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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Letter from Osborne Reynolds, to George Gabriel Stokes, regarding a paper 'On certain dimensional properties of matter in the gaseous state. - Part I. Experimental researches on thermal transpiration of gases through porous plates and on the laws of transpiration and impulsion, including an experimental proof that gas is not a continuous plenum. - Part II. On an extension of the dynamical theory of gas, which includes the stresses, tangential and normal, caused by a varying condition of gas, and affords an explanation of the phenomena of transpiration and impulsion' by Osborne Reynolds

Reference number: RR/8/191

Date: 22 July 1879

Description

Does not wish to leave home due to the illness of his child, otherwise he would travel to meet and 'save you some of this writing'. Has not received firm recommendations regarding the paper. Wishes to take on board the suggestions of the referees, as 'the chance of having it ably criticised is the greatest advantage for a paper like mine'. Is willing to make alterations 'consistent with the truth and purpose of the paper', but has spent much time and labour on it and finds it beyond criticism from 'anyone however able who has not gone thoroughly into it'. Refers to work of Thomas Graham, James Clerk Maxwell, Peter Guthrie Tait, James Dewar and George Johnstone Stoney. Explains the difference between the theory put forward in the current paper and that of the other authors.

Subject: Physics and Chemistry

[Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 1879]

Reference number
RR/8/191
Earliest possible date
22 July 1879
Physical description
Letter on paper
Page extent
6 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Letter from Osborne Reynolds, to George Gabriel Stokes, regarding a paper 'On certain dimensional properties of matter in the gaseous state. - Part I. Experimental researches on thermal transpiration of gases through porous plates and on the laws of transpiration and impulsion, including an experimental proof that gas is not a continuous plenum. - Part II. On an extension of the dynamical theory of gas, which includes the stresses, tangential and normal, caused by a varying condition of gas, and affords an explanation of the phenomena of transpiration and impulsion' by Osborne Reynolds, 22 July 1879, RR/8/191, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_8_191/letter-from-osborne-reynolds-to-george-gabriel-stokes-regarding-a-paper-on-certain-dimensional-properties-of-matter-in-the-gaseous-state-part-i-experimental-researches-on-thermal-transpiration-of-gases-through-porous-plates-and-on-the-laws-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-including-an-experimental-proof-that-gas-is-not-a-continuous-plenum-part-ii-on-an-extension-of-the-dynamical-theory-of-gas-which-includes-the-stresses-tangential-and-normal-caused-by-a-varying-condition-of-gas-and-affords-an-explanation-of-the-phenomena-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-by-osborne-reynolds, accessed on 23 May 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_8_191/letter-from-osborne-reynolds-to-george-gabriel-stokes-regarding-a-paper-on-certain-dimensional-properties-of-matter-in-the-gaseous-state-part-i-experimental-researches-on-thermal-transpiration-of-gases-through-porous-plates-and-on-the-laws-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-including-an-experimental-proof-that-gas-is-not-a-continuous-plenum-part-ii-on-an-extension-of-the-dynamical-theory-of-gas-which-includes-the-stresses-tangential-and-normal-caused-by-a-varying-condition-of-gas-and-affords-an-explanation-of-the-phenomena-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-by-osborne-reynolds

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  • Referee Reports

    This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

    Dates: 1832 - 1954

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