Abstract
THE Council of the Physical Society has awarded the Duddell medal for 1927 to Dr. F. E. Smith, Director of Scientific Research at the Admiralty. This medal is given annually for work in connexion with the development of scientific instruments or of materials used in their manufacture. Dr. Smith's work at the National Physical Laboratory on the development of electrical standards is too well known to require emphasis. He was trained at the Royal College of Science, 1895–1900, under the late Sir Arthur Reker, entering the National Physical Laboratory in 1900. There he formed one of the band of pioneers who, under Sir Richard Glazebrook, did so much to raise the scientific work of the Institution to its present high level. His earliest work was concerned with modifications of the Wheatstone and Kelvin bridges for precise measurements of resistance, and the development of bridges for accurate platinum resistance thermometry. A classical piece of work followed on the current balance, by means of which it was found possible to evaluate a current of the nominal value of 1 ampere to within 1 part in 50,000. In the course of this work he developed the silver voltameter which bears his name and is generally accepted as the most trustworthy form of voltameter, in that there is no envelope between the anode and cathode. The successful development of the modern mercury-in-glass resistance standards is largely due to Dr. Smith's work. His specification for the Weston normal cadmium cell is the one generally followed. It is now no uncommon experience for a batch of twenty standard cells to be made commercially in which the E.M.F. given by the cells agrees to 1 part in 10,000. Dr. Smith was also responsible for the design of the Lorenz apparatus (the Viriamu Jones Memorial) installed at the National Physical Laboratory. He has also developed various magnetometers for the measurement of the magnetic intensity of the earth's field; one of his instruments now forms the standard for the measurement of the horizontal intensity at the Magnetic Observatory at Abinger. In 1920, Dr. Smith left the National Physical Laboratory to take up his present post at the Admiralty. He was president of the Physical Society for 1923–24. As one of the honorary secretaries of the British Association, his organising ability is being devoted in a striking manner to the advancement of science.
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[News and Views]. Nature 120, 925–929 (1927). https://doi.org/10.1038/120925a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/120925a0