422 



NATURE 



[March 30, 1876 



one hand, and to polar regions on the other, or even to 

 have had their origin in these regions ; and that the idea 

 of two great atmospheric currents having in storms a 

 common plane of meethig (Begegnungs-fliiche) is a mere 

 supposition. Such statements as these : " The storm is 

 the cotiflict of air- currents," and "the barometric depres- 

 sion is the effect of their movement," are, to say the least, 

 altogether unwarranted in the present state of our know- 

 ledge. 



The tornado is conceived as originating from the sultry 

 calm felt before it, which is due to the conflicting of the 

 two aerial currents, bringing about a state of equilibrium 

 by the great compressive force they exert against each 

 other. This equilibrium is disturbed by a particular 

 uneven configuration of the earth's surface, and the dis- 

 turbance produces the tornado. Leaving out of view the 

 imagining action of conflicting aerial currents, it will be 

 enough to point to the geographical distribution of tor- 

 nadoes as disproving this theory of their origin. 



Notwithstanding these very serious drawbacks, the 

 book will repay perusal as being the production of one 

 who not unfrequently gives evidence of acute observation, 

 and who has thought out his subject for himself. The 

 following may be given as specimens of what are re- 

 peatedly to be met with :--" Meteorology is fully as much 

 a science of the earth's surface as of the air." " The 

 wind changes, not by the veering around of one and the 

 same current, but by a succession of different currents, 

 blowing inwards." '" Among the meteorological elements 

 the real direction of the wind is the most difficult to arrive 

 at, especially at observatories above cities or near moun- 

 tains and coasts, and wind observations are therefore in 

 general the least reliable." " The thermometer, as mea- 

 suring a primary effect, is, with the hygrometer, at least 

 as important as the barometer." 



The theory of atmospheric movements remains still to 

 be stated, and it needs scarcely be added that this cannot 

 be done till we have a better knowledge than we yet pos- 

 sess of the physics of the atmosphere with its vapour, 

 and of the merely mechanical effects of ascending, 

 descending, and horizontally-flowing currents of air. 



ANDERSON'S '' MANDALAY TO MOMIEN'' 

 Mandalay to Montien : A Narrative of the Two Expe- 

 ditions to Western China of 1868 and 1875, under 

 Col. E. B. Sladen and Col. Horace Bi'0'W7ie. By John 

 Anderson, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c.. Curator of Imperial 

 Museum, and Professor of Comparative Anatomy, 

 Medical College, Calcutta. With Maps and Illustra- 

 tions. (London : Macmillan and Co., 1876.) 



MAN Y details concerning the latter of the expeditions 

 referred to in this volume have been made known 

 in this country through the daily papers, in connection 

 with the much-to-be regretted murder of Mr. A. R. Mar- 

 gary. Indeed, Dr. Anderson states that his work was 

 suggested by the interest called forth by the repulse of 

 the recent mission and the tragedy attending it. The 

 principal object of both expeditions was to prepare the 

 way for establishing an overland trade-route between 

 Burmah and China, and thus save the delay and expense 

 of a roundabout sea voyage. That the establishment of 

 such a route is desirable from a commercial point of view 



is maintained by all who have a knowledge of the cir- 

 cumstances, and in the meantime appears to have been 

 frustrated by the machinations of native traders who 

 think it their interest to shut out British enterprise from 

 a field which is evidently capable of great development. 

 This uncivilised shortsightedness will no doubt in the 

 end be defeated, though in the meantime it has cost this 

 country the loss of a brave and accomplished servant. 



Dr. Anderson, who was medical and scientific officer to 

 both expeditions, does not pretend to give in the present 

 volume more than a narrative of the general work of the 

 expedition ; a full and illustrated report of the natural 

 history results, is, however, we are glad to learn, in active 

 preparation, and will be published by the aid of the 

 Indian government. Meantime, .in the very interesting 

 narrative before us, numerous details will be found of 

 value from a scientific point of view. Dr. Anderson has 

 made use not only of his own notes, but to some extent of 

 those of other members of the expeditions, and has evi- 

 dently studied with care the results achieved by the 

 French expedition from Saigon to Yunnan under Lagrde, 

 Garnier, and Carn^, as well as the literature of the subject 

 generally. The result is that the reader will obtain a 

 clear account of the British connection with the route 

 referred to, and be in a position to understand the 

 present state of affairs and future negotiations. 



The real starting-point of the first expedition under Col. 

 Sladen, was Mandalay, the capital of Burmah, which was 

 founded by the present king only in 1853, but which is 

 already a large and evidently well-constructed city. An 

 interesting description of Mandalay, and of the royal 

 court, and some of its customs, is given by D. Anderson. 

 From this point the party sailed in a steamer up the 

 Irawady to Bhamo, which is about thirty miles from the 

 boundary between Burmah and Yunnan, and is the head- 

 quarters of the Chinese traders who seem at present to 

 monopolise the trade between Burmah and Western 

 China, and whose opposition had no doubt much to do 

 with the difficulties encountered by both expeditions. After 

 many troubles with regard to carriers the expedition left 

 Bhamo and proceeded by Ponline, Ponsee, Manwyne and 

 Nantin to Momien, beyond which it could not proceed. 



Yunnan was at the time in a state of anarchy caused 

 by the rebellion of the Panthays, or Chinese Moham- 

 medan population of this region, which added greatly to 

 the difficulties and dangers of the expedition. Never- 

 theless, even from a commercial point of view, it seems 

 to us much was accomplished, but probably more from a 

 scientific point of view. The natural history results, we 

 have said, are being prepared for publication, but in the 

 present volume the geologist, and especially the ethno- 

 logist, will find a great deal that is valuable and interest- 

 ing. Dr. Anderson has evidently taken careful notes as 

 he journeyed along, and a somewhat minute description 

 of the course of the Irawady and of the country on its 

 banks, and its antiquities between Mandalay and Bhamo 

 will be found in the work. There were so many delays 

 between Bhamo and Momien that Dr. Anderson had 

 many opportunities of studying the country and the people, 

 and these he evidently took ample advantage of. To the 

 Kakhyens and Shans especially he paid great attention, 

 and his account of these peoples must be considered a 

 valuable contribution to ethnology. 



