XIII.—The Strains Produced in Iron, Steel, and Nickel Tubes in the Magnetic Field. Part I.

On July 20th, 1891, I communicated to the Society a short note on the effect of longitudinal magnetisation on the interior volume of iron and nickel tubes (see Proceedings, 1890–91, pp. 315–7). These earliest results of observation of a new and interesting phenomenon in magnetic strains were obtained during my last few months' residence in Japan. In following out the lines of research therein suggested, I have been fortunate in having had placed at my disposal by Professor Tait the resources of the Physical Laboratory of Edinburgh University. I desire here to record my great indebtedness to him for the interest he has taken in the work, and for his many helpful suggestions. In surmounting the many experimental difficulties met with at every turn, I had the invaluable co-operation of Mr A. Shand, a senior student in the Physical Laboratory. Various results obtained since 1892 have been communicated in short notes from time to time (see Proceedings, 1891–2, pp. 85–88, 249–252; 1893–4, pp. 295–7; 1894–5, pp. 334–5; see also B. A. Reports, 1892 and 1893); but it was not possible to regard these as altogether satisfactory. It was only in May of last year (1895) that the many sources of error were finally got rid of, and the apparatus perfected. The present paper deals entirely with the results obtained since then. In these later experiments I was ably assisted by Mr A. C. Smith, a student in the Physical Laboratory.