1 64 



NATURE 



[December i6, 1897 



looked upon as the means ( J occas onally obtaining isolated 

 items of information from the upper regions ; the world had not 

 then awakened to the possibility of the work inaugurated by 

 Prof. Moore in July 1895, which looks to the compilation of a 

 daily map of simultaneous observations high above the earth's 

 surface and over a large portion of the United States, for study 

 in connection with the map of surface conditions. Observations 

 of the air at a single station can have but little value compared 

 with the international balloon work of Europe, or the extended 

 national kite work of the U.S. Weather Bureau. 



In an address at Toronto, before the British Association, Prof. 

 Moore is reported by the Review to have said : 



' ' For twenty-seven years the forecasters of the Weather 

 Bureau have studied the inception, development, and progression 

 of these different classes of atmospheric disturbances. From a 

 knowledge personally gained by many years' service as an official 

 forecaster, I do not hesitate to express the opinion that we have 

 long since reached the highest degree of accuracy in the making 

 of forecasts possible to be attained with surface readings. It is 

 patent that we are extremely ignorant of the mechanics of the 

 storm ; of the operations of those vast yet subtle forces in free 

 air which give inception to the disturbance, and which supply 

 the energy necessary to continue the same. Long having 

 realised this, I determined at once, on coming to the control of 

 the United States Weather Bureau, to systematically attack the 

 problem of upper-air exploration, with the hope ultimately of 

 being able to construct a daily synoptic weather chart from 

 simultaneous readings taken in free air at an altitude of not less 

 than one mile above the earth. It appeared to me that all 

 previous plans for investigating the upper air, by means of free 

 and uncontrollable balloons, by observers in balloons, or by 

 isolated kite stations or mountain observatories, were of little 

 value in getting the information absolutely necessary to the 

 improvement of our methods of forecasting. Simultaneous 

 observations, at a uniform high level, from many co-operating 

 kite stations, was the fundamental feature of the plan that I 

 inaugurated for the prosecution of this important investigation. 



" Prof. Marvin was assigned to the difficult task of devising 

 appliances and making instruments, and I am pleased to say 

 that we have improved on kite flying to such an extent that 

 apparatus is now easily sent up to a height of one mile in only a 

 moderate wind. We have made an automatic instrument that, 

 while weighing less than two pounds, will record temperature, 

 pressure, humidity, and wind velocity. By January next we 

 expect to have not less than twenty stations placed between the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean taking daily readings 

 at an elevation of one mile or more. 



" We shall then construct a chart from the high-level readings 

 obtained at these twenty stations, and study the same in con- 

 nection with the surface chart made at the same moment. As 

 we shall thus be able to map out not only, as now, the horizontal 

 gradients for the lower surface conditions, but in addition the 

 simultaneous gradients for the upper level, and, what is of still 

 more importance, shall be able to deduce from these, for any 

 section of the atmosphere, the simultaneous vertical gradients of 

 temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind velocity, we may 

 confidently hope to better understand the development of 

 storms and cold waves, and eventually improve the forecasts of 

 their future course, extent, and rate of movement. It will be a 

 fascinating study to note the progress of cold waves at the upper 

 and lower levels, and to determine whether the changes in 

 temperature do not -first begin above. I am anxious to know 

 the difiterence in temperature between the surface and the upper 

 stratum in the four quadrants of the cyclone, and also of the anti- 

 cyclone, especially when the storm or cold-wave conditions are 

 intense. The vertical distribution of temperature in the several 

 quadrants may give a clue to the future direction of movement 

 of the disturbance." 



UNI VERS IT Y AND ED UCA TIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Miss Emily Penrose, principal of Bedford College, 

 London, has been appointed principal of the Royal Holloway 

 College, Egham. 



Mr. Wm. H. Sage and Dean Sage have presented to Cornell 

 University the large residence of the late Mr. Henry W. Sage, 

 at Ithaca, for a students' hospital, and will equip it and endow 

 itjwith 100,000 dols. The residence is valued at 80,000 dols. 



