March i6, 191 i] 



NATURE 



99 



" thermodynamic function " of Rankine, and the 

 "equivalence-value of a transformation" (Clausius, Pogg. 

 Ann., 93, p. 487, 1854). Finally, in 1865, when its 

 i importance was more fully recognised, Clausius (Pogg. 

 Ann., 125, p. 390) gave it the name of "entropy," and 

 defined it as the integral of dQ/T. Such a definition 

 ■ appeals to the mathematician only. In justice to Carnot, 

 ' it should be called caloric, and defined directly by his 

 equation W = AQ(T— TJ, which any schoolboy could 

 understand. Even the mathematician would gain by 

 thinking of caloric as a fluid, like electricity, capable of 

 being generated by friction or other irreversible processes. 

 Conduction of caloric is closely associated with the elec- 

 trons, and the science of heat would gain, like the science 

 of electricity, by attaching a more material conception to 

 the true measure of a quantity of heat, as distinguished 

 from a quantity of thermal energy. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — An exhibition of 50Z. a year, tenable for 

 two years, is offered by the governing body of Emmanuel 

 College to an advanced student commencing residence at 

 Cambridge as a member of Emmanuel College in October. 

 The exhibition will be awarded at the beginning of 

 October. 



The Day Training College will be known in future by 

 the title of " The Cambridge University Training College 

 for Schoolmasters." This change is made to meet a 

 suggestion from the Board of Education. 



The subject selected for the Adams prize in 1912 is 

 " The Theory of Radiation." The experimental scrutiny 

 of the spectra of gaseous substances has amassed much 

 knowledge, already expressed in semi-empirical formulge, 

 relating to the structure of spectra, whether composed of 

 discrete lines or of bands, and also relating to the influence 

 of various physical causes, such as the admixture of other 

 substances, on the relative intensities of the lines. The 

 nature of the magnetic influence on lines and bands which 

 is exhibited in the Zeeman effect awaits closer investiga- 

 tion, and the classification of the lines of a spectrum 

 which it suggests may afford further clues towards the 

 assembling of those groups of lines which are possibly in 

 some way components of one fundamental mode of vibra- 

 tion. A critical discussion of some of the problems of 

 molecular dynamics which are associated with these pheno- 

 mena is proposed. This discussion might proceed either 

 from some hypothesis of structure of the molecules of 

 matter, or from comparison, by way of analogy, with the 

 properties of known types of vibrations. Questions 

 relating to the constitution of natural radiant energy in 

 statistical equilibrium might also come up for considera- 

 tion. The prize is open to the competition of all persons 

 who have at any time been admitted to a degree in this 

 University. The essays must be sent to the Vice-Chan- 

 cellor on or before the last day of December, 1912. 



The first lists of candidates for the tripos examinations 

 ne.xt term have just been issued. The numbers of names 

 are as follows : — mathematical tripos, part i., 127, part ii., 

 S3 ; classical tripos, part i., 108, part ii., 9 ; law tripos, 

 part i., 60, part ii. and for LL.B. degree, 75 ; history 

 tripos, part i.. 129, part ii., 108; theological tripos, part 

 i., 38, part ii., 17; natural sciences tripos, part i., 223, 

 part ii., 44; mechanical sciences tripos, 46; moral sciences 

 tripos, part i., 7, part ii., i ; mediaeval and modern 

 languages tripos, 55 ; Oriental languages tripos, 5 ; 

 economics tripes, part i., x8, part ii., 16. 



London. — A revised syllabus in physics for the B.Sc. 

 .|>ass examination for internal students has been approved 

 to come into force in 1912. Internal students will in future 

 be required to satisfy the examiners in the practical as well 

 as in the written part of an examination in a science 

 Subject. 



Dr. A. D. Waller, F.R.S., has been appointed as a 

 representative of the University on the governing body of 

 the Imperial College of Science and Technology to fill the 

 Vacancy created by the resignation of the Right Hon. Sir 

 Henry Roscoe, F.R.S. 



