June 12, 1879] 



NATURE 



161 



gardens where statues are exhibited ; 142 in the saloons where 

 pictures are suspended on the walls. The 120 candles are sur- 

 rounded by opaline globes, which diminish the total effect, but 

 the general illumination is satisfactory. The other 142 have 

 been placed in translucent glass spheres, which leaves the light 

 its original force. The appearance of the pictures is splendid 

 and the general impression is exceedingly favourable. It is sup- 

 posed that the garden could well be arranged shortly according 

 to the same system, and the illumination will be unrivalled in 

 brilliancy. The partial extinctions are very few and generally 

 very easily repaired. The motive force is supplied by four 

 steam-engines placed in a shed at a distance, and is estimated at 

 3CX)-horse power (seventy-five for each motor). The consump- 

 tion of coal and other expenses are very small in comparison 

 with the receipts which were more than 200/. for the first evening. 

 It is divided in two equal parts, one for the Government and the 

 other for the Jablochkoff Company. But the speculation cannot 

 be said to be a paying one owing to the expenses of installation. 

 The length of insulated wire is about 42,000 yards at a shilling 

 each,^ and the other expenses in proportion. But it is supposed 

 that the scientific exhibition will inherit the bargain and the 

 electric fixtures, which are said to be worth 20,000/. will be in 

 constant use up to the Month of November. 



From Friedliinder and Son, of Berlin, we have received two 

 very full Catalogues of works in Geology and Geognosy, which 

 we commend to all interested in these subjects. 



In reference to a statement in the Globe that the prediction of 

 an earthquake to happen on or about May 21 was falsified, a 

 correspondent, Mr. Frank Barnard, writes that on that day he 

 felt the movement of an earthquake at Hastings, at 12 noon. 

 He describes it as a quivering of the ground, slight, but too pal- 

 pable to pass unheeded, communicating a quiver to his whole 

 frame such as he never felt before. He forwards us a cutting 

 from his sketch-book, on which he pencilled at the time a 

 record of the occurrence. 



In reference to Mr. Hosie's article in last week's Nature, 

 on Chinese Observations of Sun-Spots, a correspondent writes 

 that Mr. Sayce, in his "Babylonian Literature," shows that 

 more than 4,000 years ago it was recorded in the library of 

 Nineveh that the sun was spotted on the first day of the Chaldean 

 year, "from which," says a Times reviewer, " we may infer the 

 presence of an unusually large spot." We may, our corre- 

 spondent thinks, infer more — the presence of spots. 



Mr. R. Etheridge has written to the Times on a boring 

 made by the New River Company at Ware in Herts, in which it 

 was found that the Gault at a depth of 800 feet rests upon the 

 Upper Silurian rocks (the Wenlock Shale), richly fossiliferous, 

 dipping at an angle of 40deg., but to Nihat point of the compass 

 is not at present known. The Geological Magazine for June 

 reprints the letter and appends a list of the fossils found in the 

 cores of the Wenlock. 



When King Victor Emmanuel took possession of Rome he 

 left the Roman Observatory in the hands of the late Father 

 Secchi, out of respect for his exceptional merits. When Father 

 Secchi died, the Pope appointed his successor, who took posses- 

 sion of the establishment and refused to leave the place. He 

 has been expelled, however, manu militari. 



The Roman Alpine Club has decided to send an excursion to 

 Etna, which will leave Rome on July i. Intending excursionists 

 are directed to address the Secretary of the Roman section of 

 the Italian Alpine Club before the 15th instant, as preparations 

 are required for the comfort and safety of the excursionists. We 

 believe that any one, irrespective of nationality, can join the 

 excursion. The travelling expenses from Rome to Catania will 



be diminished by one-half, owing to the liberality of railway and 

 steamer companies. The duration of the excursion will be at least 

 seven days. 



