424 SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



The Geological Survey receives approximately 1.7 million, including 

 $125,000 for investigation of the so-called "super-power project" 

 for a comprehensive system of electrical power generation and dis- 

 tribution in the Boston -Washington industrial district. 



The Bureau of Mines receives approximately 1.3 million, including 

 about 0.4 million for investigations of the causes of mine explosions 

 and the study of methods of mining. 



The Reclamation vSer\nce receives approximately 8.5 million for 

 its engineering work. 



The Coast and Geodetic Surx-ey receives approximately 2.0 million, 

 including about 0.4 million for surveys and resurv^eys of coasts, and 

 about 0.1 million for geodetic and magnetic work. The title of "super- 

 intendent" of the Sur\^ey is changed to "director." 



The Bureau of Fisheries receives approximately 1.2 million, in- 

 cluding $45,000 for "inquiry into the causes of the decrease of food 

 fishes in the waters of the United States," and a reappropriation of 

 unexpended balance for cooperative work with the Bureau of Standards 

 on "new aquatic sources of supply of leather." 



The greater part of the Bureau of Standards' appropriations are 

 carried in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Act,^ but the present 

 Act carries additional items of $40,000 for the testing of large scales 

 and $47,272 for the purchase of additional land; it also directs the 

 Bureau to investigate the quality and cost of gas in the District and 

 make a report thereon in December, 1920. 



The salaries of commissioned officers of the Coast and Geodetic 

 Surv^ey are increased through Public Law No. 210, "An Act to increase 

 the efficiency of the commissioned and enlisted personnel of the Army, 

 Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Coast and Geodetic vSurvey, and 

 Public Health Serx'ice," which provides that commissioned officers of 

 the vSurvey "shall receive the same pay and allowances as now are or 

 hereafter may be prescribed for officers of the Navy with whom they 

 hold relative rank." The director of the Survey holds the rank of 

 captain in the Nav\^ The Comptroller of the Treasury has ruled 

 that the change of status takes effect from the passage of the Act, 

 but the pay increases are in effect from January i, 1920. 



The Army Reorganization Bill'* (H. R. 12,775) passed the Senate on 

 April 20, and after two conferences, was agreed to on May 29 and be- 

 came Public Law No. 242 on June 4. The Act establishes the Chem- 

 ical Warfare vService as a separate service in the Army, under the direc- 

 tion of a Chief with the rank of Brigadier General, and x\ath 100 officers 

 and 1,200 enlisted men. The Service is "charged with the investiga- 

 tion, development, manufacture, or procurement and supply to the 

 Army of all smoke and incendiary materials, all toxic gases, and all 

 gas-defense appliances; the research, design, and experimentation 

 connected with chemical^ warfare and its material; and chemical pro- 



3 This Journal, 10: 399. 1920. 

 * This Journal, 10: 244. 1920. 



