14 



NATURE 



[May 6, 1875 



Chemistry in Germany and in Austria has to deplore two 

 severe losses. On the 15th of April died Prot. von Schrotter, 

 Master of the Mint in Vienna, and known best through his dis- 

 covery of amorphous phosphorus and his determination of the 

 atomic weight of phosphorus ; he died at the age of seventy- three 

 years. A few days later Prof. Carius died at Marburg after 

 a protracted illness. Although only forty-six years old, he leaves 

 behind him the record of very numerous researches, of which 

 those on the sulpho compounds, corresponding to glycerine and 

 its derivatives, :on the oxysulphides of phosphorus, on the action 

 of hypochlorous acid on hydrocarbons, and on the analyses of 

 organic chlorides, iodides, bromides, sulphides, and phosphides 

 are best known. 



The Times of the 30th ult. contains a letter from its corre- 

 spondent with the Challenger, dated " Zamboango, Jan, 31." 

 The Challenger left Hong Kong on Jan. 6, and proceeded to 

 the middle of the China Sea, where a series of temperature 

 soundings was taken, the temperature at the bottom, 1,200 

 fathoms, being found to be 36° Fahr. This temperature is 

 accounted for by Capt. Chimmo's statement, that the China Sea 

 is cut off by a barrier, which rises to a height of between 800 and 

 900 fathoms below the surface of the water, from communication 

 with the Antarctic Ocean. Passing along the west coast of 

 Luzon, the Challenger entered a little enclosed sea extending from 

 the north point of the island of Tablas to the strait between the 

 north-east angle of Panay and the south-west point of Masbate. 

 Here another series of interesting temperature soundings was 

 taken, the temperature at bottom, 700 fathoms, being 517°. 

 The temperatures generally in this Panay Sea were to a certain 

 extent intermediate between those in the China Sea on the one 

 side and the Zebu Sea on the other, leaving it uncertain whether 

 the cleft in the barrier to the depth of 150 fathoms is between 

 Tablas and Panay or between Romplon and Sabuyan. After 

 visiting Zebu, near which some fine specimens of the beautiful 

 sponge the " Venus' Flower-basket " {Euplectella) were trawled, 

 the ship made for the small island of Comiguin, between Min- 

 danao and Bohol, to inspect the active volcano therein. This 

 volcano "was born on May i, 1871," and now forms an irregular 

 cone of 1,950 feet in height. From Comiguin the Challenger 

 proceeded along the west coast of Mindanao to Zamboango, 

 where a party of sportsmen were sent to camp out in the forest 

 within riding distance of the ship. On leaving Zamboango, a 

 run of about 2,000 miles was to be made nearly parallel with the 

 equator, and only a few degrees to the north of Greenwich 

 Island. Thence the expedition was to make one of the most 

 important sections, through the Caroline and Ladrone Islands to 

 Japan, where it was expected to arrive about the second week of 

 April. 



The enterprise of the Scottish Meteorological Society 

 we have had frequent occasion to refer to, and the practical 

 as well as scientific Value of the work it undertakes does 

 it the greatest credit, especially when its narrow means is 

 taken into consideration. One of its latest publications is 

 a diagram by Mr. G. Thomson, Fishery Officer, Lybster, 

 Caithness, showing for the months of July, August, and Sep- 

 tember, 1874, the catch and quality of the herrings, and the 

 varying positions of the herring-ground in the district of Lybster, 

 as also the meteorology of the district. The diagram, which 

 has been revised by the secretary, Mr. Buchan, is ingeniously 

 constructed and quite intelligible. There are two series of con- 

 joined curves and tables, the first showing all details belonging 

 to the meteorology of each day, and the second showing the 

 catch and quality of fish. Underneath are a sketch of the 

 coast and indications of the different fishing grounds occupied. 

 The diagram, we believe, is intended for distribution among the 

 various district fishery officers in Scotland, with the view of 



inducing some of them to prepare similar' diagrams for 1875 for 

 their own districts. With these, and the observations from 

 twenty sea-thermometers which were presented by the Marquis 

 of Twceddale, as also of the weather during the coming season, 

 results may be hoped for that will throw some light on the im- 

 portant question of the varying locaUsation of the fishings. 



The Committee of the forthcoming Geographical Congress at 

 Paris have finished the distribution of the space allotted to the 

 various countries in the Pavilion de Flore for exhibition ; the geo- 

 graphical order has been adopted in locating the several nations. 

 Russia, being the most northern, has been placed first ; but 

 magnificent rooms have been allotted to British exhibitors on 

 the ground-floor. Everything has been done to ensure a splendid 

 display of English science and industry, and great things are 

 expected from the nation which, without any boasting, may be 

 said to have done as much as many others put together to open 

 the world to civilisation. The presidents of the English Com- 

 mittee are the Earl of Derby, Sir H. Rawlinson, and Sir Bartle 

 Frere. Great interest is felt by the Society and the Committee 

 in the Polar Expedition, and models of the two ships, of sledges, 

 boats, &c., would be most particularly popular and very thank- 

 fully received. 



The Council of the Senate of Cambridge University upon 

 the Grace which proposed to constitute a Syndicate for the 

 purpose of considering what representations should be made to 

 the Government as to the pecuniary and other relations subsist- 

 ing between the University and the Colleges, are of opinion 

 that it should be withdrawn ; they think, however, that it is 

 advisable to obtain the general opinion of the University on the 

 following points : — i. What additional teachers or appliances 

 for teaching are required in the different departments of Univer- 

 sity study. 2. How these teachers and appliances may be best 

 supplied, whether by the individual Colleges or by the Univer- 

 sity, or partly by the one and partly by the other. 3. Whether 

 by any improved organisation the systems of professorial and 

 collegiate teaching may be made more efficient and be brought 

 into closer relations with each other. 4. How the teaching in 

 the University may be organised so as to give the greatest 

 encouragement to the advancement of the several branches of 

 learning. They therefore recommend that a Syndicate be ap- 

 pointed to consider these subjects. The Vice-Chancellor invites 

 discussion of this report on Saturday next, at 2 p.m., in the 

 Arts School. 



A SYNDICATE has been appointed to consider what steps 

 (if any) should be taken for establishing a Professorship of 

 Mechanism and Engineering in the University of Cambridge. 



The late Prof. Willis, by his will, offered to Cambridge Uni- 

 versity, for 1,200/., the collections of models, instruments, and 

 tools used by him as Jacksonian Professor. A Syndicate has 

 been appointed to consider the expediency of purchasing the 

 whole or part of the collections. 



For some time past negotiations have been in progress between 

 Prof. Charles F. Hartt, of Cornell University, and the Govern- 

 ment of Brazil, in regard to a complete geological survey of that 

 empire. It is now stated that the preliminaries have been com- 

 pleted, and that Prof. Hartt has been appointed director of the 

 survey. His preparations for this work are ample, as he has 

 made no less than four successive visits to Brazil with reference 

 to the study of its general geology and ethnology. His salary is 

 said to have been fixed at $10,000 a year. It is also announced 

 that Prof. Caldwell, another member of the faculty of Cornell 

 University, has been appointed to take charge of the agricultural 

 branch of the survey. 



In reference to a note in Dingier' s Polytech. Journal, men- 

 tioned in Nature, yoL xi. p. 456, there is a second paper in 



