GOO ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



to have a catalytic influence that precedes the abandonment 

 of the basic particle of water of this substance, any excess of 

 acid being without effect upon the general result. It is sug- 

 gested that this, if true, will have an important bearing upon 

 the manufacture of explosive substances generally, in reality 

 changing them at will from fulminates to simple explosives. 

 3 A, August Id, 128. 



NEW SITE FOR THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Our naturalist readers will be interested to learn that a 

 definite movement has at last been made by the British gov- 

 ernment for the separation of the natural history from the lit- 

 erary department of the British Museum. In view of the 

 enormous accumulation of specimens in that world-renowned 

 establishment, rendering it impossible to exhibit more than a 

 very small fraction to advantage in the buildings at present 

 occupied by it, this move has been urged over and over again, 

 and finally with success. A plot of ground, sixteen and a 

 half acres in extent, formerly occupied by the International 

 Exhibition of 1851, has been selected. This was originally 

 sold to the British government for $35,000 an acre ; but, from 

 its increase in value since that time, it is now estimated to be 

 worth about $1,200,000. The buildings to be first erected 

 are to occupy four acres, the cost to be about $1,700,000 ; and 

 a small grant has been asked for the present year for the pur- 

 pose of clearing the ground preliminary to future operations. 

 It is possible that the proposed new museum of patents will 

 be erected on the same plot, although this has not yet been 

 decided upon positively. 12 A, August 4, 281. 



NEW BUILDINGS FOR THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The announcement of the intention on the part of the Brit- 

 ish government to provide new buildings for the accommoda- 

 tion of the immense natural history collection now forming 

 part of the British Museum has interested the English natu- 

 ralists in regard to the best method of arranging and display- 

 ing the specimens, both for the benefit of men of science and 

 special students, as well as of the general public. Among 

 other communications, an important one was presented by 

 Dr. P. L. Sclater, the well-known secretary of the Zoological 

 Society of London, and a naturalist of great eminence, which 



