4o6 



NATURE 



[Augtcst 28, 1879 



the relation between matter and energy. Mr. Gordon 

 exhibited a number of beautiful and newly-devised instru- 

 ments for his researches on electrical induction, and M. 

 Janssen on two occasions brought forward some of the 

 further results gleaned in the field of astronomical physics, 

 in which his name is so justly renowned. A paper by 

 Prof. H. A. Newton, of Yale College, on the Direct 

 Motion of Periodic Comets of Short Period, presented 

 many points of the highest interest, and is a most valuable 

 contribution to theoretical physical astronomy. The 

 President of the Section, Mr. Johnstone Stoney, F.R.S., 

 communicated several valuable papers on Molecular 

 Physics and on Spectroscopy. Dr. Graham reported 

 some excellent observations on Atmospheric Electricity 

 from Madeira ; and Prof. S. P. Thompson dealt with the 

 Retardation of Phase of Vibrations in the Telephone, and 

 showed an instrument called the pseudophone, for pro- 

 ducing acoustic illusions. 



In the Department of Mathematics, which sat on 

 Saturday morning, several important communications 

 ■were made. 



In Section B (Chemistry) Prof. Dewar presided, and 

 contributed several papers. His address was solely 

 concerned with industrial chemistry, and does not seem 

 to have contained much of novelty. Naturally, metallurgy 

 has claimed prominence in this industrial centre, and 

 chemical visitors have had ample opportunity of visiting 

 the various works in the neighbourhood. Amongst the 

 establishments which have thus drawn large numbers of 

 visitors are the Bessemer steel works of Messrs. Steel and 

 Tozer, and the electroplating factory of Messrs. Walker 

 and Hall. 



The Biologists and Anatomists have kept Section D a 

 centre of attraction. The addresses of Prof. Mivart and 

 Dr. Pye-Smith are each admirable ; and the quiet but 

 effective sarcasm with which the latter exposed the fal- 

 lacies of anti-vivisection agitators drew hearty applause. 

 Dr. Tylor's address to the Department of Anthropology 

 was no less interesting, and was listened to attentively, 

 as were Sir J. Lubbock on Fruit and Seeds, and Dr. 

 Crichton-Browne on the Influence of Domestication on 

 Brain-Growth. 



Section E (Geography) has been favoured by the pre- 

 sence of several distinguished travellers. Commander 

 Cameron, Major Serpa Pinto, and Count S. de Brazza, 

 all African explorers of note, having given papers. 

 Afghan and Zululand have furnished themes of burning 

 discussion to this Section. 



The Economic Section appears to have taken a new 

 lease of active life, and has seldom presented more ani- 

 mation. 



In the Mechanical Section the subjects of Friction 

 at High Velocities, the Patent Laws, Hot Air Blast, 

 and Electric Lighting, have claimed attention, and M. 

 Bergeron explained the principles of Francy's Fireless 

 Locomotive. 



In spite of the drawback of bad and inconvenient 

 streets and poor hotel accommodation, the Association 

 has been fairly accommodated, and the reception ac- 

 corded has been most hearty. The Mayor, the Master 

 Cutler, and many other citizens of prominence, have been 

 unremitting in their efforts ; and the praises of Yorkshire 

 hospitality are loudly sung. The reception of the Mayor 

 at the soiree of Thursday evening in the Cutlers' Hall 

 was very brilliant. The scientific soiree of Tuesday 

 evening was no less successful, though the pleasure of 

 the occasion was at one moment threatened by an un- 

 fortunate difference of opinion between local and general 

 authorities on the subject of dancing, concerning which, 

 however, a compromise was subsequently arranged. 



The Mayor's banquet on Saturday evening was attended 

 by about 340 guests, and was highly successful. Mr. 

 Mundella, in replying to the toast of the Houses of 

 Parliament, proposed by Dr. Odling, deplored the lack of 



sympathy between Parliament and science, and declared 

 that he had sat up late so often in support of the Ancient 

 Monuments Bill of Sir J. Lubbock, that he had almost 

 become an ancient monument himself. The Archbishop 

 of York responded for the Clergy, and General Thuillier 

 and Commander Cameron for the Army and Navy. 

 Dr. Haughton, of Dublin, was as amusing as ever in 

 proposing the health of the Presidents of Sections. 



Many little excursions have been organised during the 

 week to places of interest. The Saturday excursions 

 were eminently successful, and the Thursday excursions, 

 including expeditions to the Peak, Castleton, &c., were 

 very popular and largely attended. 



The reports of the sectional proceedings in the local 

 papers seem to us unusually meagre, though the space 

 devoted to the Association both in provincial and in 

 London papers becomes each year increasingly great. 

 The Times alone this year has had several leaders on the 

 Association generally, as well as on the principal addresses, 

 and it is gratifying to notice the decided improvement not 

 only in the knowledge displayed in these articles, but also 

 in the attitude of the leading paper towards science. In 

 a somewhat hysterical article on Prof. Allman's address, 

 the Observer of last Sunday seems to forget that science 

 has all sorts of followers, and that the real workers rarely 

 come before the public. Notwithstanding the apparently 

 complete ignorance of the writer in the Observer as to 

 what science really is, we cannot help agreeing with much 

 that he says as to the present condition of the Association, 

 and the urgent need of reform in its method of work, if it 

 is not rapidly to degenerate into a "scientific garden 

 party." 



It is gratifying to notice the change of attitude of the 

 Archbishop of York towards science and its followers, to 

 judge both from the sermon of Sunday and his speech at 

 the Mayor's banquet. He evidently no longer regards the 

 foremost of the workers in science as emissaries of the 

 "Evil One," but rather as fellow-workers with "the 

 Church" for the highest good of humanity. To those 

 who heard, on a Sunday, years ago. Prof. Huxley's 

 famous address in Edinburgh, on the Physical Basis of 

 Life, and the introductory references to an address deli- 

 vered a few days previously by the Archbishop, this 

 change of attitude must be very significant. 



A committee was appointed last year for the considera. 

 tion of the organisation of the Natural History Museum 

 in connection with its removal to South Kensington. A 

 memorial was forwarded by the Council to the First Lord 

 of the Treasury, who could not receive a deputation, but 

 who forwarded a reply. 



The memorial referred to the fact that the Royal Com- 

 mission on Science had recommended that the occasion 

 of the removal of the collections to South Kensington 

 New Museum be taken advantage of to effect a change in 

 the official administration of that division of the British 

 Museum ; that a director of the collections and a board 

 of visitors be appointed. The memorialists stated that 

 notwithstanding these expressions of opinion, an Act had 

 been passed by Parliament for the removal of the collec- 

 tion to South Kensington, but no change had been made 

 in the mode of the administration. They called attention 

 to the fact that it was at variance with the recommenda- 

 tions of the Royal Commissioners, and urged upon her 

 Majesty's Government to take steps to carry out these 

 recommendations, as the administration of the collections 

 was of the utmort importance to the future progress of 

 natural history in this country. 



Capt. Douglas Galton read at the meeting of Council 

 the reply received from the Treasury, which states that — 



" My Lords, while fully agreeing with you, that the 

 question of the administration of these collections is one 

 of the utmost importance as regards the future progress 

 of natural history in this country, are also of opinion that 

 there is nothing which, on a point requiring so much con- 