NO. 1468, VOL. 57] 



The following resolution has been unanimously passed by the 

 lecturers and teachers in the medical school of Guy's Hospital : 

 " That the medical school of Guy's Hospital earnestly request 

 Her Majesty's Government to reintroduce into Parliament the 

 London University Commission Bill of 1897, and to pass it into 

 law during the ensuing Session." 



Among the institutions created during the last half-century 

 for the promotion of scientific research and education, the 

 Sheffield Scientific School of Yale College, New Haven, holds 

 an honourable place. A review of the foundation of the School, 

 and of the work of the distinguished investigators who have 

 been connected with it, was given in a discourse delivered by 

 President Gilman at the semi-centennial anniversary recently 

 held. It was in 1847 that Profs. Silliman and Norton opened 

 a laboratory on the College grounds for the purpose of 

 practical instruction in the applications of science to the arts 

 and agriculture. Thus was born the Sheffield Scientific School 

 of Yale University. At first chemistry was alone ; engineering 

 soon found a place ; mathematics, physics and astronomy joined 

 the oligarchy ; in due time, mineralogy, geology, physical 

 geography, zoology, botany and physiology found a welcome ; 

 modern languages and literature, history and economics, became 

 strong allies. While this evolution was going on, not a word 

 was spoken in disparagement of classical culture, nor a word of 

 religious controversy. From the beginning onwards the institu- 

 tion has been the department of a University which never 

 suffered its love of letters to blind its eyes to the value of science. 

 The School largely owes its success to its association with the 

 fame, the fortune, and the followers of a great alma mater. 

 Substantial advantages were bestowed by the mother upon her 

 offspring ; and the present high position which the School 

 occupies shows that the child has deserved the encouragement 

 it has received. 



A MEETING was held at the University of London on Tuesday 

 afternoon, the Chancellor (Lord Herschell) presiding, to discuss 

 the proposed legislation on the University of London question. 

 The Times reports that there were present, besides the Vice- 

 Chancellor (Sir Henry Roscoe), representatives of the Cor- 

 poration of the City, the Technical Education Board of the 

 London County Council, the Royal Colleges of Physicians and 

 Surgeons, the various medical schools. University College, 

 King's College, Bedford College, the Royal College of Science, 

 and the City and Guilds of London Institute. The Chancellor 

 invited expression of opinion on the London University Com- 

 mission Bill which the Government propose to reintroduce early 

 in the Session. He said that the Bill embodied the compromise 

 between the various parties hitherto in conflict, and that it was 

 to receive the support of the Senate, as also of both parties in 

 Convocation. The Chancellor further explained why no pro- 

 posal for any new charter was within the range of practical 

 politics, reconstitution at the hands of a statutory commission 

 being the only remaining course. He therefore urged the 

 acceptance of the compromise. Many of those present spoke in 

 favour of the scheme, and urged that a deputation should wait 

 upon the Vice-President of Council at an early date. The only 

 objection came from one of the smaller medical schools, which 

 declared its preference for the creation of a second University in 

 London. The feeling of the conference was, however, entirely 

 in favour of the reconstruction of the existing University. A 

 deputation to the Government will be appointed as suggested to 

 urge the passing of the Bill. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 



Btulettn of ihe American Mathematical Soaety, November 

 1897. — The number opens with an account, by Prof. Osgood, of 

 the proceedings at the International Congress of Mathematicians 

 held at Zurich in August last. The transactions of the Congress, 

 which was attended by about two hundred mathematicians, to- 

 gether with the papers read, or presented, are to be published 

 in full. — Prof. J. McMahon performs a like work for the Detroit 

 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science. An analysis of the twenty-one papers presented to the 

 Section is given. One of these communications was an account 

 of stereoscopic views of spherical catenaries and gyroscopic 

 curves by Prof. Greenhill, who was present at the meeting, and 

 to whom the Section ' ' is also indebted for instructive remarks 

 made in connection with many of the other papers." Then 

 follow five papers read before the American Mathematical 



