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Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.J. Sollas

Title

Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.J. Sollas

Creator

Sollas, W. J. (William Johnson), 1849-1936

Date

1898

Publisher

Fitzgerald, George Francis, 1851-1901

Identifier

GFF 6/72

Subject

Sollas, W. J. 1849-1936
Crystals.
Silver iodide.

Description

Handwritten letter from W.J Sollas to George F. Fitzgerald.
W.J. Sollas writes to Fitzgerald expressing how much he has missed him over the past three months while deeply engaged in crystal research. He believes he has found solid evidence that silver iodide crystals belong to the cubic system, noting specific changes in volume and structure at high temperatures. Sollas shares that his paper was well received at the Royal Society and invites Fitzgerald to visit, eager to discuss his findings and the broader implications for fields like elasticity and optical properties, which he sees as rich areas for future study.

3pp.

Transcription:

My dear Fitzgerald,

How much I have missed your friendly command this past three months! I have been hard at work at crystals all this time, and believe myself to have obtained demonstrative evidence of the [xxxxx] crystals in the cubic system.

loving thing, that silver iodide does follow deductively from geometrical construction. The contraction along the vertical axis general contraction in volume up to 145 C, the sudden transition at that temperature to the cubic system. In accompanying contraction in volume, & the change in [allon?], everything fits; not merely.

qualitatively, lent quantitative and was the implantation of their substances is merely a special application of a sured method.

I read my paper at the Royal last Thursday it seemed to be favourably received. It was sent in for [proceedings]. I wish you could spare time on one of your visits to London to call here on route, we would give you a hearty welcome, and it would be a

charity to me to talk about some of my research. It is only crystals that are cleaned up by this new method, but elasticity, optical character, changes in size of atomic volumes, & a host of other things.

It seems to me one of the most promising fields of investigation now open: a veritable {xxx?]. For the egoistical better believe me

Sincerely yours

W.J Sollas

Source

RDS Library & Archives GFF collection of letters

Contributor

Fitzgerald, George Francis, 1851-1901

Rights

Copyright RDS Library & Archives. Publication, transmission or display is prohibited without formal written approval of the RDS Library & Archives.

Relation

RDS Science Archive

Format

Manuscript

Language

English

Type

Text

Coverage

1870-1901

Collection

George Francis Fitzgerald Letters

Citation

Sollas, W. J. (William Johnson), 1849-1936, “Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.J. Sollas,” RDS Digital Archive, accessed July 18, 2025, https://digitalarchive.rds.ie/items/show/2082.

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