NOTES 293 



William Warde Fowler, naturalist ; Dr. A. M. Kellas, chemist and mountaineer ; 

 Viktor von Lang, formerly professor of physics at the University of Vienna ; 

 Prof. G. Lippman, For. Mem. R.S. physicist ; J. A. Menzies, professor of 

 physiology at the School of Medicine, Durham University ; Dr. Edward 

 Bennett Rosa, chief physicist of the Bureau of Standards, U.S.A. ; W. 

 Shackleton, astro-physicist ; H. R. Le Sueur, chemist ; Abbott H. Thayer, 

 artist, well known for his studies on the protective colouring of animals ; 

 Prof. H. W. G. von Waldeyer, anatomist. 



Nature (August 11) gives a list of some well-known German scientists 

 who have died since 191 4. Included in it are : 191 4, W. Hittorf, physicist : 



1915, A. von Konen, geologist ; E. Riecke, physicist ; P. Ehrlich, physician : 



1916, R. Wedekind, mathematician ; E. Mach ; K. Schwarzschild, astronomer; 

 R. Helmert, mathematician and physicist : 1918, G. Cantor, mathematician ; 

 E. Hering, physiologist. 



The Council of the Society of Chemical Industry has decided to use part 

 of the income from the Messel bequest to institute a memorial lecture in 

 memory of the donor. The lecturer will receive a gold medal and an 

 honorarium. For the present the remainder of the income from the bequest 

 will be allowed to accumulate. 



The committee organised in 191 1 by the late Prof. MacGregor to found 

 a second chair of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh as a 

 memorial to Prof. Tait has now almost finished its work, and the Tait chair 

 will be established in the near future. 



Among the Civil List pensions granted in the year ending March 31 last 

 were the following : Mrs. J. A. McClelland, in recognition of her husband's 

 distinguished services as an investigator in physical science, ;^ioo ; Mr. J. N. 

 Fitch, for his work in botany, horticulture and natural history, £75 ; Mr. 

 Herbert Tomlinson, in recognition of his services as a teacher and of his 

 valuable and distinguished contributions to physical science, ;^ioo. 



The British Empire Cotton Growing Corporation will receive from the 

 Government a lump sum of ^^i, 000,000 to assist the development of the 

 cotton-growing industry within the Empire, instead of the ;^5o,ooo per ann. 

 for five years, as originally arranged. The money now allotted represents 

 one quarter of the profit made by the British and Egyptian Governments 

 from their joint control of the cotton supply during the war. 



In spite of the fact that Physics is the most English of all the sciences, 

 we have not until now had an opportunity of recording a donation to this 

 branch of science in these Notes. It is therefore with special pleasure that 

 we announce the gift of ^^200,000 from Mr. H. H. Wills to Bristol University 

 for the building and equipment of a new Physics laboratory. It is an 

 unfortunate fact that present-day research in Physics generally needs 

 expensive apparatus and a well-equipped workshop. As a consequence, 

 much of the more precise and elaborate work in Physics is being carried on 

 in the United States, where wealth is coupled with a generosity and 

 appreciation of the benefits of science which is almost entirely lacking in this 

 country. A vivid conception of the difference in the resources of the physicist 

 in England and the United States can be obtained by reading the lecture 

 delivered before the Physical Society by Prof. A. A. Michelson last spring. 

 In it he described the three researches he has carried out since the armistice, 

 namely, the measurement of the earth tides, of the velocity of hght, and 

 of the size of certain stars by his interference method. This work could 

 not possibly have been done at any English University for lack of staff and 

 funds. It seems to have formed only a part of the activities of the Ryerson 

 Laboratory in Chicago. 



It is stated that the Birmingham University appeal brought in ;^285,o62, 

 together with increased grants from the education committees in the 

 surrounding counties. Yale received $1,859,154 in gifts and bequests last 



