Feuruary 3, i8y8) 



NATURE 



331 



their own people to bring that education up to something like 

 the level which has been attained in those countries. And the 

 Associated Chambers of Commerce the other day presented a 

 memorial, a most important memorial, to the Government 

 urging upon them that greater attention should be paid by the 

 educational departments of the State, not to art and scientific 

 instruction only, but to the study of foreign languages and other 

 subjects indispensable to the successful prosecution of a com- 

 mercial career. And therefore I say it is not educational 

 enthusiasts only, but it is practical and far-headed men of 

 business who are lieginning to realise the absolute necessity of 

 bringing up our education somewhere near, at all events, to the 

 levels which have been attained in other countries. 



Organisation of Secondary Education. 

 I have not the smallest desire to see our secondary education 

 modelled upon one uniform pattern. I believe that we require 

 great variety and great freedom, but I do think that it would be 

 of advantage if both central and local organisations existed with 

 which these private institutions might place themselves in 

 voluntary, but, at the same time, in close connection — organisa- 

 tions which, by means, perhaps, of inspection, by their guidance, 

 and by their counsel — might enable them so to organise them- 

 selves, so to co-relate themselves, as to render the instruction 

 which they may give more valuable to the public. These are, of 

 course, observations of a very general character, which, if they 

 have any substance, apply equally to schools in every part of the 

 country. Speaking of this particular district — -of your own 

 schools — I cannot help thinking that it might be of great ad- 

 vantage, both to them and to the community of Eastbourne, if, 

 under the county educational authority or under your borough 

 educational authority — there ought not to be any jealousy between 

 different bodies of that kind — there could be established in this 

 town of Eastbourne a scientific and technical institute, which 

 might be of great value to the inhabitants of Eastbourne itself 

 and also of great assistance to those educational establishments 

 which are so numerous amongst you, and which might make use 

 of such establishments as part of their educational course. 



PRIZE SUBJECTS OF THE PARIS ACADEMY 

 OF SCIENCES. 



'X'HE Coinptes rendus of the Paris Academy of Sciences, for 

 January 10, contains the list of subjects proposed for the 

 various prizes offered by the Academy for 1898 and three 

 succeeding years. I 



For the year 1898, the subject for the Grand Prize of the 

 Mathematical Sciences is to examine and extend the part played \ 

 by divergent series in analysis ; for the Bordin Prize (3000 fr.), \ 

 to study the questions relating to the determination, properties, 

 and applications of systems of orthogonal curvilinear coordinates 

 of n variables, indicating especially the degree of generality of 

 these systems; the Francoeur Prize (1000 fr. ) and Poncelet i 

 Prize (2000 fr. ), for the most useful work in the field of pure or 

 applied mathematics. In Mechanics, the Extraordinary Prize of j 

 6000 fr., for progress in any direction calculated to increase the 

 efficiency of the French naval forces ; the Montyon Prize j 

 (700 fr.), for inventing or improving instruments useful to the i 

 progress of agriculture, the mechanical arts or sciences ; the ! 

 Plumey Prize {2500 fr.), for improvements in steam engines, or 1 

 any other invention contributing to the progress of steam navi- \ 

 gation ; the Fourneyron Prize (500 fr. ), for the theory of the [ 

 motion of bicycles, discussing more especially the conditions of 

 stability of both rectilinear and curved motion on a horizontal I 

 or inclined plane. I 



In Astronomy, the Lalande Prize (540 fr. ), for the most j 

 interesting observation, or the work or memoir most useful to | 

 the progress of astronomy ; the Damoiseau Prize (1500 fr. ), for 

 an exposition of the theory of the perturbations of Hyperion, 

 the satellite of Saturn, taking account principally of the action j 

 of Titan, comparing the observations with the theory, and hence | 

 deducing the mass of Titan ; the Valz Prize (460 fr. ), for the | 

 most interesting astronomical observation made during the 

 current year ; the Janssen Prize (a gold medal), for discoveries 

 in physical astronomy. 



In Statistics, the Montyon Prize (500 fr,), for questions 

 relating to French statistics ; and in Chemistry, the Jecker 

 Prize (10,000 fr. ), for work in organic chemistry. 



In Mineralogy and Geology, the Vaillant Prize (4000 fr.), for 

 a work discussing and making known the indications furnished 



NO. 1475. ^'OL 57] 



by the microscopical study of sedimentary rocks (particularly 

 secondary and tertiary) from the point of view of their genesis 

 and of the modifications which they have undergone since their 

 deposit in structure and composition, organised bodies being 

 included. 