A memorial from the Deptford Borough Council has been 

 presented to the Senate asking that immediate steps be 



NO. 2159, VOL. 86] 



taken with a view to the establishment at Goldsmiths' 

 College of a University College for South London with low 

 fees, available for day and evening students. 



The D.Sc. in geology has been granted to Arthur 

 Wilmore, an external student, and the D.Sc. degree in 

 chemistry has been granted to Arthur Clayton, an internal 

 student of the Royal College of Science. 



The second annual report of the Military Education Com- 

 mittee, which has been presented to the Senate, shows that 

 the University contingent of Officers Training Corps has 

 made good progress during the year. The strength on 

 December 31, 19 10, was 33 oflficers and 953 cadets, and an 

 artillery unit armed with two i8-pounder field guns has 

 been formed during the year. A list of eleven cadets who 

 have proceeded to commissions in the Special Reserve, or 

 Territorial Force, is included in the report. 



A university studentship in physiology of the value of 

 50Z. is open. Applications must be received by the prin- 

 cipal on or before May 31. 



Oxford. — On March 7 Congregation took into con- 

 sideration a further amendment to the " Faculties " 

 statute, which would have had the effect of exempting the 

 lectures given by professors and readers in the University 

 from the control of their respective boards of faculty. 

 The amendment was approved by several of the professors, 

 but opposed by others, including Prof. Gotch, professor of 

 physiology. On a division it was lost by 32 to 66. This 

 will have the effect of giving power to the boards of 

 faculty to exclude the lectures of professors and readers 

 from the official list of lectures. 



Prof. David A. Molitor has resigned the chair of topo- 

 graphic and geodetic engineering at Cornell University, 

 which he has held since 1908. He is returning to private 

 engineering practice in the West. 



There is about to be tried an interesting experiment in 

 academic cooperation between North and South America. 

 .-Xt the suggestion of the University of La Plata, Buenos 

 Aires, Prof. W. J. Hussey is to spend six months of the 

 year in the service of that University and six months at 

 the University of Michigan, where he has occupied the chair 

 of astronomy and held the directorship of the observatory 

 since 1905. 



We learn from Science that the State appropriation for 

 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is to be in- 

 creased. There is to be paid annually, for ten years, to 

 the institute the sum of 20,oooZ., from January 1, 1912, to 

 be expended under the direction of the corporation for the 

 general purposes of the institute; the institute will main- 

 tain forty free scholarships in addition to those maintained 

 already. From the same source we find that Mr. Carnegie 

 recently wrote to the trustees of the Carnegie Institute at 

 Pittsburg that he is prepared to increase the endowment 

 income lo.oool. or 2o,oooZ. a year if it can be shown that 

 any department is hampered from lack of funds.^ An old 

 student, who wishes to remain anonymous, has given, our 

 contemporary states, to Phillips Exeter Academy 35.'?5^-' 

 with which to complete the Wentworth mathematical fund 

 of io,oooZ. 



The Armv Council has made a number of decisions re- 

 garding the' regulations for admission to the Royal Military 

 Academy and the Royal Military College, and those under 

 which commissions in the Regular Army may be obtained 

 through other channels of entry. The lower limit of age 

 at which candidates are permitted to compete for 

 admission to the Royal Military Academy will next 

 November be reduced to i6i years, and that at the Royal 

 Military College will in June, 1912, be reduced from 17J 

 to 17 years. Eventually the upper limit of age for 

 admission at both colleges will be 19 years. After March. 

 1912, no further examinations will be held by the Army 

 Qualifying Board. The leaving certificate for Army pur- 

 poses has been redefined, and for the future is to be a 

 certificate which testifies to a certain standard of pro- 

 ficiency in the subjects stated, and is granted by certain 

 bodies to candidates not less than 16 years of age who 

 have attended a course of study at a school approved by 

 the Army Council. For the future, a certain number of 

 cadetships at the Royal Military College will be reserved 

 each half-vear for the nomination by the Army Council of 



