24 



NATURE 



[May 2, 1878 



subjects to the studies of the University and to other circum- 

 stances material to be considered. Those of the following, 

 among other Chairs should, they think, be augmented, so that 

 the lowest of them should be not less than 700/. nor the highest 

 more than 900/. per annum— namely, Astronomy ; Geometry ; 

 Natural Philosophy ; Chemistry. 



They would also assign stipends, varying between the same 

 limits, to the following Chairs, constituted by division or modi- 

 fication of existing foundations :— Physics— dividing between 

 these two Chairs the subjects of the present Chair of Experi- 

 mental Philosophy; Physiology; Human and Comparative 

 Anatomy — dividing between those two Chairs the subjects of 

 the present Linacre Professorship. 



Stipends varying between the same limits should also be 

 assigned to the following new Chairs, which they think ought to 

 be established — English Language and Literature ; Pure Mathe- 

 matics ; Mechanics and Engineering. 



The stipends of the following Chairs should, they think, be 

 augmented, so that the lowest of them should not be less than 

 400/., nor the highest more than 500/. per annum — Medicine; 

 Botany ; Zoology ; Geology ; Mineralogy. 



The evidence and opinions which the Commissioners have 

 received lead them to the conclusion that it is expedient to 

 develop as much as possible those branches of scientific in- 

 struction which are introductory and preliminary to medicine, 

 rather than to attempt the establishment of a practical School of 

 Medicine in Oxford. 



» It may be desirable to provide a reader in Fluman Anatomy, 

 as assistant to the Professor of Human and Comparative 

 Anatomy, with a stipend of from 250/. to 300/. per annum ; and 

 they think there should also be a reader (with a present stipend 

 of 400/. per annum) in Invertebrate Anatomy, whose office, upon 

 a vacancy in the Professorship of Zoology, should be united to that 

 Chair, with such an increase in the emoluments of the professor 

 as may make them equal to those of the Chair of Human and 

 Comparative Anatomy, conditionally on his undertaking the 

 additional duty. 



Additional demonstratqrs appear to be required in several 

 departments of natural science, who, in most cases may best be 

 paid by fees, with supplementary grants when needful from the 

 University chest. 



There are several other purposes relative to the University 

 which they regard as important, and for some of which definite 

 provision ought to be made under the Act. Among these are : — 



The foundation and endowment of scholarships or exhibi- 

 tions tenable after a certain fixed period of residence in the 

 University, for students in any special branches of study (in- 

 cluding subjects which do not fall within the ordinary University 

 course, such, for example, as medicine), which may be usefully 

 promoted by such encouragement, under conditions properly 

 adapted to make their enjoyment dependent upon the bon& fide 

 prosecution of such studies. 



The encouragement of research, by the employment of 

 properly qualified persons, under the direction of some Univer- 

 sity authority, in doing some definite work, or conducting some 

 prescribed course of investigation, in any branch of literature or 

 science ; or by offering prizes or rewards for any such work or 

 investigation. 



The appointment and remuneration, from time to time, by 

 the University authorities, of extraordinary professors or occa- 

 sional lecturers in any subjects, either represented or not on the 

 ordinary teaching staff of the University. 



The last, and not the least important, of the main purposes 

 relative to the University for which, in the Commissioners' 

 opinion, provision should be made under the Act, is the creation 

 of a common University fimd, to be administered under the 

 supervision of the University, in addition to its general corporate 

 revenues. 



They look to the creation of this fund (of which the forma- 

 tion must be gradual) as the proper resource for the supply of 

 all the wants enumerated under the preceding head, except such 

 of them as any college may propose to aid in supplying. 



As to the sources from which funds for the above pur- 

 poses should be obtained, they are of opinion that these funds 

 must necessarily be obtained from the colleges. 



As to the principles on which payments by the colleges for 

 the above-mentioned purposes should be contributed, it will be 

 necessary to take into account the revenues, actual and prospective, 

 of each college, and its actual and prospective wants for educa- 

 tional and other purposes, before they can form a judgment as to 

 the amount ^^hich it should be called upon to contribute. They 



think it expedient to retain in Oxford a considerable number of 

 prize fellowships (that is, fellowships not coupled with any specific 

 duty or service to a college or to the University), for the en- 

 couragement and reward of meritorious students. Such fellow- 

 ships should, they think, as a rule, be terminable ; and their 

 present impression is that their emoluments should be of uniform 

 amount and should not exceed 200/. per annum. 



The Commissioners have already received from some of the 

 colleges proposals made, in a liberal spirit, in harmony with the 

 views which they have expressed ; and -they are confident that 

 they will receive such assistance from the University and the 

 colleges generally, as may be necessary to enable them to deter- 

 mine when, and in what order of priority, provision shall be 

 made for all the purposes^;specified in the first part of this 

 statement. 



AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PROJECTING 

 LISSAJOUS' FIGURES ON THE SCREEN"- 



A S is well known, the vibrations of tuning-forks when used 

 ■^ for the production of Lissajous' figures, are kept up either 

 by the constant application of the violin bow, or by the aid of an 

 electro-magnet ; the former method requiring the presence of 

 two assistants, and the latter adding materially to the complexity 

 of the apparatus, and not unfrequently failing to produce the 

 desired result. The difficulty is overcome in the present appa- 

 ratus by the substitution of harmonium reeds for the tuning forks, 

 the entire instrument being easily controlled by one operator. 



The apparatus consists of a base board on which are planted 

 the two reed boxes A and B. The box A is placed horizontally 

 in such a manner as to be capable of slight rotation in the 

 horizontal plane, and also of adjustment in height, by means of 

 the support to which it is attached being provided with a slot and 

 set screw. The box B is permanently attached to the base 

 board in the" vertical position. The boxes are so placed that a 

 pencil of light Calling directly on E would be reflected to B about 

 one inch from its top ; they are furnished with clamping screws 



for the attachment of the reeds. The boxes are entirely open 

 on the sides facing each other, their margins being covered with 

 soft leather on which the reed plates bed, making a sufficiently 

 air-tight joint. Wind is supplied through the brass tube C which 

 gives off a branch to each box, a stopcock DD' being inserted in 

 each branch. The reeds are similar to those used in the con- 

 struction of harmoniums ; they are mounted on brass plates 

 which fit the reed boxes. The tongue of each reed is furnished, 

 at its free end, with a small reflector of microscopic covering- 

 glass (E) silvered by Liebig's process, a piece of cork or pith 

 being interposed between the tongue and the reflector, so as to 

 free the latter from the frame of the reed ; the reeds are then 

 tuned in the usual manner. It is not necessary that the reeds 

 should be in absolute tune, as, within certain limits, their relative 

 vibrations can be adjusted by means of the stop-cocks, an 

 advantage of great value, believed to be solely possessed by this 

 apparatus. 



The reed in the vertical box gives the fundamental ratio of 

 vibrations from which the intervals are built up. Two funda- 

 mental reeds are used interchangeably, one giving the double or 



« Paper read at I,it. and Phil. Soc, Manchester, February 5, by J, Dixon 

 Mann, L.K.Q.C.P.) 



