462 Chronicles of Science. [July, 
Mr. E. J. Mills, On Nitro-compounds ; another is On Oxyaniline, by 
Dr. Schmidt; a third is On the Subformiate of Ethyl, and On the 
Basic Salts of some Organic Acids; others were On the Hexyl Group, 
by Dr.Wanklyn ; On the Action of Hydrobromic and Hydriodie Acids 
upon Polyatomic Acids, and On the Behaviour of the Iodo-substi- 
tution Compounds towards Hydriodic Acid. Lastly, we may mention 
the profoundly interesting discourse by Sir Benjamin Brodie, On the 
Organic Peroxides theoretically considered. 
Beyond this we have only to record the discovery by Professor 
Tuson of crystalline organic principles in castor and croton oils. Con- 
trary to expectation, it would appear that these principles produce no 
aperient effects; but as the President of the Chemical Society 
remarked, they deserve fuller investigation. 
V. GEOGRAPHY. 
(Including the Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society, and 
Notices of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain and Ireland.) 
No science, probably, is more affected by political circumstances than 
geography. The development of mercantile speculation, war, and 
even the combinations and divisions of political parties and govern- 
ments, each in their turn afford opportunities peculiar to themselves 
of acquiring fresh geographical information, and even of making some 
alteration in the physical contour of various countries. At the same 
time, it must be acknowledged that war especially throws many 
obstacles in the way of the investigation of distant lands; whilst 
mercantile pursuits not only interfere with those of a scientific 
character, but the spirit of greed that is apt to be developed where 
merchandize is a principle aim, frequently defeats its own object, and 
produces an exclusion from those very places which it was its desire 
to penetrate. As an instance of the service done to science by war, 
the insurrection in New Zealand has brought to light the great 
deficiency of good maps of that country. As the conquest of Serin- 
gapatam, by General Harris, led to the accurate survey and delineation 
of Mysore, so we may look forward to a lasting monument of the 
present unhappy squabble to be erected by the careful mapping out 
of the country traversed by the troops. The want has been strongly 
felt by the commanders, and it is to be hoped that they will take 
what means he at their disposal to remedy the deficiency. In like 
manner we shall in all probability receive much additional informa- 
tion from some of the members of Mr. Hden’s suite in his ill-fated 
expedition to Bhootan, and perhaps from the more military party 
that may have to follow in his footsteps. Under any circumstances, 
the north-eastern route to China is likely to receive some elucida- 
tion. But greater wars, such as the suicidal struggle in North 
America, on the contrary, paralyze all the efforts that used to be made 
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