11 



attendant planets and their satellites to a distant part of the 

 heavens. The actual path of the earth in space is a "skew spiral." 



It is now possible to classify the stars in the heavens according 

 to their age. The white stars, such as Sirius and Vega, are those 

 in vigorous youth, the yellow stars are of middle age, and the red 

 stars are declining and cooling down. 



Stars are liable to accidents. Of late years, two stars, one in 

 Corona Borealis and one in Lyra, have suddenly blazed up and 

 become much brighter and more conspicuous than they ordinarily 

 wore. The spectroscope shows that this catastrojihe has been 

 due to blazing hydrogen, with which the star has been enveloped. 



There are some reasons for believing that the Sun is a variable 

 star, the variability being due to sun spots. 



TUESDAY, MAECH 6th. 



A Lecture on the " Transmission of Power " was delivered by 

 Egbert M. Walmslet, Esq., B.Sc, F.C.S. 



From remote antiquity the Transmission of Power has been 

 looked upon as a matter of extreme importance. In very early 

 times Energy was applied in the construction of immense buildings 

 and monuments, and huge stones were frequently transported from 

 considerable distances. 



The power of doing work is known as "Energy." The energy 

 of a moving body, as for example, a cannon-ball fired from. a gun, is 

 known as " kinetic " energy. Air in motion and water in motion 

 are forms of this kind of energy, and both are traceable in their 

 origin to the sun. Another form of energy is that of a raised 

 weight, it is known as " potential " energy, or the energy due to 

 position. When the raised weight is allowed to fall a certain 

 amount of work is effected. The head of water of a water-faU, 

 and a full tide are examples of this form of energy. 



Energy is derived from the combustion of fuel, from chemical 

 action, and from the oxidation of food in the body of animals. An 



