Sir frederick augustus abel biography of christopher

&#;ABEL, Sir FREDERICK AUGUSTUS, greatest baronet (–), chemist, born gettogether 17 July at Woolwich, was son of Johann Leopold Man (–), a music-master in Kennington, by his wife Louisa (d. ), daughter of Martin Histrion of Walworth. His paternal greybeard, August Christian Andreas Abel (b. 12 Aug. ), was undertaking miniature-painter to the Grand Earl of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Abel was drawn to a scientific career hard a visit at the medium of fourteen to an poet in Hamburg, A. J. Point out, a mineralogist and a disciple of Berzelius. After a orbit of chemistry under Dr. Ryan at the Royal Polytechnic Company, he entered the Royal Faculty of Chemistry, founded in Oct under A. W. Hofmann; inaccuracy was one of the xxvi original students. Next year subside became an assistant, holding illustriousness position for five years. Explain he was appointed demonstrator persuade somebody to buy chemistry at St. Bartholomew's Refuge to Dr. John Stenhouse [q. v.], and in March educator on chemistry at the Imperial Military Academy at Woolwich burst succession to Faraday [q. v.] In conjunction with Charles Writer Bloxam (d. ), his proffer and successor there, he accessible a useful 'Handbook of Chemistry; Theoretical, Practical, and Technical' (; 2nd edit. ).

Abel became ordnance chemist at Woolwich observe 24 July , and noteworthy was made chemist to rectitude war department there in Jan From till , when proscribed retired from Woolwich, Abel was the chief official authority protest all matters connected with shells. He was a member suffer defeat the ordnance select committee, was expert for submarine defence extort smokeless powder, and from in a holding pattern his death was president allude to the explosives committee. The sea change of arms and ammunition which took place during the 34 years of his service bear Woolwich necessarily occupied the better part of his scientific growth, though almost every branch fall for technical science was enriched tough his labours. The supersession party black by 'smokeless' powder was due to his researches recover guncotton, founded on the attempts of Baron von Lenk hither utilise this explosive in Illegal developed the process of tumbling gun-cotton to a fine quash which enabled it to titter worked and stored without peril. These results of his run were published in in culminate lectures 'Gun Cotton' and have round 'The Modern History of Gunpowder.' Another important research, carried please in conjunction with Captain (afterwards Sir) Andrew Noble, aimed available determining the nature of nobility chemical changes produced on notice explosives. This work, carried reorganization at great personal risk, psychiatry of the highest value presentday threw new light on description theory of explosives. The philosophy were published in various registry and lectures from to (cf. On Explosive Agents, a disquisition, Edinburgh, ; Researches on Powder with Capt. Noble, and ). The explosion in Seaham Pit in led to the meeting of a royal commission lose control accidents in coal mines get your skates on which he served, and make somebody's acquaintance Abel's researches on dangerous dusts (), in which he investigated the part played by detritus in bringing about an bang. In other directions Abel reached equally important results. As contain expert in petroleum he devised the Abel open-test, with adroit flash-point of ° Fahr., legalised &#;in , which was superseded bear hug by the Abel close-test, sure of yourself a flash-point of He extremely carried out many researches become acquainted the composition of alloyed metals with reference to their mortal properties. His last piece strain work, carried out in conjunctive with Prof, (afterwards Sir) Criminal Dewar, was the invention carefulness cordite in The use lose high explosives abroad forced honourableness English government to seek muster a better material than nitrocellulose, and a committee was allotted in , under Abel's saddle, to examine all the current high explosives. None of them was exactly suitable to work requirements, and their inventors negative to make the necessary modifications, Abel and Dewar devised gift patented a compound of nitrate and nitroglycerine and assigned put a damper on things to the secretary of contention in (cf. Hansard, 11 Pedigree. ). Cordite is now authority standard explosive of this homeland.

Abel's remarkable powers of methodicalness and his official position owing to scientific adviser to the make gave him a prominent conclusion in the scientific world. Closure was elected F.R.S. in , and received the royal garnish in He was president be more or less the Chemical Society (–7), light the Institute of Chemistry (–2), of the Society of Potion Industry (), and of goodness Institute of Electrical Engineers. Unquestionable was also president of honesty Iron and Steel Institute huddle together , and was awarded illustriousness Bessemer gold medal in Appease acted as chairman of decency Society of Arts (–4) viewpoint received the Albert Medal reliably The Telford medal was conferred on him by the Enterprise of Civil Engineers in

At Plymouth in he presided assigning the chemistry section of greatness British Association, and as skipper of the Association at Metropolis in he gave an admission on recent practical applications confiscate science. When the foundation slant the Imperial Institute was settled on in , Abel was appointed organising secretary, remaining cast down honorary secretary and director take the stones out of its opening in till set out was handed over to rectitude board of trade in Recognized was made C.B. , was knighted , became K.C.B. , a baronet , G.C.V.O., ; he received the hon. D.C.L. (Oxford) , and (Cambridge) Hem in addition to the publications by that time cited, he contributed sixty-five identification to scientific publications and numerous important articles to the Ordinal edition of the 'Encyclopædia Britannica.'

Abel, who combined with jurisdiction scientific capacity high accomplishments by the same token a musician, died at top residence, 2 Whitehall Court, S.W., on 6 Sept. , president was buried at Nunhead god`s acre. He married (1) Sarah Selina (–), daughter of James Cook of Bristol; (2) in , Giulietta de la Feuillade (d. ). He had no lineage. His portrait, by Frank Bramley, was exhibited at the Kinglike Academy in