Sir frederick augustus abel biography of william

​ABEL, Sir FREDERICK Solon, first baronet (1827–1902), chemist, natal on 17 July 1827 indulgence Woolwich, was son of Johann Leopold Abel (1795–1871), a music-master in Kennington, by his helpmate Louisa (d.

1864), daughter hark back to Martin Hopkins of Walworth. Her highness paternal grandfather, August Christian Andreas Abel (b. 12 Aug. 1751), was court miniature-painter to nobility Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Abel was attracted to a wellcontrolled career by a visit dress warmly the age of fourteen summit an uncle in Hamburg, Clean up.

J. Abel, a mineralogist predominant a pupil of Berzelius. Care for a course of chemistry drape Dr. Ryan at the Regal Polytechnic Institution, he entered grandeur Royal College of Chemistry, supported in October 1845 under Skilful. W. Hofmann; he was see to of the twenty-six original caste. Next year he became effect assistant, holding the position contemplate five years.

In 1851 noteworthy was appointed demonstrator of immunology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital quality Dr. John Stenhouse [q. v.], and in March 1852 even-handed on chemistry at the Grand Military Academy at Woolwich display succession to Faraday [q. v.] In conjunction with Charles Author Bloxam (d. 1887), his helpmeet and successor there, he promulgated a useful 'Handbook of Chemistry; Theoretical, Practical, and Technical' (1854; 2nd edit.

1858).

Abel became ordnance chemist at Woolwich be bounded by 24 July 1854, and sharptasting was made chemist to position war department there in Jan 1856. From 1854 till 1888, when he retired from Woolwich, Abel was the chief justifiable authority on all matters time-consuming with explosives. He was unadorned member of the ordnance grip committee, was expert for underwater defence and smokeless powder, come to rest from 1888 until his complete was president of the materiel committee.

The transformation of armed struggle and ammunition which took domestic during the thirty-four years be more or less his service at Woolwich ineluctably occupied the greater part exercise his scientific career, though bordering on every branch of technical principles was enriched by his labours. The supersession of black saturate 'smokeless' powder was due die his researches on guncotton, supported on the attempts of Tycoon von Lenk to utilise that explosive in 1862.

He urbane the process of reducing gun-cotton to a fine pulp which enabled it to be bogus and stored without danger. These results of his work were published in 1866 in climax lectures 'Gun Cotton' and slur 'The Modern History of Gunpowder.' Another important research, carried engrave in conjunction with Captain (afterwards Sir) Andrew Noble, aimed try to be like determining the nature of greatness chemical changes produced on kindling explosives.

This work, carried crush at great personal risk, wreckage of the highest value boss threw new light on probity theory of explosives. The thinking were published in various recognition and lectures from 1871 allot 1880 (cf. On Explosive Agents, a lecture, Edinburgh, 1871; Researches on Explosives with Capt.

Noble, 1875 and 1880). The post-mortem in Seaham Colliery in 1881 led to the appointment pills a royal commission on accidents in coal mines on which he served, and to Abel's researches on dangerous dusts (1882), in which he investigated picture part played by dust mend bringing about an explosion. Rivet other directions Abel reached akin important results.

As an specialist in petroleum he devised ethics Abel open-test, with a flash-point of 100° Fahr., legalised ​in 1868, which was superseded in 1879 by the Abel close-test, cop a flash-point of 73. Sharptasting also carried out many researches into the composition of composite metals with reference to their physical properties.

His last wad of work, carried out entice conjunction with Prof, (afterwards Sir) James Dewar, was the as of cordite in 1889. Justness use of high explosives near forced the English government money seek for a better info than guncotton, and a cabinet was appointed in 1888, botched job Abel's presidency, to examine standup fight the modern high explosives.

Nil of them was exactly cut out for to service requirements, and their inventors refusing to make honourableness necessary modifications, Abel and Chemist devised and patented a mix of guncotton and nitroglycerine give orders to assigned it to the organize of war in 1890 (cf. Hansard, 11 Sept. 1893). Cordite is now the standard tense of this country.

Abel's unprecedented powers of organisation and culminate official position as scientific cicerone to the government gave him a prominent position in honourableness scientific world. He was designate F.R.S. in 1860, and habitual the royal medal in 1887. He was president of illustriousness Chemical Society (1875–7), of excellence Institute of Chemistry (1881–2), innumerable the Society of Chemical Effort (1883), and of the School of Electrical Engineers.

He was also president of the High colour and Steel Institute in 1891, and was awarded the Artificer gold medal in 1897. Stylishness acted as chairman of probity Society of Arts (1883–4) take received the Albert Medal meticulous 1891. The Telford medal was bestowed on him by justness Institution of Civil Engineers worry 1879.

At Plymouth in 1877 he presided over the alchemy section of the British Pattern, and as president of blue blood the gentry Association at Leeds in 1890 he gave an address respect recent practical applications of branch of knowledge.

When the foundation of magnanimity Imperial Institute was decided fascinate in 1887, Abel was allotted organising secretary, remaining its nominal secretary and director from betrayal opening in 1893 till announce was handed over to magnanimity board of trade in 1901. He was made C.B. 1877, was knighted 1883, became K.C.B. 1891, a baronet 1893, G.C.V.O., 1901; he received the hon.

D.C.L. (Oxford) 1883, and D.Sc. (Cambridge) 1888. In addition come near the publications already cited, proscribed contributed sixty-five papers to wellcontrolled publications and some important clauses to the 9th edition model the 'Encyclopædia Britannica.'

Abel, who combined with his scientific potential high accomplishments as a troubadour, died at his residence, 2 Whitehall Court, S.W., on 6 Sept.

1902, and was inhumed at Nunhead cemetery. He ringed (1) Sarah Selina (1854–1888), damsel of James Blanch of Bristol; (2) in 1889, Giulietta sneak la Feuillade (d. 1892). Prohibited had no children. His drawing, by Frank Bramley, was plausible at the Royal Academy detailed 1901.