Intelligence mid Miscellaneous Articles. 551 



Such of the meteorological instruments as we do not possess will 

 be ordered in a few days ; but for a proper seismometer I know not 

 where to go, the only account seen being in one of the earlier volumes 

 of the British Association. The instrument is to be obtained at 

 the expense of the Smithsonian Institution, and if you will do us 

 the favour to confer with some of the members of your Association 

 or of the Royal Society who have taken interest in the investigation 

 of earthquakes, you will especially oblige Professor Henry and myself. 

 The opportunity which my residence in Chili will offer to make ac- 

 curate notes of these occurrences may perhaps be productive of use- 

 ful results. I do not doubt that the instrument will be ordered the 

 moment I hear from you. 



Whilst I have asked your views especially on magnetism, I shall 

 be grateful for counsel respecting any of the observations which are 

 contemplated, or for suggestions of new series which the locality 

 offers peculiar advantages for making. I have planned this expedi- 

 tion and embark in it with a desire to render the greatest possible 

 amount of useful data to science ; and you may be assured of hearty 

 zeal in whatever yourself or any of the Fellows of the Royal Society 

 may propose. 



Believe me, dear Sir, very respectfully, 



Your friend and servant, 



S. M. Gilliss. 



Lieut. -Colonel Edward Sabine, R.A., F.R.S. 8(C. 



LXXIX. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



CALCULATING CUBES. BY J. E. RYFFEL. 



A SIMPLE, novel, and efficacious method of instructing children 

 in the elements of arithmetic has just been published by Mr. 

 Ryffd (Ackermann, Strand), in the form of a box, containing one 

 hundred coloured cubes. Their intention is to realize to a child's 

 mind the idea of numbers by visible and tangible objects, illustrating 

 by their juxtaposition the first rules of arithmetic. But "besides teach- 

 ing younger children how to count," says Mr. Ryffel, " these cubes 

 may be used in various other ways, all tending to prepare and exercise 

 the child for more serious studies in arithmetic as well as the higher 

 branches of mathematics." The pamphlet which accompanies these 

 cubes contains instructions for their use, and lessons so fully worded, 

 that elder children may with a little application easily master the 

 system, and apply it in giving instruction. 



ANALYSES OF THE PHOSPHATES OF MANGANESE. 



M. W. Heintz has analysed the different protophosphates of man- 

 ganese : — 



Phosphate of Manganese. — This salt is obtained by precipitating a 

 salt of manganese with common phosphate of soda, and dissolving 



