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THE CHEMICAL NEWS. Vol. I. No. i. —December io, 1859. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. The diffusion of facts which may tend to improve and augment our knowledge of the arts and sciences upon which most of the operations of civilised life are based, must ever be a pleasing task to those who hold in esteem the welfare of mankind. It is with this feeling that the Chemical News is introduced to the world. Chemical Science during the last quarter of a century has made such extended progress that our arts and manufactures assume altogether a different aspect. Those chemical arts which formerly were rudely conducted by the system termed the “ ride of thumb,” are now me thodically organised and arranged in accordance with the unerring laws of chemistry, and the theoretical principles upon which each art is based, as well as its practice, now receive due attention from the more enlightened chemical manufacturer. Hence, not only are more accurate and uniform results obtained, but success and economy take the place of failure and waste. The ge neral diffusion of scientific knowledge has done much to accomplish this desirable end; and to the scientific insti tutions and tlie press are due the credit of this great re formation. The scientific journalists in this country,—availing themselves of the vast amount of discover}' and improve ment which has been from time to time freely given to the world by the Continental chemists in their numerous publications,—have duly recorded in our own language the results of the labours of our foreign scientific brethren; and thus some of the most useful and valuable arts which have ever been discovered by man, have, during the past twenty years, become universally spread over the globe; whereas, had it not been for the British Scientific Press, many of these valuable discoveries would have failed to receive that popularity or generalisation which extends their usefulness to all mankind, instead of merely benefiting the few. For it must bo admitted that the general adoption of any well-tried process in Great Britain goes far to insure its application over the greater part of the civilised world. At the present time, however,—remarkable though it may seem,—there is no Weekly Journal in Eng land which lias for its aim the publication of those scientific processes and discoveries, the knowledge of which tends so greatly to increase our importance as a nation devoted to improvement, refinement, and indus trial excellence. It is therefore to supply this deficiency that the Chemical News is now launched into the Stream of scientific literature, After a lengthened and careful deliberation upon the plan which it would be best to pursue; the present form and arrangement of subjects has been adopted in order to meet the views of all persons interested in scientific matters, either ns chemical manufacturers, pharmaceutists/ or amateur experimentalists, &c.; and it is earnestly hoped that it may meet with that approval and support which it will ever be the desire of the editor to ensure, based upon the solid foundations of merit and careful attention. Each number will be divided into several sections, which ■will have a general but no individual connection with each other. We shall commence with Scientific and Analytical Chemistry, under which head will be given the results of elaborate investigations in the laboratory, by those pioneers of our science who by their labours pave the way for the subjects treated of in our second department,—Technical Chemistry. Here will be described the practical applications of the pro cesses, formulae, or chemical agents, which the labours of the purely scientific chemist have placed at the disposal of the manufacturer. In the department of Agricultural Chemistry especial care will be taken to place before the agriculturists of the United Kingdom all the most interesting and useful information to be derived from Home or Continental sources, or from the States of America. Pharmacy, Toxicology, &c. next follow, and the Medical Profession will here find from time to time eveiything of interest relating to Pharmacy, Materia Medica, and Toxicology'. Discussions upon Medical Re form and Jurisprudence will also be freely admitted into these columns. In inviting the support, also, of the important body of Chemists and Druggists, we oiler them our strongest as surance that whatever information may be deemed useful to them, or to their apprentices and assistants, will be duly recorded from week to week; at the same time the Journal will be open to all useful discussions bearing upon their interests and canvassing their grievances, and in this respect it is hoped that the Chemical News will be looked upon as the especial organ of the extensive and important body of Pharmaceutists. The Proceedings of the various Learned So cieties in which the readers of the Chemical News may be supposed to take particular interest, such as the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Societies, will next be given; which will be followed by Notices of Books, Patents, &c. under which head will appear impartial criticisms of the more important works of a scientific