Dr. W. Michaelis, the German cement specialist, gave much consideration to this matter in 1906, and formed the opinion that the free lime in the Portland cement, or the lime freed in hardening, combines with the sulphuric acid of the sea-water, which causes the mortar or cement to expand, resulting in its destruction. He proposed to neutralise this action by adding to the mortar materials rich in silica, such as trass, which would combine with the lime. Mr. J. M. O'Hara, of the Southern Pacific Laboratory, San Francisco, Cal., made a series of tests with sets of pats 4 in diameter and 1/2 in thick at the centre, tapering to a thin edge on the circumference, and also with briquettes for ascertaining the tensile strength, all of which were placed in water twenty-four hours after mixing. At first some of the pats were immersed in a "five-strength solution" of sea-water having a chemical analysis as follows:-- Sodium chloride.................... 11.5 per cent. Magnesium chloride................. 1.4 " " Magnesium sulphate................. 0.9 " " Calcium sulphate................... 0.6 " " Water.............................. 85.6 " " 100.0 This strong solution was employed in order that the probable effect of immersing the cement in sea-water might be ascertained very much quicker than could be done by observing samples actually placed in ordinary sea-water, and it is worthy of note that the various mixtures which failed in this accelerated test also subsequently failed in ordinary sea-water within a period of twelve months.