June 1 6, 1887] 



NATURE 



147 



" It seems probable that the Geological Survey of Great 

 Britain and the Geological Surveys of the Colonies and of 

 India, with the British Association and the Geological 

 Societies and geological sections of Societies in all parts 

 of the Empire, would be willing to co-operate in such a 

 movement under the auspices of the Royal Society, and 

 that the Council might usefully invite communications on 

 the subject from public departments and Societies, be- 

 ginning with those of the mother country and its colonies 

 and dependencies, but looking ultimately to union with 

 those of the United States also. 



" In the meantime, I propose to mention the subject to 

 the Council of the British Association, to the English and 

 American Committees of the International Congress of 

 Geologists, and to the Council of the Royal Society of 

 Canada, and shall be glad to have your permission to 

 regard this communication as an open letter to be used 

 in any way likely to promote the object in view." 



Copies of the above letter were sent to representative 

 men in every part of the Empire, and a large number of 

 replies have been received, expressing an interest in the 

 proposal and readiness to aid in carrying it out. In so 

 far as Canada is concerned, Lord Lome, the founder of 

 the Royal Society of Canada, and his successor as Patron 

 of that Society, Lord Lansdowne, have signified their 

 hearty concurrence, and the Council of the Society ap- 

 pointed a Committee on the subject, consisting of Dr. 

 Selwyn, F.R.S., Rev. Prof. Laflamme, and the writer, 

 whose report was adopted at the recent meeting of the 

 Society in Ottawa. The following are the conclusions 

 and recommendations of this report : — 



"(i) That the objects referred to seem of the greatest 

 importance to the advancement of geological science, and 

 deserve the consideration of this Society, and more 



pecially of its Geological Section. 



•' (2) That the present year, when all the subjects of the 

 British Empire are united in a common desire to cele- 

 brate the fiftieth year of the reign of Her Most Gracious 

 Majesty, when the public mind is impressed with the 

 recent gathering of the resources of the Empire in the 

 Colonial and Indian Exhibition, when plans for Imperial 

 Federation are before the public, and when a Conference 

 of delegates from the colonies, for the purpose of pro- 

 moting a more intimate connexion, is being held in 

 London, appears eminently favourable to the realization 

 of the idea of an Imperial Geological Union. 



" (3) It would appear that the first steps towards such 

 union should be taken by scientific bodies in London, 

 and that the Royal Society of London should be requested 

 to begin the movement by inviting in the first instance to 

 a Conference, representatives of the Geological Survey of 

 Great Britain and of the various Societies and Associations 

 in Great Britain and Ireland prosecuting geological work, 

 with representatives from similar bodies in the colonies. 

 Such Conference might define the objects to be attained, 

 might pi-epare a constitution and arrange for subsequent 

 meetings and for reports to be sent in on important 

 questions. 



" (4) It appears to your Committee that when thus 

 organized, the work of the ' Imperial Geological Union' 

 might be carried on by local and general conferences 

 and conventions ; by regular reports from local 

 branches for publication annually by the Officers or 

 Council of the Union ; by correspondence and conference 

 with geological bodies abroad, and possibly by other 

 methods which would develop themselves. 



"(5) In so far as Canada is concerned, this work might 

 be aided by the Geological Survey of the Dominion, by 

 this Society and the Societies affiliated with it, and 

 possibly also by the Universities. 



" (6) The Director cf the Geological Sur\'ev of the 



Dominion has intimated his willingness to co-operate in 

 sending representatives of the Survey to any conference 

 or convention, and also by furnishing information as to 

 the work and methods of the Survey. 



"(7) It appears to your Committee that this Society 

 might co-operate by empowering the Council to continue 

 its Committee and to select delegates to represent the 

 Society in the event of a preliminary conference being 

 called in London, and by inviting all the affiliated 

 Societies which prosecute geological work in the 

 Dominion to take similar action. 



" Your Committee would therefore recommend that this 

 report, with the letter appended, be printed and circu- 

 lated to the different local Societies connected with this 

 Society, and to such other bodies as may be interested in 

 the matter, and that their aid and countenance be 

 solicited in carrying out the scheme, and that the Society 

 empower the Council, or a committee appointed for the 

 purpose, to represent the views of the Society by corre- 

 spondence, or by attending any conference on the subject 

 which may be summoned. It will, however, be under- 

 stood that no expense shall be incurred without consent 

 of the Council of the Society. 



" It appears to your Committee that while the usual 

 language of the Union would necessarily be English, 

 communications should be received in any language used 

 within the Empire, and that in this Dominion the English 

 and French languages would be recognized as in this 

 Society.'' 



It will be seen that we hope the initiative will be taken- 

 by the Royal Society, and the present communication is 

 intended to aid in securing that general co-operation 

 throughout the Empire which is essential to success. 

 With the same object I have asked the Council of the 

 British Association to throw its influence on the side of 

 union ; and propose, in resigning the office with which 

 the Association has honoured me, to make it a personal 

 request that this great Society, which, by its meeting in 

 Canada and its proposed meeting in Australia, has 

 assumed an Imperial character, will take a leading part 

 in the promotion of Imperial union both in reference to 

 geology and to other sciences. 



I need scarcely add that the project is not intended to 

 interfere with the operations of the International Con- 

 gress of Geologists, which is to meet in London in 1888 ; 

 but it would appear eminently desirable that the con- 

 templated Imperial Geological Union should be organized 

 before that meeting, so as to enable British geology to 

 present a united front, and to assume the importance to 

 which it is entitled. J. Wm. Dawson. 



SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE RACES OF 



MANKIND. 



Social History of the Races of Mankind. Second 



Division : " Papuo and Malayo Melanesians." By A. 



Featherman. (London: Triilsner, 1887.) 

 jV/T R. FEATHERMAN does not improve. Those 

 ■i-'^J- who have read the severe criticisms evoked by 

 previous volumes, and still more those who have read the 

 volumes themselves, will understand how much is impHed 

 in these few words, which could be justified only by a 

 stern sense of duty, and regard for the interests of 

 scientific truth. But, as the huge work grows under his 

 hands, it becomes more and more evident Jthat he has 

 undertaken a task entirely ^beyond his strength. The 

 present volume brings especially into painful evidence the 



