June io, 1922J 



NATURE 



759 



Prof. G. Magrini of Venice as secretary. The pub- 

 lication of a periodical which would deal specially with 

 the bibliography of the subject was also approved. 



In the Section of Vulcanology, which was formally 

 constituted at the Conference, M. Lacroix was 

 elected president, with Prof. Malladra and Prof. 

 G. Platania as secretaries. Proposals for the 

 classification of volcanic phenomena, and for the 

 recording of volcanic outbursts, were adopted, as 

 also were those for the investigation of the thermal 

 gradient in certain areas. 



In more than one quarter the proposal had been 

 made that an additional section should be formed to 

 deal with the scientific problems which arise in 

 various hydrological investigations, such as river- 

 gauging, lake phenomena including seiches, run-off 

 and evaporation, transport of material in suspension 

 and in solution, glacier movement, etc. A committee 

 examined the matter carefully and reported in 

 favour of forming a Section of Scientific Hydrology. 

 The recommendation was adopted by the General 

 Assembly, which nominated Mr. B. H. Wade of the 

 Physical Department, Cairo, as president, and Prof. 

 G. ^Magrini as secretary. 



The General Assembly of the Union re-elected 



M. Ch. Lallemand to be president. Colonel H. Lyons 

 remaining secretary-general. It was resolved that 

 countries belonging to the International Research 

 Council which had formerly been members of the 

 International Geodetic Association might join the 

 Union and the Section of Geodesy, without sub- 

 scribing to the other sections, if they so desired. It 

 was further resolved that the next meeting of the 

 Union should be held in 1924, and an invitation 

 from the Spanish Government to hold the next 

 Conference of the Union at Madrid was accepted. 

 It is understood that the probable date will be the 

 latter part of September. 



Arrangements were made for members to visit, 

 after the Conference, the Central Institute for Marine 

 Biology at Messina, and the Marine Research ship 

 Marsigli. For those interested in vulcanology visits 

 to Stromboli, Catania. Etna, and Naples were arranged, 

 while at Florence the Observatory and the various 

 scientific institutes and museums were open to the 

 members, to whom the municipality gave a reception 

 at the Palazzo Vecchio. 



The proceedings in each Section will be published 

 in due course by the Executive Committee of the 

 Section. H. G. L. 



Annual Conference of Universities. 



A LL the Universities of Great Britain and Ireland 

 ■^^ were represented at the Conference which met 

 at University College, London, on May 13. Each 

 University had been asked to send three repre- 

 sentatives in addition to its executive Head, and 

 each University College to send its Principal and one 

 other representative. Of the Vice-Chancellors or 

 Principals three only were unable to attend. Sir 

 Donald MacAlister (Glasgow), chairman of the 

 Standing Committee of Vice-Chancellors, presided. 

 Mr. Fisher, President of the Board of Education, 

 was present and took part in the discussions. 



The subject of the urgent need for the provision 

 of enlarged opportunities for advanced study and 

 research was introduced by Principal Irvine (St. 

 Andrews), who pleaded that the Universities should 

 not leave original research to the solitary worker, 

 but should place facilities for research in the way 

 of every one naturally equipped with the spirit of 

 inquiry. It is impossible to summarise Principal 

 Irvine's address, but the main contention was that 

 training in research should be in the hands of mature 

 investigators who should be relieved of all routine 

 and administrative work. Principal Sibly (Swansea) 

 said that the importance of the applications of science 

 had become so clear to the public during the war 

 that technological studies were now greatly favoured 

 and the opportunities of prosecuting pure science 

 were actually narrower than they were ten years ago. 

 Sir Richard Lodge (Edinburgh) sounded a warning 

 that training may be overdone. Many a research 

 worker, left to himself, has learned more from his 

 blunders than from his supervisor's advice. He 

 emphasised the value of the Institute of Historical 

 Research, which should, he thought, have a semi- 

 federal character and be regarded, not as the 

 possession of a single University, but in some 

 degree, as common to all, since all historians must 

 come to London to consult the documents which they 

 need for the purposes of research. In this he was 

 supported by Principal Grant Robertson (Birming- 

 ham). 



The need for an increase in residential accommoda- 

 tion for students was urged by Sir Michael Sadler 

 (Leeds), who stated that the desire for college life 



NO. 2745, VOL. 109] 



had recently been greatly strengthened in the newer 

 Universities. In part it has been met. The increase 

 in accommodation during the past year amounted 

 to no less than 17 per cent. But very much more 

 is needed. Women students equally with men 

 recognise that, unless they share in the corporate 

 social life of a Hall of Residence, they do not reap 

 the full benefit of a University career. A very 

 valuable discussion of the details of organisation and 

 management followed, in which various speakers, 

 drawing upon their own administrative experience, 

 stated, amongst other things, that they had found 

 that from 65 to 75 students is the economical unit 

 (Principal Childs would place the number somewhat 

 higher), that the Halls (the term " Hostel " was 

 generally disapproved) should be independent of the 

 Universities, that younger members of the staff 

 should be encouraged to live in the Halls, that 

 discipline and even management must be largely in 

 the hands of the students, and that students must 

 have some degree of privacy. It was agreed that no 

 teaching should be given in the Halls. The most 

 desirable situation for Halls in industrial towns was 

 also discussed. For health and recreation they 

 should be grouped around the playing-fields. This 

 means that the residential quarters will be at a 

 distance from the University buildings. Danger will 

 arise, in consequence, of a division of the University 

 into two groups of students with different centres 

 of patriotism. This can be met by the provision 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of the University 

 of commodious " Union " buildings, and by encour- 

 aging the students who live at home or in lodgings 

 to found a " Hall " with a warden and elected 

 officers. 



Dr. L. R. Farnell (Oxford), in introducing the 

 subject of specialisation in certain subjects of study 

 by certain Universities, argued that the time has 

 passed when every University can attempt to foster 

 all the shoots which are constantly being thrust 

 forth by the tree of knowledge. Some flourish only 

 where local conditions are favourable, others are so 

 esoteric that a few centres will satisfy the needs of all 

 their votaries. Mr. Fisher endorsed the views of 

 the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. When the Govern- 



