ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 11 



any such to those of Britain. The recommendation of the Britsh Asso- 

 ciation, and of the Royal Society to the Government, to send a superior 

 telescope to the clear climate of Australia, has been refused ; the East 

 India Company have also shown themselves unwilling to do anything 

 towards aiding the establishment of an observatory on the Nilgheny Hill?! 

 India, 6000 feet above the level of the sea. The great purity of the atmos- 

 phere which prevails in these regions, would undoubtedly lead to many 

 important and signal discoveries. What the East India Company have 

 refused to do, Capt. Jacobs is endeavoring to do on his private responsibility. 



At the session of the French Academy on the 22d of March, the prize in 

 Astronomy for 1851, was divided between Mr. Hind, and M. Gasparis. the 

 former for the discovery of the new planet Irene, and the latter for that of 

 Eunomia. The Cuvierian prize, (a triennial prize, and never before 

 awarded, ) was given to Prof. Agassiz, for his researches on fossil fishes. 



Among the prizes offered by the Academy is one for 1854 in the depart- 

 ment of Mathematics, as follows : To determine the equations of the 

 general movements of the earth's atmosphere, having in view the rotation 

 of the earth, the calorific action of the sun, and the attraction of the sun 

 and moon. The authors are desired to exhibit the concordance of their 

 theory with the best observations on the atmospheric movements. Even if 

 the whole question is not resolved, but some important steps are made 

 towards its solution, the prize will be awarded by the Academy. The prize 

 is a medal of 3,000 francs. There is also an extraordinary prize for 1853. 

 on the application of steam to navigation. It is offered " for the best work 

 or memoir on the most advantageous employment of steam for steam- 

 ships, and upon the best system of mechanism, stowage and armament for 

 such vessels." The prize is 6,000 francs. 



The French Government, through the Moniteur, have officially offered a 

 prize of 50,000 francs for the discovery that "shall render the voltaic pile 

 applicable, with economy, to industry, as a source of heat to lighting, 

 chemistry, mechanics, or medical practice. All nations are admitted to 

 compete during five years. 



The Germanic Diet at Frankfort, have voted a sum of 3,500 to M 

 Schonbein, and others, the inventors of gun-cotton, as a reward for the 

 discovery. 



An Exhibition of the Industry of all nations will be opened in the city of 

 New York, in May of the present year. The plan of the Exhibition, as 

 well as the building erected for the purpose, is essentially that of the Great 

 Exhibition of 1851. The enterprise has been entered into with great spirit, 

 and the display of the products of American science and art, together with 

 the agricultural and mineral productions, of the United States will be proba- 

 bly unequalled. The productions of foreign countries will be also well 

 represented. 2* 



