M 



NATURE 



[February 22, 1912 



popularising the data at its disposal. In looking through 

 its useful meteorological charts for the current month, we 

 tind it stated that the Bureau has recently installed at the 

 Custom House in New York City a large glass weather 

 map, embracing the area included between longitude 10° E. 

 and 130° W., and latitude 5° and 60" N. On this the tele- 

 graphic reports received each day from land stations and 

 from vessels at sea are entered in their proper positions, 

 and in special cases storm tracks are also shown. In 

 obtaining this information the Bureau has the cooperation 

 of the wireless services of the Navy Department and the 

 .^rmy Signal Corps. In connection with this map there 

 .-ire twelve large monthly charts on rollers, each showing 

 the average values of the various elements, for a period of 

 twenty to forty years, for each 5° of the North .\tlantic 

 and adjacent shores, together with tracks of hurricanes 

 and other useful information. The installation will, no 

 doubt, be much appreciated by underwriters, shipowners, 

 and all persons interested in maritime meteorology. 



The lecture on radio-telegraphy delivered by Prof. 

 Howe before the Royal Society of Arts on January 31 is 

 printed in the Journal of the society for February 2. It 

 occupies a little more than nine pages, and gives in that 

 small space a clear account of the fundamental principles 

 of the subject which can be read and appreciated by any- 

 one who has even an elementary knowledge of physical 

 science. It does not leave the reader with a bare outline 

 of the subject, but by means of oscillograph curves shows 

 how in the appliances at present in use a train of waves 

 as little damped as possible is secured, how these waves 

 are sent in special directions, and, finally, how they are 

 detected by the modern mineral contact type of instrument. 

 Several important facts with regard to ease or difficulty of 

 communication and possible interference in war time were 

 brought out in the discussion which followed the lecture. 



In the Revue gi^nerale des Sciences for January 30 Dr. 

 L. Dunoyer has an article on magnetic exploration at sea 

 and the progress of terrestrial magnetism during the first 

 half of the nineteenth century. He shows, in the first 

 Instance, how the elementary theory that the magnetic 

 poles of the earth were situated on the surface was dis- 

 proved by the observed variation of the dip with latitude. 

 By means of a chart of the lines of equal dip, as observed 

 and as calculated on the assumption that terrestrial 

 magnetism is due to a small central magnet, he next shows 

 how nearly this supposition reproduces the actual facts. 

 The theory of Gauss is then given and compared with the 

 chart of lines of equal force given by Sabine, and founded 

 mainly on the observations of Ross. Finally, he points 

 out how, with the advance of tirne, the secular changes of 

 the magnetic elements have introduced so many uncertain- 

 tics that a new survey is necessary. Such a survey the 

 Carnegie Institution is now carrying out. 



In the current number (No. 23) of Science Progress a 

 number of subjects of more than usual general scientific 

 interest are dealt with. Sir Oliver Lodge discusses " The 

 i^ther of Space and the Principle of Relativity," and Dr. 

 W. N. Shaw the " Structure of the Atmosphere and the 

 Texture of Air Currents in Relation to the Problems of 

 Aviation." Opposing views are taken in the two papers 

 on " The Interpretation of Life " and " Vitalism," by 

 F. Carrel and L. Doncaster respectively. Some novel 

 experiments showing the part played by earthworms in 

 aerating the soil are described by Dr. J. Newton Friend, 

 more particularly as regards the rate of production by the 

 worm of carbon dioxide. " Weeds : their Peculiarities and 

 Distribution," by Dr. Brenchley, contains a summary of 

 much recent work, whilst in a paper on the " Corrosion of 

 NO. 2208, VOL. 88] 



Iron and other Metals," by Prof. Armstrong, two recent 

 communications by Prof. W. R. Dunstan and Mr. J. R. 

 Hill on the rusting of iron are discussed. In the latter _j 

 paper the contention that the rusting of iron can be brought 

 about by pure water and o.\ygen in the absence of acid is 

 considered to be untenable, and even though " passivity " be 

 induced by alkalis or oxidising agents, there is little doubt 

 that in the ordinary process of rusting, carbon dioxide 

 plays the necessary part of rendering the water a con- 

 ductor, and thus establishing the conditions of electrical 

 action. 



Is a recent communication Ravenna and Zamorani 

 (Nature, November 2, 191 1, p. 19) showed that certain 

 seeds, which during germination produce hydrocyanic acid, 

 have this power increased by exposure of the growing 

 plant to light, and to an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, 

 whereas the proportion of hydrogen cyanide is diminished 

 by etiolation or excluding carbonic acid unless a carbo- 

 hydrate, such as dextrose, is artificially supplied, when a 

 considerable increase in its amount actually occurs even 

 under these conditions.' It was suggested that the 

 hydrogen cyanide or cyanogenetic glucoside was formed 

 probably by the action of inorganic nitrogen, possibly in 

 the form of ammonia, on the carbohydrate. Experiments 

 have since been made by Ravenna and Vecchi {Atti dei 

 Lincei, vol. 20., ii., 491) on the development of hydrogen 

 cyanide during the germination of seeds of Linum and 

 Sorghum when small proportions of ammonium salts are 

 present. In all cases the proportion of hydrogen cyanide 

 formed was largely increased by the addition of i per cent, 

 of ammonium chloride, as compared with seeds germin- 

 ating in the presence of ordinary water alone. Hydrogen 

 cyanide is not present in the case of Sorghum at the very 

 commencement of germination, but only appears after a 

 certain amount of growth has taken place and coincident 

 with the first indication of chlorophyll. The proportion 

 of the hydrogen cyanide gradually increases as the 

 ammonia in the plant increases (the latter being estimated 

 by Bosshardt's method), but in the earliest stages ammonia 

 is present without there being any indication of hydrogen 

 cyanide. 



Dealing with the salving of submarine boat A 3, 

 Engineering for February 16 states that the damage caused 

 by the collision of this boat with the gunboat Hazard 

 has been proved to be very serious. One of the rudders 

 of the Hazard has been found jammed into the conning 

 tower of the submarine boat, and the injury to the pro- 

 peller disclosed when the gunboat was docked gives rise 

 to the belief that it acted as a knife to rip the upper shell- 

 plates of the submarine boat. These facts, supported by 

 divers' observations, make it quite certain that no air- 

 helmets or other appliances on board could have obviated 

 the loss of life. Owing to the exposed position in which 

 the A3 lies, and to the heavy weather which has pre- 

 vailed since the accident, lighters have been unable to 

 carry out the salvage work. The task has now been 

 handed over to the Anglo-Italian Salvage Company, which 

 is adopting the procedure of supplying externally the 

 buoyancy which the ship has lost by most, or all, of the 

 compartments being flooded. A number of groups of air 

 vessels of tubular type, each series consisting of nine 

 rubber tubes secured at top and bottom to wooden frames 

 fitted with the necessary valves, will be sunk by being 

 filled with water. They will be secured to the ropes now 

 lashed around the hull of the sunken boat, and then air 

 will be forced through the top valves in order to drive the 

 water from the tubes. It is hoped that the necessary 

 buoyancy will be provided by this method. 



