THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



665 



before the section of mechanical science 

 Sir Alexander Binnie traced the histori- 

 cal development of science; before the 

 section of anthropology Prof. John Rhys 

 dealt with the ethnology of the British 

 Isles, with special reference to language 

 and folk-lore ; before the section of bot- 

 any Prof. Sidney H. Vines reviewed the 

 development of botany during the pres- 

 ent century. In addition to these ad- 

 dresses, evening discourses were given 

 by Prof. Francis Gotch on 'Animal Elec- 

 tricity,' and by Prof. W. Stroud on 

 'Range Finders.' The usual lecture to 

 workingmen was given by Prof. Sylves- 

 ter P. Thompson, his subject being 

 'Electricity in the Industries.' 



Bradford is situated in the coal 

 regions, and is an industrial center de- 

 voted especially to the manufacture of 

 textiles. More attention was paid to local 

 interests than is usual at the meetings of 

 the American Association. An exhibit was 

 arranged to show the development of 

 the elaborate fabrics from the unwashed 

 fleeces, and another consisting of a col- 

 lection of carboniferous fossils found in 

 the neighborhood. A joint discussion 

 was arranged between the sections of 

 zoology and botany on the conditions 

 which existed during the growth of the 

 forests which supplied material for the 

 coal, and there were a number of papers 

 devoted to the coal measures and the 

 fossils which they contain. Another 

 subject connected with the place of 

 meeting was the report of the committee 

 on the underground water system in the 

 carboniferous limestone. By the use of 

 chemicals the course of the underground 

 waters has been traced, including their 

 percolation through rock fissures, and 

 excursions were made to the site of the 

 experiments. The local industries re- 

 ceived treatment from several sides. 

 Among other discussions of more than 

 usual interest was that on 'Ions' before 

 the physical section and on 'What is a 

 Metal?' before the chemical section. 

 Features of popular interest were ac- 

 counts of adventures in Asia, Africa and 

 the Antarctic regions, by Captain Deasy, 



Captain George and Mr. Borchgrevinck, 

 respectively, and Major Ross's paper on 

 'Malaria and Mosquitoes.' 



The French Association met at Paris 

 in the month of August, with the nu- 

 merous other congresses. General Se- 

 bert, in his presidential address, re- 

 viewed the progress of the mechanical 

 industries during the century and de- 

 voted the last third of his time to a dis- 

 cussion of international bibliography, 

 but without mentioning the Interna- 

 tional Catalogue which now seems to be 

 an accomplished fact. The secretary of 

 the Association, in his review of the 

 year, devoted special attention to the 

 joint meetings of the British and French 

 associations last summer at Dover and 

 Calais. The treasurer was able to make 

 a report that the treasurers of other 

 national associations will envy. The 

 capital is over $250,000, and the income 

 from all sources about $17,000, of which 

 about $3,000 was awarded for the prose- 

 cution of research and to defray the 

 cost of publication of scientific mono- 

 graphs. The national association for the 

 advancement of science of Germany — 

 the 'Gesellschaft deutscher Naturforscher 

 und Aerzte' — held its annual meeting 

 at Aachen toward the middle of 

 September. An account of the pro- 

 ceedings has not yet reached us, but the 

 congresses are always largely attended 

 and the combination of addresses of 

 general interest, of special papers before 

 the numerous sections and of social 

 functions, is perhaps more effective than 

 in any other society. It also appears 

 to be a considerable advantage for med- 

 ical men and scientific men to meet to- 

 gether. 



While from the scientific point of 

 view the present century has been no- 

 table for the development of national 

 associations for the advancement of 

 science, its latter decades have witnessed 

 a growth of international scientific 

 meetings which may be expected to be- 

 come dominant in the twentieth cen- 

 tury. There are at least one hundred 



