March 



1898] 



NA TURE 



51, 



that the average size of 1060 men, measured at Seoul in 

 January 1897, by Mr. A. B. StripHng, was height 5 ft. 

 ii|^ in., chest-measurement 31 in., and circumference of 

 head 21^ in. The maximum figures were respectively 

 5 ft. \\\ in., 39i in., and 2i\ in. The physique is gener- 

 ally good, and the people possess many amiable qualities. 

 The total population is estimated at from 12,000,000 to 

 13,000,000. Most of the people are very poor, and have 

 no inducements to thrift ; any wealth they may gather is 

 at the mercy of the official class, who are mainly, if not 

 entirely, responsible for the miserable condition of the 

 country. Under the just rule of the Russians in Eastern 

 Siberia, Mrs. Bishop found the Korean emigrants happy 

 and enterprising, making good profits from their farms 

 and inhabiting comfortable houses. Given good govern- 

 ment, people and resources being as they are would 

 ensure prosperity to Korea. Into the tangled political 

 history of the unhappy country we cannot enter here, nor 

 can we refer to the many curious customs, 

 ceremonials and beliefs, which are set forth 

 at considerable length. These, perhaps, 

 constitute the most valuable part of the 

 book, for Mrs. Bishop caught Korea in 

 an interesting transition period, when the 

 old subjugation to China was being re- 

 pudiated for ever, and reforms of many 

 kinds were being introduced. The Altar 

 of the Spirits of the Land, at which the 

 ceremony of repudiation was carried out, 

 is shown in Fig. 2. Few contrasts are 

 more striking than that presented by Seoul 

 at her first and at her last visit ; when the 

 filthy chaos of huts surrounding the palace 

 gave place to well-ordered streets of good 

 houses. The problem of the fourfold influ- 

 ence of Russian, Chinese, Japanese and 

 European interests is very well handled. 

 Of the industries of Korea the most inter- 

 esting is the cultivation of gin-seng, the 

 description of the processes employed in 

 the manufacture of the dried root being, 

 we believe, the fullest yet published. 



The future of Korea is still uncertain, but • 



it is bound to play a prominent part in the 

 politics of the Far East ; and this book will 

 hold a place as a valuable work of reference for many 

 years to come. Hugh Robert Mill. 



ASTRONOMICAL RESULTS FROM THE 

 CAPE OBSERVATORY} 



npHESE three volumes, issued under the superintend- 

 -■- ence of Dr. Gill, form in some respects a very remark- 

 able production. Not so much on account of the very 

 numerous observations, whose discussion furnishes forth 

 these weighty books, as by reason of the widespread 

 assistance rendered by many astronomers, whose en- 

 ergies Dr. Gill has quickened, whose results he has 

 collected, stamped with his own individuality, and in- 

 corporated in the " Annals of the Cape Observatory." 

 There are very few instances in which the director of 

 an observatory has been willing to take up a laborious 

 piece of work at the suggestion of an astronomer, how- 

 ever eminent, go through the wearisome task of making 

 the observations, and then be willing to hand over his 

 results to an independent authority for final discussion 

 or criticism. It is this quality of self-abnegation, which 

 strikes us as so complete and worthy of imitation. We 

 congratulate Dr. Gill on his tactful skill, by which he 



1 "Annals of the Cape Observatory." VoL iii. The Cape Photographic 

 Durchmusterung. Vol. vi. Solar Parallax from Heliometer Observations 

 of Minor Planets. Vol. vii. Solar Parallax from Observations of Victoria 

 and Sappho. (London : Published by order of the Lords Commissioners 

 of the Admiralty, 1896.) 



has emerged from his self-imposed task, without friction 

 with his collaborators, and been able to present to the 

 world, in a complete form, the result of a scheme which 

 he carefully planned and carried to a successful issue. 

 We think it an especial merit in Dr. Gill's work, that he 

 has perceived the value of strengthening his heliometer 

 observations by combining with them the results made 

 with similar instruments elsewhere. It was quite within 

 his power and instrumental means to have derived the 

 solar parallax from observations of the asteroids made 

 solely at the Cape Observatory. Other observers could 

 have done the same work, but separate discussions, made 

 at irregular intervals and under varying conditions, da 

 not possess the proportionate authority that attaches to 

 one discussion made with several instruments on a 

 combined plan. Moreover, one feels that the last word 

 has been said, for some years at least, on this subject 

 of solar parallax, by means of heliometer observations. 



Fig. 2. — Altar of the Spirits of the Land. 



^-{y^ 



Every observer must feel that, singly, he cannot do 

 more than has already been done collectively. There 

 can be no temptation to repeat the work. Consequently 

 the owners of this class of instruments are freed from 

 this particular investigation, for which the heliometer 

 seems especially well fitted, and are at liberty to pursue 

 other inquiries with advantage. It might be worth 

 while just to mention, that to get the full power of a 

 heliometer a considerable number of meridian observ- 

 ations is necessary. In this case some thousands came 

 under the discriminating examination of Prof. Auwers. 

 To use this mass of observations on one series of 

 measures would be extravagant, but when combined 

 with all the heliometer observations in a final inquiry, 

 this cost of time and labour is disregarded, since they 

 contribute to the increased accuracy of so large a body 

 of measures. It is a true economy which Dr. Gill has 

 practised, and the success which has followed it will bear 

 much fruit in the future. 



In the inquiry from which the solar parallax is de- 

 duced, we notice that no less than six observatories have 

 contributed heliometer measures. Besides that of the 

 Cape, we have New Haven (Yale College), Leipzig, 

 Gottingen, Bamberg, and the O.vford Radcliffe Ob- 

 servatory, all furnishing measures of some or all of 

 the three planets. Iris, Victoria, and Sappho, from stars 

 in a previously selected zone, through which the planets 

 passed. Several have further assisted by making a 

 careful triangulation of the selected stars. The position 



NO. 1483, VOL. 57] 



