100 YEARS AGO
“Liquid Hydrogen” — I observe with some amusement that you still allow Mr Hampson to embellish your columns with vain repetitions of accusations which he was compelled to withdraw when he met me face to face at the meeting of the Society of Chemical Industry⃛. Mr Hampson must be a singularly dull person if he fails to appreciate the magnitude of the draft he makes upon the credulity of the world. He asks men of the world to believe that he, being convinced of the general dishonesty of Royal Institution methods, and being in possession of a novel and valuable invention, fully completed but not protected by patent, came unbidden and unsought to reveal all the details to a man whom he knew to be my assistant⃛. If all that Mr. Hampson wants is “recognition in historical or explanatory works” of his claim to be the inventor of a general claim to intensive refrigeration, he will find Solvay, Dr. Linde, and Prof. Onnes obstacles quite as serious as myself. Further, this attempt to justify going behind my back in his relations with a member of the staff of the Royal Institution, is a too transparent subterfuge to require further comment. — James Dewar
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