July 7, 192 1] 



NATURE 



591 



scientific journals. The Upper Library contains 

 many objects of literary and scientific in- 

 terest, including Charles Darwin's class-cards 

 for the lectures which he attended in the 

 University in the years 1825-26, and will be avail- 

 able as a withdrawing-room and additional writ- 

 ing-room. At the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 

 22 George Street, members may see the principal 

 scientific journals and consult books in the library. 



The inaugural meeting and the evening dis- 

 courses will take place in the Usher Hall, which 

 is an ideal hall for the purpose and has excellent 

 acoustic properties. The hall has spacious corri- 

 dors, foyers, and cloak-rooms ; its interior is well 

 proportioned, and as the grand circle and the 

 gallery above it are constructed on the cantilever 

 principle there are no pillars to obstruct the view 

 of any member of the audience. In this hall also 

 will be given three of the public lectures to 

 citizens. Sir Oliver Lodge will give the opening 

 lecture on " Speech through the Ether, or the 

 Scientific Principles L'nderlying Wireless Tele- 

 phony " ; Prof. Dendy will lecture on "The 

 Stream of Life " ; and Prof. H. J. Fleure on 

 "Countries as Personalities." A special lecture, 

 arranged in collaboration with Section M (Agri- 

 culture), for agriculturists will be given in the 

 Natural History Theatre in the Old College of the 

 University on the afternoon of market day (Wed- 

 nesday, September 7) by Dr. E. J. Russell on 

 "Science and Crop Production." 



The Lord Provost, magistrates, and council of 

 the city will give a reception in the Royal Scottish 

 Museum on the Thursday evening ; there will be 

 a special graduation ceremonial in the M'Ewan 

 Hall on the Tuesday afternoon, and a garden 

 party immediately afterwards, which the local 

 committee hopes to give in the Zoological Park. 



The handbook is not quite on traditional lines ; 

 it is not an account of the history, topography, 

 and organisation of the city — this information is 

 accessible elsewhere — but will give an account of 

 the place of Edinburgh in scientific progress. 

 Owing to the present high cost of printing, the 

 book must be kept within the modest limits of 

 about 230 pages, but it is hoped that the authors 

 who are collaborating in its production will be 

 able to give within this compass an adequate 

 account of the main lines in the advancement of 

 science which have been especially associated with 

 Edinburgh. 



In order to give members an opportunity of 

 visiting the more important places of historical 

 and general interest round Edinburgh, arrange- 

 ments are being made for excursions on the Satur- 

 day {a) to Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, and Stir- 

 ling, (b) to Melrose Abbey and the Scott country, 

 and (r) by river to Alloa and Stirling. Shorter 

 excursions have been planned for other days. One 

 of these is to H.M. Dockvard, Rosyth, by kind 

 permission of Admiral Sir Herbert Heath ; another 

 is to Dunfermline, where the party will not only 

 be able to inspect the historical abbey and church, 

 but also those interested in sociology will have an 

 opportunity of seeing the work of ihe Carnegie 

 NO. 2697, VOL. T07] 



trustees ; and another is to Linlithgow, where, in 

 addition to historical interests, the party will be 

 able to comprehend, from a commanding point of 

 view, the manner in which the Forth valley has 

 been eroded. Other excursions will be arranged 

 to Swanston (the former home of Robert Louis 

 Stevenson) and Craigmillar Castle, and to the 

 Castle and Chapel of Roslin and to Hawthornden. 

 Those interested in the architecture and picture 

 galleries of the noble houses of Scotland will 

 enjoy the excursion to Dalkeith Palace, the resi- 

 dence of the Duke of Buccleuch, and to the 

 Marquis of Lothian's seat at Newbattle Abbey. 



Edinburgh itself has not been forgotten in these 

 arrangements ; small parties will be conducted 

 over the "Old Town," especially the "Royal 

 Mile " from the Castle to Holyrood, and the 

 member who avails himself of this opportunity 

 will visit, under the guidance of Prof. Baldwin 

 Brown, Dr. John Harrison, and other experts, 

 the scenes of many of the most moving events in 

 Scottish history. 



The city and the surrounding country present 

 many features of interest to the geologist, the bio- 

 logist, the engineer, the geographer, and the 

 student of the growth of cities. Sectional excur- 

 sions to the chief points have been planned. 



It has often been stated that Edinburgh is not 

 an industrial or commercial city, probably because 

 the reputation which it has enjoyed , in other 

 respects has overshadowed this aspect of its activi- 

 ties. In point of fact, however, banking, insur- 

 ance, and financial interests are strongly repre- 

 sented, and the city has important industries. It 

 has long been celebrated for book and map pro- 

 duction, and among other industries are brewing 

 and distilling, shipbuilding, engineering, rubber 

 and chemical works. Arrangements have been 

 made for the sections concerned to visit works 

 representative of these industries. 



The first list of hotels and lodgings is now 

 ready, and can be obtained either from the London 

 office, or from the Local Secretaries, The Uni- 

 versity, Edinburgh. Members should bear in 

 mind that September is a busy month for ordinary 

 tourist traffic in Edinburgh, and that they should 

 therefore make their arrangements early. Some 

 accommodation in hostels, at moderate charges, 

 has been placed at the disposal of the local execu- 

 tive committee. Ladies and gentlemen desiring 

 such accommodation should address their applica- 

 tions to the local secretaries direct before the 

 end of July, bv which time it is expected that 

 the available places will be allotted. Preference 

 will be given to scientific workers. 



Luncheon and tea will be obtainable at 

 moderate charges in the LTnlversIty Union and the 

 University Women's Union, both of which are 

 adjacent to the sectional meeting-rooms. Gentle- 

 men who are members of the Association will be 

 honorarv members of the Union for the week, and 

 ladies who are members will be honorary members 

 of the Women's Union. In each case the honorary 

 members will have the usual privileges, and may 

 introduce one or two guests — ladles or gentlemen. 