We have received several numbers of the Naturalist, the 

 journal of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, from which we see 

 that the many societies composing that union are as active as 

 ever. A most interesting series of excursions has been arranged 

 for the summer. 



M. E. Morel, who has been Belgian Consul at Shanghai 

 for many years, has informed the North China Herald that his 

 Government, with the view of bringing the manufacturers of 

 Belgium into greater prominence, contemplate the establishment 

 at that port of a permanent museum in which specimens of all 

 descriptions of Belgian manufactures and produce will be ex- 

 hibited. It is believed that about 1,000/. per annum will be 

 expended on this object. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Rhesus Monkey {Macacus erylhmus) from 

 India, presented by Mr. J. Beech ; a Golden Eagle (Aquila 

 chrysaetos) from the Western Hebrides, presented by the Earl of 

 Dunmore, F.Z.S. ; a Red and Yellow Macaw {Ara chloroptera) 

 from South America, presented by Miss C. Cattlin ; two Com- 

 mon Kingfishers (Alcedo ispida), British Isles, presented by Mr. 

 W. W. Cobb ; a Common seal (Phoca vitulina), British Isles ; 

 three Javan Peafowls (Pavo spicifer) from Burmah, deposited ; 

 three Maned Geese (Bernicla jubata) from Australia, purchased; 

 an Eland (Oreas canna), a Canadian Beaver (Castor canadensis), 

 a Great Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), a Red Kangaroo (Ma- 

 cropus riifus), a Bennett's Wallaby (Hahnaturus bennetti), born 

 in the Gardens ; four Amherst Pheasants ( Thanmalia amherstice), 

 three Egyptian Geese (Chenalopex agyptiaca), bred in the 

 Gardens. 



SCHLIEMANN'S TROJAN EXCAVATIONS 



'T'HE Times of Tuesday contains several letters from Dr. 

 Schliemann, describing the researches he has been recently 

 making in the Trojan country in company with Dr. Virchow of 

 Berlin, and M. Burnouf, of Athens. They endeavoured to as- 

 certain the geological character of the plain of Troy, by sink- 

 ing shafts in different parts between Mount Hissarlik and the 

 Hellespont. Dr. Schliemann states : — " We obtained every where 

 the same result — viz., below the clay soil a thick layer of coarse 

 or fine river sand, and below it the very compact dark -brown clay 

 of the plain. But the most important result was obtained by the 

 shaft we sunk in the Stomalimne, mentioned by Strabo, which is 

 an easily recognisable swamp, situate between the mouths of the 

 rivers ; it slopes abruptly from the plastic clay of the plain to a 

 field of sand which is nearly on a level with the sea. Excavating 

 there, we found below the layer of sand, which is hardly an inch 

 thick, a layer of plastic clay, about 16 inches thick, which is 

 perfectly the same as in the plain, and below it a dark-blue sand 

 containing putrified vegetable matter, which can leave no doubt 

 that here existed a swamp. The upper part of this layer of blue 

 sand is exactly on a level with the sea and with the adjoin- 

 ing inlet, the water of which is brackish and has no current. 

 Having dug in this blue sand a large hole two feet deep, we 

 saw the water filtering from all sides through the sand and soon 

 filling the hole completely, and thus the water's surface was on 

 a level with both iiiet and sea ; but this water was sweet and 

 drinkable. In no one of our shafts sunk elsewhere did we dis- 

 cover the slightest trace of the sea having ever sojourned there ; 

 everywhere we found only the produce of sweet water. Thus 

 it is evident that the soil of the plain of Troy has been produced 

 by sweet water, and that this deposit is anterior to the existence 

 of both the Scamander and the Simois, the more so as the modi- 

 fications produced by these rivers are but very slight." Therefore 

 he maintains the theory that at the time of the Trojan war the 

 sea formed a deep gulf in the Plain of Troy, that the later Ilium 

 (Hissarlik) was too near the Hellespont, and no space left for 

 the great deeds of the " Iliad " ; that consequently the two cities 



