May 2, 1878] 



NATURE 



23 



with prominent English and American mathematicians on new 

 geometrical subjects. Our author has a mission ; if any hold 

 with him, they should write to L. S. Benson, 149, Grand Street, 

 New York City, and become the happy possessors of a copy of 

 " Facts " for thirty cents. De gustibus non disputandum. 



The North China Herald reports a curious desire for im- 

 provement on the part of two Corean medical men, who belong 

 to a nation which has hitherto shown itself the most determined 

 in its self-isolation. These men have applied to Dr. Dudgeon, 

 the Superintendent of the London Mission Hospital, for per- 

 mission to attend there during the stay of the Corean embassy 

 at Peking. .They are described as very intelligent men, and 

 they speak very disparagingly of their own medicine. For 

 years they have been studying Hobson's medical works in 

 Chinese, and they have also obtained Dr. Dudgeon's Anatomical 

 Atlas. They are greatlyjnt crested in vaccination, and wish to 

 introduce it into Corea. The stringency of Corean laws pre- 

 vents natives from living out of their own country, but the 

 next time the embassy visits Peking these two men intend to 

 devote more time to the study of foreign medicine and surgery. 



Although the existence of kerosene oil in several of the 

 provinces of Japan is said to have been known for 1,200 years, 

 the Japanese did not know how to refine it tiU about six years 

 ago. Now, however, refining establishments are springing up 

 rapidly, and its manufacture is becoming an important industry. 



At Dresden a new journal appeared on May i entitled Zeit- 

 schriftfiir Museologie und veriuandte Wissenschaften ; the editor 

 is the Director of the celebrated " Griine Gewolbe," Hofrath 

 Dr. Grasse, the publisher, Herr T. M. Hofmann. Thus the 

 circle of "collection-journals," /.^.journals for archives, libraries, 

 and museums, is complete. 



A German inventor has found a new use for asbestos, in the 

 shape of leaves for a bank-note-album. These albums are said 

 to protect bank-notes or other valuable documents to such an 

 extent, that if they are laid between the leaves and the album is 

 closed firmly, they ^even remain legible after being burnt to 

 cinders. 



Mr. F. C. Penrose writes to the Times ivonn Copse Hill, 

 Wimbledon, that on April 24, at 8.12 P.M., he saw an unusually 

 fine meteor descending at a very steep angle, and when first 

 noticed, at about 2° to the north of the bright star Procyon, and 

 sloping a little to the north. It was yellowish, and although 

 not in itself intensely bright, from its apparent size (5' long and 

 3' broad by estimation), surpassed the light of Venus at her 

 maximum. It was as usual pear-shaped. After a course of 

 about 10° from the point first mentioned, it left behind it three 

 or fomr very bright blue star-like points, and vanished in a clear 

 sky at about an altitude of 22° and 57° west of south. No 

 sound of explosion was heard. 



A Peruvian chemist. Dr. Arosemano, will exhibit an inven- 

 tion at the_Paris Exhibition, which may become a very important 

 one for commerce. He has succeeded in obtaining a magni- 

 ficent dye from the violet or maroon Welshcorn of Peru, and this 

 dye is said to impart the colour, odour, and taste of claret to alj 

 light v.'hite wines to such a degree, that it is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish the coloured wine from real claret, without being in the 

 least injurious to the health of the consumer. Besides this a 

 number of other uses are mentioned to which this Welsh corn- 

 dye can be put. 



The German Telegraph Office is rapidly introducing the 

 telephone ; 68 stations are already provided with this instrument, 

 41 others will have it in a few weeks, and 1 1 1 more before the 

 end of the year ; thus there will be then a total of 220 telephone- 

 stations in Germany, 



To commemorate the looth anniversary of the discovery of the 

 Sandwich Islands by Cook, a statue of the great discoverer 

 will be erected on Diamond Peak, a burnt-out crater near 

 Honolulu. 



Seven extremely interesting pictures are now being exhibited 

 at Berlin by the painter, Herr J. L. Wensel ; they represent 

 scenes from the second German North Polar Expedition during 

 the years 1869 and 1870, and are executed after sketches made 

 on the spot by several members on the staff of the expedition. 



The Conference on the National Water Supply, in connec- 

 tion with the Society of Arts, will meet on the 21st and 22nd 

 inst., and will be followed on the 23rd and 24th by a Confer- 

 ence on the Health and Sewage of Towns. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Beisa Antelope {Oryx beisa) from North- 

 East Africa, presented by H.H. the Sultan of Zanzibar ; an 

 African Leopard {Felis pardus) from Africa, presented by Mrs. 

 Kirk; a Black Wallaby [Halmaturus ualabatus), a Laughing 

 Kingfisher {Dacelo gigantea) from Australia, presented by Mr. 

 D. W. Barker, jun. ; a Sand Lizard {Lacerta agilis), a Smooth 

 Newt {Triton tocniatus), Eiuropean, presented by the Masters 

 W. L. and B. L. Sclater; a Common Seal {Phoca vitidina) 

 from British seas, a Cariama {Cariama cristata) from Brazil ; a 

 Guira Cuckoo {Guira piririgua) from Para, a Crested Curassow 

 {Crax alector) from Guiana, a Bar-headed Goose {Anser indicus) 

 from India, a White-faced Tree Duck {Dendrocygna viduata) 

 from Brazil, a Red-billed Tree Duck {Dendrocygna autumnalis) 

 from America, a Blue-bonnet Parrakeet {Psephofus hccmato-, 

 gaster) from Australia, purchased ; a Bennett's Wallaby {Hal- 

 maturus bennetti), born in the Gardens. 



T 



THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD COMMISSION 



HE Vice-Chancellor has received from the University of 

 Oxford Commissioners a Statement with respect to the 

 main purposes relative to the University, for which, in their 

 opinion, provision should be made under the Act, the sources 

 from which funds for those purposes should be obtained, and the 

 principles on which payments from the colleges should be 

 contributed. The statement is somewhat similar to that pub- 

 lished in reference to Cambridge some weeks since, only more 

 detailed. 



As to the main purposes relative to the University for which 

 provision should be made under the Act, the first in order of 

 these purposes is, in their opinion, the extension and proper 

 endowment of the professoriate, and the better organisation of 

 University teaching. As to which two principal objects should 

 be kept in view: — i. The due representation at Oxford of 

 every considerable branch of knowledge, the advancement of 

 which can be effectually promoted by the University, as a place 

 either of education or of learning and research; and 2. The 

 due participation of the University itself, as distinct from its 

 colleges in the direction and improvement of the studies of its 

 undergraduate and other students. 



The Commissioners are unable to adopt the views of those 

 who would desire to transfer to the University the whole or the 

 chief part of the teaching work now done by the colleges either 

 separately or by means of intercollegiate arrangements. They 

 think that among the recognised studies of the University there 

 are some (such as natural science) for which the colleges cannot 

 be expected to make adequate provision, either without, or by 

 means of, those intercollegiate arrangements. 



Many of the existing professorships are inadequately endowed, 

 and ought to have their emoluments increased. Of a few the 

 emoluments are in excess of what we think necessary. There 

 are others the constitution, designation, and duties of which 

 may, when they become vacant, be advantageously modified. 

 The Commissioners also think that some new chairs should be 

 established and adequately endowed. 



The stipends of the • professors (other than those of the 

 theological faculty) should, in the Commissioners' opinion, be 

 of varying amounts, according to -the relation of their several 



