.A.S.

Captain Beaufort, R.N., F.R. and R.A.S.
George Burrows, M.D.

Peter Stafford Carey, Esq., A.M.

John Conolly, M.D.

William Colson, Esq.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of St. David's, D.D.

J. F. Davis, Esq., F.R.S.

Sir Henry De la Beche, F.R.S.

The Right Hon. Lord Denman.

Samuel Duckworth, Esq.

The Right Rev. the Bishop of Durham, D.D.

T. F. Ellis, Esq., A.M., F.R.A.S.

John Elllotson, M.D., F.R.S.

The Right Hon. George Evans.
Thomas Falconer, Esq.

John Forbes, M.D. and F.R.S.

Sir I. L. Goldsmid, Bart., F.R. and R.A.S.

Treasurer-JOHN WOOD, Esq.

Francis Henry Glodsmid, Esq.

B. Gompertz, Esq., F.R. and R.A.S.

J. T. Graves, Esq., A.M., F.R.S.

G. B. Greenough, Esq., F.R. and L.S.

Sir Edmund Head, Bart., A.M.

M. D. Hill, Esq., Q.C.

Rowland Hill, Esq., F.R.A.S.

Right Hon. Sir J. C. Hobhouse, Bart., M.P. Thos. Hodgkin, M.D.

David Jardine, Esq., A.M.

Henry B. Ker, Esq.

Thomas Hewitt Key, Esq.. A.M.
Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., M.P.
George C. Lewis, Esq., A.M.
James Loch, Esq., M.P., F.G.S.
George Long, Esq., A.M.
H. Malden, Esq., A.M.

A. T. Malkin, Esq., A.M.

Mr. Sergeant Manning.

R. I. Murchison, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S.
The Right Hon. Lord Nugent.
W. S. O'Brien, Esq., M.P.

Richard Quain, Esq.

P. M. Roget, M.D. Sec. R.S., F.R.A.S.
R. W. Rothman, Esq., A.M.

Sir Martin Archer Shee, P.R.A., F.R.S.

Sir George T. Staunton, Bart., M.P.
John Taylor, Esq. F.R.S.

A. T. Thomson, M.D. F.L.S.

Thomas Vardon, Esq.

Jacob Waley, Esq., B.A.

Jas. Walker, Esq., F.R.S., Pr. Inst., Civ. Eng.

H. Waymouth, Esq.

Thos. Webster, Esq., A.M.

Right Hon. Lord Wrottesley, A.M., F.R.A.S. J. A. Yates, Esq.

Bridport-James Williams, Esq.
Bristol-J.N.Sanders, Esq., F.G.S. Chairman,
J. Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer.

J. B. Estlin, Esq., F.L.S., Secretary.
Calcutta-James Young, Esq.

C. H. Cameron, Esq.

Cambridge-Rev. Leonard Jenyns, M.A., F.L.S. Rev. John Lodge, M.A.

Rev. Prof. Sedgwick, M.A., F.R.S. & G.S. Canterbury-John Brent, Esq., Alderman. William Masters, Esq.

Carlisle-Thomas Barnes, M.D., F.R.S.E.
Carnarvon-R. A. Poole, Esq.

William Roberts, Esq.

Chester-Henry Potts, Esq.

Chichester-C. C. Dendy, Esq.

Cockermouth--Rev. J. Whitridge.

Corfu-John Crawford, Esq.

Plato Petrides

Coventry-C. Bray, Esq.

Denbigh-Thomas Evans, Esq.

Derby-Joseph Strutt, Esq.

Edward Strutt, Esq., M.P.

Devonport and Stonehouse-John Cole, Esq. John Norman, Esq.

Lt. Col. C. Hamilton Smith, F.R.S.
Durham-The Very Rev. the Dean.

Edinburgh-Sir C. Bell, F.R.S.L and E.
J. S. Traill, M.D,

LOCAL COMMITTEES.

Etruria-Josiah Wedgwood, Esa.
Exeter-J. Tyrrell, Esq.

John Milford, Esq. (Coaver.)

Glamorganshire-Dr. Malkin, Cowbridge.
W. Williams, Esq., Aberpergwm.
Glasgow-K. Finlay, Esq.

Alexander McGrigor, Esq
James Couper, Esq.
A. J. D. D'Orsey, Esq.
Guernsey-F. C. Lukis, Esq.

Hitcham, Suffolk-Rev. Professor Henslow,
M.A., F.L.S. & G.S.
Hull-Jas. Bowden, Esq.
Leeds-J. Marshall, Esq.
Lewes-J. W. Woollgar, Esq.

Henry Browne. Esq.

Liverpool Loc. As.-J. Mulleneux, Esq. Rev. Wm. Shepherd, L.L.D. Maidenhead-R. Goolden, Esq., F.L.S. Maidstone-Clement T. Smyth, Esq.

John Case, Esq.

Manchester Loc. As.-G. W. Wood, Esq.,
M.P., Ch.

Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bt., Treasurer.
Sir George Philips, Bart.. M.P.

