MAY 4, 1923 SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 193 
developed a general theory of relativity, in which he abandoned the assump- 
tion that the velocity of light is independent of gravitation, abandoned 
Euclidean geometry but employed the more general geometrical ideas of 
Riemann, and introduced the hypothesis of the equivalence of a uniform 
gravitational field and a uniform acceleration of suitable magnitude. From 
this point of view the older theory is applicable only when gravitational forces 
are negligible. The consequences of the general theory relative to the 
perihelial motion of Mercury, the influence of the sun’s gravitational field 
upon the paths of light beams from the stars and upon the wave length of 
spectral lines from the sun were discussed. 
Dr. WALTER RosENHAIN of the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, 
England, spoke at the Bureau of Standards on Monday, April 2, on The 
work of the National Physical Laboratory. 
An experimental test of Einstein’s principle of equivalence was discussed by 
Dr. P. R. Heyu at the April 9th meeting of the Bureau of Standards Physics 
Club. 
Miss Auice C. FietcHer died on Friday, April 6, in Washington, D. C., 
in her 79th year. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, March 15, 1845. 
Her life was devoted to work among the American Indians, and she made 
numerous contributions to the literature of ethnology, her book, Indzan story 
and song from North America, being her best known publication. For many 
years Miss Fletcher was assistant ethnologist at the Peabody Museum,and 
held the Thaw fellowship since 1891. She was a member of the Acaprmy and 
. the following local scientific societies: Anthropological (President, 1893), 
Archeological, and Historical, as well as a number of national organizations. 
Dr. Aucust Hunp has been appointed electrical engineer, Radio Section, 
Bureau of Standards. He is a graduate of the Technische Hochschule, 
Karlsruhe, and took the degree of Doctor of Engineering in 1913. He was 
with the General Electric Company under Dr. Steinmetz from 1915-1917, 
and has been doing graduate work at the University of California since that 
time. Dr. Hund has written a book on the technique of high frequency 
measurements. 
THE APPARATUS CONFERENCE 
A Conference of Makers and Users of Scientific Apparatus was held at the 
National Research Council on March 23 and 24. Representatives were 
present from the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, 
the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the American Electrochemical 
Society, and the Optical Society of America. The Scientific Apparatus 
Manufacturers’ Association and the Manufacturing Chemists’ Association, 
as well as several manufacturers of apparatus and supplies, sent representa- 
tives. The universities were represented by the Association of Educational 
Buyers, and the Federal Government, by members of the Bureau of Stand- 
ards, Bureau of Chemistry, Geological Survey, and other bureaus. Members 
of the Carnegie Institution and of the National Research Council were also 
in attendance. G. K. Burcess of the Bureau of Standards presided. 
The question of ‘Apparatus Supply” was covered by papers on Importa- 
tion by Mr. Ermer of the firm of Eimer and Amend; Domestic apparatus 
manufacture by Mr. Lrrps of the Leeds and Northrup Company and Pro- 
