654 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



that in the Commonwealth there is not one single engineering material for 

 which one standard specification is in general use. Thus there are no fewer 

 than eight specifications for cement laid down by various railway and Public 

 Works departments. Electric power is supplied from different generating 

 stations at twenty different voltages, and electric fittings are of many different 

 sizes. This not only involves a large unnecessary expenditure in carrying 

 stocks, but also renders it a matter of great difficulty to establish home 

 industries for the manufacture of electric lamps and appliances. In these 

 circumstances it is not surprising that the leading engineering firms are sup- 

 porting a movement for the formation of a Commonwealth Engineering 

 Standards Association to work on the lines of the similarly-named English 

 Association or of the American Society for Testing Materials. The 1918 

 Report of this latter society shows that the list of standards covers 132 

 engineering materials, most of which have been revised at least once since 

 their adoption, and some as often as six times ; a fact which answers the 

 charge that standardisation tends towards crystallisation, and so impedes 

 progress. The Report under review contains a full list of the English and 

 American Sub-committees, and outlines a working scheme for use in Australia. 



In addition to the new scientific periodicals mentioned on p. 645, we 

 are also glad to welcome the British Journal of Experimental Pathology, 

 edited by a number of distinguished pathologists, of which the first number 

 was issued in February 1920 (H. K. Lewis & Co., 136 Gower Street, W.C.i). 



The Sociological Society announces that it is moving from the London 

 School of Economics to 65 Belgrave Road, S.W.i. As its new quarters 

 afford more accommodation than it needs, the Society will be glad to hear 

 from similar societies which might desire to rent one or more rooms. The 

 situation is very convenient, being within five minutes' walk from Victoria 

 Station. 



The National Union of Scientific Workers (19 Tothill Street, S.W.i) 

 finds it necessary, owing to its rapid growth, to employ a full-time secretary, 

 and Major A. C. Church, D.S.O., M.C., B.Sc, has been chosen for the post. 

 Since last November two new branches have been formed, and several other 

 branches are in process of formation. 



With reference to the matter of Awards for Medical Discovery given 

 on p. 635 et seq., Mr. Balfour, Lord President of the Council, received a 

 deputation consisting of the members of the Conjoint Committee mentioned 

 on p. 641, together with several medical and other Members of Parliament, 

 on March 2. The deputation was introduced by Sir William Watson Cheyne, 

 Bart., and the business done will be referred to in our next issue. 



