October 6, 192 1] 



NATURE 



185 



with coal at its present price, it would appear 

 desirable that these problems should receive 

 adequate investigation at an early date. 



Facilities for Research in Hydraulic and 

 Cognate Problems. — In view of the considerations 

 already outlined, and especially in view of the 

 larg-e part which British engineering will prob- 

 ably play in future water-power developments, the 

 provision on an adequate scale at some institution 

 in this country of facilities for research on hydrau- 

 lic and cognate problems connected with the 

 development of water power is worthy of serious 

 attention. 



At present the subject is treated in the curricu- 

 lum of the engineering schools of one or two of 

 our universities, but in no case is the laboratory 

 equipment really adequate for the purpose in 

 question. 



What is required is a research laboratory with 

 facilities for experiments on the flow of water on 

 a fairly large scale ; for carrying out turbine tests 

 on models of sufficient capacity to serve as a basis 

 for design ; and, if possible, working in conjunc- 

 tion with one or more of the hvdro-electric stations 



already in existence, or to be installed in the 

 country, at which certain large-scale work might 

 be carried out. 



The provision of such a laboratory is at 

 present under consideration in the United States, 

 and in view of the rapidity with which the designs 

 of hydraulic prime movers and their accessories are 

 being improved at the moment, it would" appear 

 most desirable that the British designer, in order 

 that the deservedly high status of his products 

 should be maintained and enhanced, should at least 

 have access to equal facilities, and, if necessary, 

 be able to submit any outstanding problems to 

 investigation by a specially trained staff. 



The extent to which our various heat engine 

 laboratories have been able of recent years to 

 assist in the development of the internal com- 

 bustion engine, and to which our experimental 

 tanks have assisted in the development of the ship- 

 building industry, is well known to most of us, 

 and the provision of similar facilities to assist in 

 the development of our hydro-electric industry 

 would probably have equally good results in this 

 connection. 



The Danish Deep Sea Expedition. 



THE Danish Deep Sea Expedition, which left 

 Copenhagen on August 30 on board the 

 new research steamer Dana, is expected to spend 

 about ten months in the temperate and tropical 

 parts of the North Atlantic. The object of the 

 expedition is to carry out deep sea investigations 

 in accordance with a scheme which was submitted 



FiG.i. — S.S. Dana. 



by the leader of the expedition, Dr. Jobs. 

 Schmidt, to the International Council for the 

 Exploration of the Sea during their meeting at 

 Copenhagen in July last. 



The committee of the expedition consists of 

 the members of the official Danish "Committee 

 NO. 2710, VOL. 108] 



for the Study of the Sea " and of several other 

 Danish men of science interested in oceanography. 

 The president is Commander C. F. Drechsel, and 

 the vice-president \'ice-Admiral C. F. Wandel 

 (leader of the Danish Ingolf Expedition in 

 1895-96). Admiral H.R.H. Prince Valdemar of 

 Denmark is patron of the expedition. The ex- 

 penses are being defrayed by 

 funds supplied by various private 

 persons and by the Danish 

 Government annual grants for 

 marine investigations in connec- 

 tion with the International Coun- 

 cil for the Exploration of the Sea. 

 The ship of the expedition, the 

 Dana (Fig. i), of the Lord Mer- 

 sey trawler type, was bought in 

 England by the Danish Govern- 

 ment to replace the old research 

 steamer Thor, which was sold 

 some years ago. The Dana has 

 hecsi equipped for marine research 

 work at the Royal Dockyard, 

 Copenhagen. She has a length 

 of about 140 ft. between perpen- 

 diculars, and is 325 tons gross 

 register. She carries a 6oo-h.p. 

 triple expansion engine, giving 

 ■ her a speed of 9 knots. A large 

 deck-house has been constructed, which contains 

 two laboratories — a larger biological laboratory 

 with accommodation for five workers, and a 

 smaller one for hydrographical work with 

 room for two — together with a mess-room 

 for the scientific staff, and a cabin for the 



