540 Meeting of the British Association. [ Oct., 
communicated much information obtained from private sources 
regarding those newly-discovered gold-fields. From some remarks, 
by Mr. Tennant, the mineralogist, it would seem that South Africa 
is almost as rich in diamonds asitisin gold. ‘Two diamonds which 
he had seen from the Orange river district he valued at 4002. and 
2002. respectively, and he had received a model of another diamond 
which was worth from 3501. to 4000. 
The only other paper calling for special notice on account of its 
great interest, was “On the Victoria and Albert Rivers, North Aus- 
tralia,” by Mr. T. Baines, the well-known artist and traveller, and it 
now remains for us simply to mention the titles of the other papers 
which, in whole or in part, were brought under the notice of the 
Section :— Topography of Vesuvius, with an Account of the recent 
Eruption,” by Mr. J. Loglan Lobley ; “On the Tehuelche Indians 
of Patagonia,” by Mr. Consul Hutchinson ; and “ Description of 
Hong Kong,” by Mr. Granville Sharp. 
It cannot be said that there was anything so peculiarly and 
superlatively interesting in the proceedings of Section H, as to 
make the Norwich Meeting one to be specially remembered. The 
origin of man, the unity or plurality of the human species, the 
characteristics of the negro, the origin of civilization, and other 
cognate subjects, on which the theological polemic and the man of 
science are so prone to differ, and the debates upon which are 
always keenly relished by the general audience and by the general 
public, were almost entirely absent from the discussions; still a 
considerable amount of good and satisfactory work was done. 
Mecwanican Scrence. (Section G.) 
The proceedings of this Section were inaugurated by an address 
from the President, Mr. G. P. Bidder, in which he touched on 
several topics which are occupying public attention. First among 
these was the question of the supply of water to towns, its utiliza- 
tion for manufacturing and other purposes, and the requisite means 
to prevent its pollution by refuse and sewage, a subject which he 
illustrated by a reference to the rivers of the Norwich district, and 
their influence in forming and preserving the harbours on the sea- 
coast. As the engineer employed in extending and improving the 
harbour of Lowestoft, Mr. Bidder can speak with authority on this 
subject; indeed to him it is due that that town can in some branches 
of trade compete with Yarmouth as a landing-place and depot. As 
connected with the water-question, he referred to the undertaking of 
the Suez Canal, and to the enormous evaporation, amounting to 
one inch per diem, in the district through which it runs: in the 
course of this work the Bitter Lake, a surface of about 150 square 
