March 9, 1922] 



NATURE 



315 



knighthood of the same Order last year. Sir Edward 

 Gonner's early death was due to an attack of influenza. 

 At a time like the present when the inculcation of 

 • mnd economic principles seems to be more than ever 

 iccessary, the loss of so good and practical a teacher 

 > Sir Edward Conner will be deeply felt. 



Mr. George Cussons. 



It is with regret that we record the death on February 

 10, at the age of seventy-five years, of Mr. George 

 ("ussons, the founder of the well-known firm of scientific 

 apparatus makers of Lower Broughton, Manchester. 

 Mr. Cussons in his early manhood gained a studentship 

 at the Royal School of Mines, London, and upon the 

 <'ompletion of the course became a drawing-master 

 and also a teacher of geometry and mechanical sub- 

 jects in evening classes in towns near Manchester. 

 Having considerable mechanical skill, acquired in the 

 course of his apprenticeship, he devised a variety of 

 models and apparatus, which he employed effectively 

 to demonstrate the problems arising in the course of 

 his teaching. Finding great advantage accruing there- 

 from, he was induced to enter business life as a manu- 

 facturer of apparatus to be used in the demonstration 

 of the subjects of geometry, theoretical and applied 

 mechanics, and of physics. Among other excellent 

 apparatus he designed and patented a much-improved 

 Atwood's machine to demonstrate the laws of falling 

 bodies. His firm gained well-deserved repute among 

 Technical Institutions for the excellence and adapt- 

 ability of its apparatus. 



Mr. Cussons, whilst he was a student at the 

 evening classes of the Owens College, Manchester, 

 made the acquaintance of Osborne Reynolds, 

 the eminent Professor of Engineering at the Col- 

 lege, and brought to his notice certain models for 



use in Descriptive Geometry. He suggested various 

 improvements which were adopted, and the models 

 were exhibited at the National Health Exhibition of 

 1884, where they gained a medal for excellence. Since 

 that time the firm has been awarded medals for the 

 superior character of its apparatus at exhibitions held 

 at home and abroad, and has supplied scientific equip- 

 ment to practically every country in the world. It 

 furnished a large number of models for geometrical 

 and mechanical drawing, together with a considerable 

 equipment, for the extensive mechanics laboratory of 

 the Manchester College of Technology, which have 

 proved of eminent service. Mr. Cussons was in close 

 touch with all the principal science institutes, and was 

 always ready to discuss any new suggestions for 

 apparatus, and to place his practical training and 

 his knowledge of the teaching of mechanical and 

 physical science at the service of those concerned. 



The death occurred on January 28, in his 52nd 

 year, of Dr. Charles Baskerville, who had been pro- 

 fessor of chemistry at the College of the City of New 

 York since 1904. Dr. Baskerville had previously 

 occupied a similar post at the University of N. Carolina. 

 He did notable work on the rare earths, and carried 

 out many investigations in the chemistry of anaes- 

 thetics. His inventions included processes for refining 

 oils, hydrogenation of oils, plastic compositions, 

 reinforced lead, etc. 



We notice with much regret the announcement of 

 the death on March 3, at fifty -five years of age, 

 of Prof. Benjamin Moore, Whitley Professor of 

 Chemistry in the University of Oxford. 



The Chemiker Zeitung reports the death on February 

 13 of Prof. Theodor Liebisch, of the University of 

 Berlin, well known for his work on physical crystal- 

 lography, especially in the department of crystal optics. 



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Current Topics 



A. NATIONAL tribute to the memory of Sir Ernest 

 ackleton took the form of a special service in 

 t. Paul's Cathedral at noon on March 2. The 

 service was conducted by Dean Inge and the 

 Cathedral clergy and was short and simple but 

 impressive and of great beauty. It included some 

 sentences from the Burial Service, the twenty-third 

 Psalm, the lesson from i Corinthians xv., the anthem 

 " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace," and two 

 special hymns, " Eternal Father, strong to save " and 

 " For all the saints who from their labours rest." 

 The soft beauty of the perfect music was followed with 

 striking effect by the shrill sounding of " The Last 

 Post " by the boys of H.M.S. Worcester. It was 

 impossible amid the splendour of the ceremonial 

 and the distinguished congregation representative of 

 the most refined civilisation not to picture in contrast 

 the rough chapel on South Georgia and the toil- 

 stained whalers who surrounded Sir Ernest Shackle- 

 ton's grave, and the little Quest carrying on the 

 mission on which he perished, tossing in the huge 

 waves of the Southern Ocean or beset by the Antarctic 

 ice. The congregation at St. Paul's included the 

 widow and three children of the explorer, several 

 of his sisters and other relatives, representatives of 

 the King, Queen Alexandra, the Prince of Wales, 



NO. 2732, VOL. 109] 



and Events. 



the Duke of Connaught, the Colonial Secretary, the 

 First Lord of the Admiralty, the Trinity House, and 

 the diplomatic representatives of Norway, Denmark, 

 Portugal. Argentina, and other countries. The Royal 

 Geographical Society was represented by its Pre- 

 sident, a large number of the Council, and the principal 

 officials, and many othei societies and institutions 

 sent representatives. Amongst those with special 

 interest in the Antarctic regions were Mr. John Q. 

 Rowett, Sir John Scott Keltie, Dr. H. R. Mill, Dr. 

 H. O. Forbes, and a strong muster of Sir Ernest's 

 old comrades, including Captain C. W. R. Royds, 

 R.N., and Mr. L. C. Bernacchi of the Discovery 

 expedition, Capt. W. Colbeck of the Morning, Sir 

 Philip Brocklchurst of the Nimrod expedition, Mr. 

 J. M. Wordie, Mr. Greenstreet, and Mr. Rickenson 

 of the Endurance expedition, and Mr. Mason, who 

 had sailed on the Quest, but had to return on account 

 of his health. No doubt others were present who 

 were not recognized in the great congregation. 



Mr. Campbell Swinton gave spme very interest- 

 ing reminiscences at one of the meetings recently 

 held to celebrate the Jubilee of the Institution of 

 Electrical Engineers. In particular he recalled some 

 of the experiments carried out in 1879 by David 



