ii6 



NATURE 



\yune I, 1876 



photography has aided in this as much as in other de- 

 partments of science, and the daily weather charts now 

 issued in this country would have been impossibilities but 

 a i&^ years ago. 



The automatic light-registering apparatus of Prof. 

 Roscoe will it is hoped be the subject of a communica- 

 tion to the Conferences of this Section ; but this and 

 several other recording instruments are fully described in 

 the Catalogue, as are also various interesting charts illus- 

 trative of meteorological influences on mortality and 

 disease. The relation which has been found to subsist 

 between colliery explosions and the state of the weather 

 will form the subject of some observations to the Con- 

 ference by Mr, Galloway, 



Theie is only one other point in connection with 

 meteorology on which 1 will say a few words : — that of 

 evaporation. Two or three forms of atmometers or eva- 

 porimeters are exhibited, some of them intended to deter- 

 mine the quantity of water evaporated from different 

 kinds of soil, but no form of instrument is, I believe, in 

 the collection which will serve to ascertain the proportion 

 of the rainfall which percolates to any given depth through 

 a porous soil. When it is considered how large a propor- 

 tion of the surface of the globe consists of such soils and 

 how important is the question of the supply of spring- 

 water to our wells and rivers, it will perhaps be a matter 

 of surprise that more attention has not been directed to 

 the subject. It is not, however, one on which to enter at 

 length m an introductory address, though I hope to recur 

 to it in the course of the afternoon. 



The second subject comprised within our Section is 

 that of Geography, which, thanks to our distinguished 

 African, Asiatic, Arctic, and marine explorers is at the 

 present time attracting so much public attention. Many 

 of the instruments exhibited have much of historical and 

 personal interest, among which may be reckoned the 

 series of instruments belonging to the Ordnance Survey, 

 some of them — like Ramsden's theodolites — exhibiting to 

 what a point the construction of such instruments had 

 advanced even at the end of the last century. What, 

 however, will attract universal attention are the deep-sea 

 sounding api)liances, which have so greatly conduced to 

 the success of the Challenger Expedition, and the great 

 extension of our knowledge of the character of the deep- 

 sea deposits of modern times, which throw so important 

 a light on the history of many earlier geological forma- 

 tions. 



This interest is much enhanced by the satisfaction we 

 must all feel in again welcoming among us the distin- 

 guished naturalist who has had the scientific charge of 

 that expedition. Let us all hope and trust that the gallant 

 captain of the expedition during the first portion of its 

 voyage, may in like manner return in due course with his 

 present comrades from his still more adventurous explora- 

 tion of the Arctic regions, crowned with the success 

 which his efforts so well deserve. 



Among the deep-sea sounding apparatus, that most 

 ingenious invention of Dr. Siemens, the bathometer, 

 which has been exhibited and described in another Sec- 

 tion, will, no doubt, have attracted your attention, of which 

 many of the levelling and surveying instruments exhibited 

 in this Section are also so well werthy. 



The collection of maps requires but little comment. 

 The survey of Palestine, the charts of the Arctic Regions, 

 the survey maps of India, and the beautifully executed 

 maps sent from foreign countries cannot escape attention. 

 In connection with recent explorations the remarkable 

 section across Southern Africa, executed by Lieut. Came- 

 ron during the perilous journey from which he has just 

 returned, will, I hope, be the subject of comment in these 

 Conferences by its distinguished author. Nof should the 

 ancient maps of the sources of the Nile exhibited by the 

 Royal Geographical Society be left unnoticed. It might 

 be a subject for discussion whether some more uniform 



system of symbols for use on maps might be adopted for 

 general use among all nations. 



In the department of Geology and Mining, it may be 

 observed that the instruments of the pure geologist are 

 but few and comparatively simple. We have, however, 

 before us a most valuable collection of the geological 

 maps of various countries, showing how vast has been 

 the advance of our knowledge in this field during the last 

 quarter of a century. The principles on which the geo- 

 logical survey of this country has been directed will be 

 illustrated by its present accomplished chief. Prof. Ram- 

 say, and we shall, 1 hope, hear something as to the surveys 

 now going on in other countries. It would be a matter 

 well worthy of consideration in an assembly of this kind, 

 whether for the general geological features of a country, 

 some international system of colouring could not be agreed 

 upon, and in future be adopted. For more detailed maps 

 entering minutely into the subdivisions of formations, 

 such a system might be difificu't to devise, much more to 

 carry out ; but for the principal formations there ought 

 surely to be no great difficulty. Already, for something 

 like two centuries, the colours in heraldry have been re- 

 presented all over Europe by a conventional system of 

 vertical, horizontal, oblique, and other lines, and science 

 would not suffer if on this occasion she walked in the 

 wake of vanity. 



Among the appliances of the geologist must be 

 reckoned his palsontological and mineralogical collec- 

 tions which, however, are, except in special instances, too 

 bulky for an exhibition of this kind. Some are, however, 

 here, and among them, a magnificent series of rocks, 

 minerals, and fossils from Russia, and the fossil vegetable 

 remains, both from the Continent and England, well 

 deserve notice. We shall, I hope, hear from Baron von 

 Ettingshausen how the genetic descent of much of the 

 flora of the present day may be traced back into Tertiary 

 times, and Mr. J. S. Gardner will have something to say 

 on the same subject. 



The sub-wealden boring, which has attained a depth of 

 1,900 feet, without, however, reaching any rocks of Palae- 

 ozoic age, will also form a subject of comment. The 

 process of the Diamond Rock Boring Company by which 

 it has been carried on, has not only the advantage of being 

 more expeditious than the older process, but has the 

 great merit of producing such excellent cores as those 

 which can be seen at the end of this gallery. 



The ingenious machines of Mr. Sorby, illustrative of 

 various geological phenomena, and the original drawings 

 of Buckland and Phillips will also attract attention. 



The specimens illustrative of M. Daubrde's experi- 

 ments on the artificial formation of metamorphic and 

 other rocks, and the minerals formed within the historical 

 period by means of hot springs, will be rendered doubly 

 attractive by the account to be given of them by that 

 eminent geologist. 



As objects of historical interest, however, the collections 

 illustrative of the development of Davy's great invention 

 of the safety-lamp, are perhaps unrivalled in this depart- 

 ment. Among mining appliances and models, some few 

 will form the subject of communications to the Confer- 

 ences. 



In the remaining department of this Section, that of 

 Mineralogy and Crystallography, there is much of his- 

 torical as well as scientific value. The improvements in 

 the microscope, the polariscope, and the goniometer, have 

 done much to advance these branches of science during 

 the last quarter of a century, while the application of 

 photography to the reproduction of the images observed 

 in the microscope has most efficiently aided in bringing 

 the results of single observers within the reach of all. 



The models and diagrams illustrative of the different 

 systems of crystallography and the various forms of 

 crystals are remarkably excellent and complete, and some 

 questions in connection with the properties of certain 



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