Upsala is the center of the intellectual life of Sweden, and there, rather than at Stockholm, could men be found to carry out original research.  It redounds to the credit of the university that it has so steadily supported Prof.  Hildebrandsson, and that he in his turn has utilized the social and educational system by which he is surrounded to bring up assistants who can co-operate with him in a great work that brings credit both to himself, to themselves, and to the institute which they all represent.

RALPH ABERCROMBY.

* * * * *

[Continued from SUPPLEMENT, No. 610, page 9744.]

[JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY.]

NOTES OF A RECENT VISIT TO SOME OF THE PETROLEUM-PRODUCING TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.

BY BOVERTON REDWOOD, F.I.C., F.C.S.

CANADIAN PETROLEUM.

When I visited Canada in 1877-78, the refining of petroleum was principally conducted in the city of London, Ontario.  At the present time Petrolia, Ontario, is the chief seat of the industry, and it was accordingly to this city that we made our way.  Here we were treated with the greatest kindness and hospitality by Mr. John D. Noble, vice-president of the Petrolia Crude Oil and Tanking Co., and his brother, Mr. R. D’Oyley Noble, and were enabled in the short time at our disposal to visit typical portions of the producing territory and some of the principal refineries.

The development of the Canadian petroleum industry may be said to date from 1857, when a well dug for water was found to yield a considerable quantity of petroleum; but long previously, indeed from the time of the earliest settlements in the county of Lamberton, in the western part of the province of Ontario, petroleum was known to exist in Canada.  In 1862 productive flowing wells were drilled at Oil Springs, but these wells, which were comparatively shallow, quickly became exhausted, and the territory was deserted on the discovery in 1865 of oil at Petrolia, seven miles to the northward, and about 16 miles southwest of the outlet of Lake Huron.  Recently the Oil Springs wells have been drilled deeper, and are now producing 10,000 to 12,000 barrels (of 42 American gallons) per month.  Petroleum has also been found at Bothwell, 35 miles from Oil Springs, but this district has ceased to yield.  Quite recently a new territory has been discovered at Euphemia, 17 miles from Bothwell, where, at the time of our visit, there were four wells producing collectively 70 barrels per day.  This territory is by some regarded as part of the Bothwell field.