November 2, 191 1] 



NATURE 



13 



homes. It -was exacth' the same in 1888, when an 

 innocent grass-covered mountain called Bandai, in 

 Central Japan, blew away its head and shoulders and 

 filled up a valley thirteen miles in length with mud 

 and stones. It buried everything. 



Now these calamities are not always such sudden 

 visitations as is popularly supposed. Most, but not 

 all, dogs growl before they bite. Bandai, although 

 it had not erupted for more than a thousand years, 

 gave premonitory signals. From time to time it 

 rumbled and slightly shook. Krakatoa, before it 

 blew three-quarters of an island to the four winds, 

 and opened a red-hot mouth at sea-level to fight two 

 oceans, issued signals of uneasiness. So it was with 

 Taal. On January 27, 191 1, it seems to have been 

 the origin of 24 small shocks. Next day the number 

 increased to 197, and on January 29, 113 were counted. 

 What came next we are not told, but at 2 a.m. on 

 January 30, Taal burst forth with terrific energy, and 

 a roar was heard at a distance of 310 miles. A great 

 black cloud crossed ' with flashes of lightning and 

 illumined with explosions which may have been of 



to find it "very peaceful, with puffs of white vapour 

 succeeding each other at intervals of ten to thirty 

 seconds." Nevertheless, as on that day the Observa- 

 tory in Manila recorded 130 shocks, Father Maso 

 thought " there was still ground for fearing a fresh 

 outburst." The giant was evidently resting after his 

 angry exertions. May he do so for many years, and 

 when he dies the Philippinos will gladly write R.I. P. 

 above his head. John Milne. 



THE SOLAR PHYSICS OBSERVATORY. 

 T N April last a departmental committee was appointed 

 ■»■ to consider and report upon alternative schemes for 

 transferring the Solar Physics Observatory, now at 

 South Kensington, to Fosterdown (Caterham) or to 

 Cambridge. The report of the committee has just 

 been published as a Parliamentary paper (Cd. 5924). 



The committee was composed of Sir Thomas L. 

 Heath, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (chair- 

 man), Mr. F. W. Dyson, F.R.S., Astronomer Royal, 

 Dr. R. T. Glazebrook, C.B., F.R.S., director of the 



Fig. I. — Crater of Taal Volcano before the eruption (seen from the E.S.E.). 



Fig. 2.— Crater of Taal Volcano after the eruption (seen from E.S.K.). 



electric origin, but in a globular form, rose from the 

 crater from which two or three times a deep red glow 

 appeared. 



Paragraphs at a distance of 242 kms. were greatly 

 disturbed. An analysis of these showed that a de- 

 pression had travelled at a rate of 112 miles per hour. 

 This depression appears to have been formed by the 

 inrush of air towards the hot volcanic throat. Be- 

 tween twenty-two and thirty-nine miles from this the 

 •.'ill amounted to 2 mm., or o'8 inch. The infer- 

 nce is that near the mountain the inrush of air 

 must have had a hurricance force and given rise to a 

 real though short-lived tornado. Round the crater 

 everything was "wiped out" or buried in mud. It 

 was not "destruction," but "annihilation." No lava 

 issued. It was Bandalsan over again, a hurricane 

 or whirlwind had levelled houses, torn up trees or 

 stripped them of their leaves and bark. With it all 

 there may have been a fiery cloud, like that which 

 i<;sued from Mount Pelde and destroyed St. Pierre. 

 Two days later Father Mas6 approached the volcano 



NO. 2192, VOL. 88] 



National Physical Laboratory, and Prof. Arthur 

 Schuster, F.R.S., chairman of the executive committee 

 of the International Union for Solar Research, with 

 Mr, F. G. Ogilvie, C.B., as secretary. The terms 

 of reference were : — 



To consider the alternative schemes for locating the 

 Solar Physics Observatory at Fosterdown and at Cambridge 

 respectively, and to report which of the two schemes is 

 likely to secure the best results for an annual expenditure 

 of approximately the same amount as is now incurred 

 for the work done under the direction of the Solar Physics 

 Committee. 



The conclusions and recommendations of three 

 members of the committee, viz. Sir T. L. Heath, Mr. 

 Dyson, and Prof. Schuster, are as follows : — 



Wo are of opinion that, on a balance of ron^icferations, 

 and especially having regard to the advaiitaiic id tho pro- 

 gress of solar physics which may be oxperi. d to accrue 

 from the establishment and support by the I'liiv r-iiv of a 

 real school combining the studies of solar phv'^ic'.; and 

 astrophysics, the Cambridge scheme is calcul.ii"! i<^ ii'w" 



