46 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



suit — was a striking example of the combination of actual physical 

 experimentation with the most abstruse theories and problems as 

 to the properties of matter. The paper of Professor Meslans, of 

 Nancy, on his own and Moissan's process for the separation and 

 liquefaction of fluorine, was a matter of extraordinary interest, as 

 the experiment was conducted in the presence of the section. The 

 number of physical and electrical papers was very large, and no 

 attempt can here be made to discuss them. Section A, Mathe- 

 matical and Physical Science, has subdivisions or " departments " — 

 one on electrical science, one on meteorology, one on general physics, 

 etc. — all of which were active during the meeting. 



The section on Economics and Statistics had a smaller number 

 of papers, but of a class that has great attraction for many minds, 

 especially at the present time. Our own Labor Commissioner, Mr. 

 Carroll D. Wright, presented a paper on The Relation of the Em- 

 ployment of Women and Children to that of Men; and various 

 other papers, relating largely to American and Canadian problems 

 as to finance, trade, taxation, etc., were read and discussed. 



It remains to allude briefly to a few of the more general public 

 occasions. There were two evening lectures delivered in Massey 

 Hall, before referred to: one on Friday, by Professor Roberts- 

 Austen, F. R. S., on Canada's Metals, and the other on Monday, 

 by Sir John Milne, on Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Both of these 

 were interesting and instructive. Professor Roberts-Austen, who 

 now is to succeed the Hon. Mr. Vernon Harcourt, who resigned the 

 office of general secretary after fourteen years of service, presented 

 a very full account of the resources of the great Dominion in me- 

 tallic wealth; and Sir John Milne gave a large amount of novel and 

 striking matter in regard to earthquakes and seismology, derived 

 from long residence and study in the restless region of Japan. Some 

 of his large projected illustrations of earthquake action, as photo- 

 graphed in that country, were highly impressive. 



The two universities, Toronto and Trinity, which have their 

 beautiful buildings and grounds in the city, had both arranged to 

 confer honorary degrees upon the leading officers of the association 

 at a formal " convocation." The one held by the University of 

 Toronto came first, and took place in the large pavilion building of 

 the Horticultural Gardens, on the afternoon of Friday, August 20th. 

 The scene was highly interesting; the president of the university, 

 Dr. Loudon, in his academic gown, with the red-lined hood of a 

 doctor of laws, announced in each case to the audience the action 

 of the institution in conferring the degree; then, turning to the re- 

 cipient, he addressed him in Latin with the words of formal investi- 

 ture; and then called him forward to the front of the platform to 



