498 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



aggregate, are entirely to the point ; equally useful is the insistence on the 

 necessity for special care in this respect when reinforced concrete is prepared. 

 We are aware that both engineers of standing and understanding and the various 

 firms of contractors in this material with a reputation to lose spare no pains to 

 ensure that this condition is fulfilled and the permanence of their buildings 

 secured but it is idle to ignore the fact that careless work has been done and 

 may be done again to the prejudice of a useful material and mode of construction ; 

 reiteration of the need for more than ordinary skill, caution and vigilance is of 

 service as a warning and a guide. 



We do not say that the book is without flaws or errors or that we agree 

 with all the author's views and statements but we can say that the former are few 

 and trivial and that the latter show a thorough scientific knowledge and an 

 accuracy of thought and expression as rare as they are grateful to the serious 

 student of a difficult and important subject. We congratulate Dr. Desch on the 

 accomplishment of a sound and creditable piece of work. 



Bertram Blount. 



The Progress of Physics, during thirty-three years (1875-1908). Four lectures 

 delivered to the University of Calcutta during March 1908. By ARTHUR 

 Schuster, F.R.S. [Pp. 164.] (Cambridge : at the University Press, 191 1. 

 Price 3j\ 6d. net.) 



This is a quite fascinating little book — a veritable Jack Horner's Christmas Pie, 

 in fact : if you put in your thumb, you can pull out a plum from almost every page ; 

 but the plums are not all ripe. It may be recommended strongly to those who 

 desire to follow in broad outline the gradual development of modern electrical 

 doctrine. Unfortunately, as in the case of too many books issued from the 

 Cambridge Press of late, the sense is often greatly marred by false and un- 

 necessary punctuation. Incidentally it may be noted that punctuation is one of 

 those subjects that need to be dealt with by an International Conference. 



In the opening pages of the book we learn that Clerk Maxwell introduced the 

 fashion of doing experimental work into the Cambridge school in the early 

 seventies — it is useful to be thus reminded of the modernity of the art of experi- 

 mental inquiry in physics. Prof. Schuster does not question the educational 

 value of systematic training in practical work but is doubtful whether it has had 

 a material influence on the progress of science ; he then offers the following 

 noteworthy opinion : " The future investigator will no doubt ultimately save time 

 if, at an early stage, he acquires a certain technical skill and becomes acquainted 

 with physical methods ; but otherwise the efforts of the teacher should be directed 

 to stimulating his scientific activity rather than sending him through all manipula- 

 tions which he might possibly have to perform." The argument is sound beyond 

 question but where are the teachers who can so stimulate ? — it is to be feared they 

 are a rapidly diminishing quantity under modern conditions and that few teachers 

 can cut themselves adrift from the drill-book. 



" Can we trust to a mere bias — which may be a prejudice as well as a true 

 instinctive guide — in deciding a question of a fundamental character?" is a 

 question asked at the opening of Chapter II by the author to prepare his readers 

 for an unorthodox statement regarding action at a distance. Our answer is — that 

 we do, as a rule, in science as in ordinary life. From action at a distance we are 

 led on to consider molecules of electricity — ions and ionisation— the determination 

 of E/m and the introduction by Sir J. J. Thomson of his conception of detached 