T. N. Winstanley, Esq., Hon. Sec.
Merthyr Tydvil—Sir J. J. Guest, Bart., M.P.
Minchinhampton-John G. Ball, Esq.
Neath-John Rowland, Esq.
Newcastle-Rev. W. Turner.

T. Sopwith, Esq., F.G.S.

Newport, Isle of Wight-Ab. Clarke, Esq. T. Cooke, Jun., Esq.

R. G. Kirkpatrick, Esq. Newport Pagnell-J. Millar, Esq. Norwich-Richard Bacon, Esq. Wm. Forster, Esq.

Orsett, Essex-Corbett, M.D.

Ripon Rev. H.P. Hamilton,M.A.F.R.S.G.9. Rev. P. Ewart, M.A.

Ruthin-Rev. the Warden of

Humphreys Jones, Esq.

Ryde, I. of Wight-Sir Rd. Simeon, Bt.
Salisbury-Rev. J. Barfitt.

Sheffield-J. H. Abraham, Esq.

Shepton Mallet-G. F. Burroughs, Esq.
Shrewsbury-R. A. Slaney, Esq.

South Petherton-John Nicholetts, Esq.
Stockport-H. Marsland, Esq., Treasurer.

Henry Coppock, Esq., Secretary.
Sydney, New S. Wales-W. M. Manning, Esq.
Swansea-Matthew Moggridge, Esq.
Tavistock-Rev. W. Evans.

John Rundle, Esq., M.P.
Truro-Henry Sewell Stokes, Esq.
Tunbridge Wells-Yeats, M.D.
Uttoxeter Robert Blurton, Esq.
Virginia, U. S.-Professor Tucker.
Worcester-Chas. Hastings, M.D.

C. H. Hebb, Esq.
Wrexham Thomas Edgworth, Esq.
Major Sir William Lloyd.
Yarmouth-C. E. Rumbold, Esq.

Dawson Turner, Esq.
York-Rev. J. Kenrick, M.A.

John Phillips, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.8,

AUG 10. 321

Mrs. A.E. Proud fit.

23-24

OF

STE

STEARIC ACID. This substance is procured from stear [STEARIN], which is a compound of stearic acid and & peculiar sweet substance called glycerin, which is treated of under the head of SOAP.

When stearin is saponified by potash, stearate of potash is procured; and when warm dilute hydrochloric acid is added to the solution, the stearate is decomposed, chloride of potassium remains in solution, and the stearic acid is precipitated.

The properties of this acid are, that it has the form of brilliant white scaly crystals; it is inodorous, tasteless, insoluble in water, soluble in its own weight of æther and in hot alcohol, and the solution reddens litmus-paper; but its acid action is feeble, for it expels carbonic acid from the alkaline carbonates only at a boiling heat. It melts at about 158° Fahrenheit, and on cooling it forms a crystalline mass; it is volatile, and may be distilled unaltered in close vessels. In the air it burns like wax. Its composition is somewhat differently stated by authors, but no one statement differs much from

Di-stearate of Soda and stearate of soda may be obtained by processes similar to those described for the stearates of potash; they are less soluble than the salts of potash, and enter into the composition of hard soaps.

Stearate of Lime, Stearate of Barytes, and Stearate of Lead, are all white insoluble powders, and are not applied to any useful purpose.

Stearic Acid, besides its use in the manufacture of soap, is now very largely employed in the making of candles.

STEARIN (from oriap, fat) is the harder portion of animal fats; olein, or elain, being the softer one. To obtain stearin in a pure state, mutton-suet is to be melted with ten times its weight of æther in a water bath; as the solution cools, crystals of stearin are deposited, which, after washing with cold æther, are to be strongly pressed.

The properties of stearin are, that it has a pearly lustre, is soft to the touch, but not greasy; it melts at about 140° to 145° Fahrenheit; and, on cooling, solidifies into a mass, like wax, which is not crystalline in its texture, and is reducible to powder. Stearin is insoluble in water, but is dissolved both by hot alcohol and æther, from which it almost entirely separates on cooling; it possesses weak acid properties, and may be combined with potash; it is the chief and most important ingredient of the harder kinds of fat, and the harder they are the more they contain.

Stearin is separable into two different principles, namely stearic acid and glycerin, as has already been noticed in the preceding article; it appears to be a bi-stearate of glycerin, consisting of

Two equivalents of stearic acid
One equivalent of glycerin
Two equivalents of water

Equivalent

1028

83

18

1129

The composition of stearic acid has already been given. glycerin is composed of, probably

Six equivalents of carbon
Seven equivalents of hydrogen
Five equivalents of oxygen

Equivalent

36

7

40

83

STEARON is obtained by the partial decomposition of stearic acid; when distilled with lime, carbonic acid is formed, and the stearon produced at the same time is volatilized, and condenses in the state of a volatile liquid: it appears to consist of

Sixty-six equivalents of carbon
Sixty-six equivalents of hydrogen
One equivalent of oxygen

396

68