In Botany, theBarbier Prize (2000 fr. ), for discoveries bearing 

 upon the art of healing ; the Desmazieres Prize (1600 fr.), for 

 the best study of Cryptogams ; the Montagne Prizes (1000 fr. 

 and 500 fr. ), for memoirs bearing on the anatomy, physiology, 

 and development of the lower Cryptogams ; the De la Fons- 

 Melicocq (900 fr. ), for botanical work on the North of France ; 

 and the Thore Prize (200 fr. ) to the author of the best work on 

 the cellular Cryptogams of Europe. 



In Anatomy and Zoology, the Savigny Prize (975 fr.), for the 

 assistance of young travelling zoologists, not receiving Govern- 

 mental support, who have specially occupied themselves with the 

 invertebrate fauna of Egypt and Syria. 



In Medicine and Surgery, a Montyon Prize for discoveries or 

 inventions bearing on medicine or surgery ; the Barbier Prize 

 (2000 fr. ), for the most valuable discovery in relation to the art 

 of healing (surgery, medicine, pharmacy or botany) ; the Breant 

 Prize (100,000 fr.), for a discovery leading to the complete sup- 

 pression of Asiatic cholera ; the Godard Prize (1000 fr.), for the 

 best memoir on the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the 

 genito-urinary organs; also the Bellion (1400 fr.) ; Mege 

 Lallemand (1800 fr.), and Baron Larrey Prizes. 



In Physiology, a Montyon Prize (750 fr.) ; the Pourat Prize 

 (1400 fr.), for a memoir on the motor nerves of the stomach, 

 and the Philipeaux Prize (890 fr. ). 



In Physical Geography, the Gay Prize (2500 fr. ), for a com- 

 parison between the marine flora of the Bay of Biscay with that 

 of neighbouring regions and of the Mediterranean ; also to see 

 if the fauna and flora lead to similar conclusions. Other general 

 prizes offered are the Arago Medal, the Montyon Prize (un- 

 healthy trades), the Tremont Prize (iioo fr.), the Gegner Prize 

 (4000 fr.), the Delalande-Guerineau Prize (1000 fr.), the Jerome 

 Ponti Prize (3500 fr.), the Leconte Prize (50,000 fr.), for a new 

 and important discovery in mathematics, physics, chemistry, 

 natural history, or medical science ; the Tchiatcheff Prize 

 (3000 fr. ), for exploration of the lesser-known portions of Asia ; 

 the Houllevigue Prize, the Cahours Prize (3000 fr.), for the 

 assistance of young chemists of promise ; the Saintour Prize 

 (3000 fr.), the Kastner-Boursault Prize (2000 fr.), for the best 

 work on the applications of electricity in the arts, industry-, and 

 commerce ; and the Estrade-Delcros Prize (8000 fr.). 



Of these prizes, those of Montagne and Delalande-Guerineau 

 are expressly restricted to Frenchmen, whilst the Lalande, 

 La Caze, Delesse, Desmazieres, Tchiatcheff, and Leconte 

 Prizes are awarded without distinction of nationality. 



MR. CAVENDISH ON HIS JOURNEY TO 

 LAKE RUDOLF. 

 C\^ Monday last, Mr. H. S. H. Cavendish described his 

 ^^ recent journey in East Africa before the Royal Geo- 

 graphical Society. Accompanied by Lieut. H. Andrew, Mr. 

 Cavendish left Berbera on September 5, 1896, and proceeded in 

 a southerly direction to Lugh, on the Juba River, afterwards 

 striking westwards up the Dau. Here it proved very difficult to 

 get into communication with the natives, as the caravan was at 

 first taken for an Abyssinian force. The country of the Boran 

 Gallas, with whom Dr. Donaldson Smith had so much trouble, 

 was, however, soon reached. Mr. Cavendish gave some in- 

 teresting details respecting this tribe, which he found most 

 friendly, and anxious to be placed under British protection. 

 Whilst in the Boran country the travellers were able to wander 

 about at will without escort. At Egder, in about lat. 4'' N., 

 long- 39° E., Dr. Donaldson Smith's route was left, and the 

 caravan made direct for Lake Stefanie, passing a remarkable 

 crater with a lake at the bottom, from which salt is obtained. 

 At the south end of Lake Stefanie a large outcrop of coal was 

 discovered, which had evidently been laid bare by the action of 

 the water. It was in this neighbourhood that ^Ir. Cavendish 

 had an adventure with an elephant which well-nigh proved fatal. 

 Some valuable information was collected with regard to the 

 tribes on the western side of the lake, the principal of which are 

 the Wanderobo (allied to the Borans), the Harbora, Hamerkoke 

 (nomads), and Galubba. Striking across to the north end of 

 Lake Rudolf, the travellers reached the country of the Reshiat 

 or Darsonich, a race of traders, but, like other tribes of the 



