December 23, 1915] 



NATURE. 



457 



One feature of our authors' results is their 

 corroboration from different data of those ob- 

 tained by Sir Joseph Hooker regarding the dis- 

 tribution of Arctic plants. Study of large genera 

 widely distributed in the northern hemisphere sug- 

 gests that during the latest southward flow dis- 

 tinct routes of migration were followed. The 

 flora of the Reuverian horizon which antedated 

 the precedent northward flow shows, as might be 

 expected, an intermixture of elements charac- 

 teristic of what are now somewhat specialised 

 floras. One instance of this is illustrated by the 

 figures from Plate VI. here reproduced. The 

 figures 9 a, I) show a fruit which our authors refer to 

 the genus Hakea, the family of which is no longer 

 European, alongside those of an existing Austra- 

 lian species, figured in \oa, b. Another curious 

 point is brought out by these figures. In a notice- 

 able number of these Reuverian plants the carpels 

 or seeds are considerably smaller than in existing 

 species of the same genera. Besides Hakea may 

 be mentioned Alisma, Bucklandia, Epipremnum, 

 Liriodendron, Mimusops, Nelumbium, Trapa, 

 Zelkowa, and the list might be extended. 



Those who have had to identify, in the jetsam 

 of a tropical sea-beach, the seeds and fruits of 

 species growing close at hand, can understand 

 better than others the difificulties our authors niust 

 have experienced in dealing with material in every 

 stage of decay, due to submersion and dissolution 

 caused by pressure. But even these can only 

 dimly appreciate the labour involved an identifying 

 material yielded by species which no longer exist, 

 with no better help than the all too inadequate 

 carpological collections of even the best European 

 herbaria can afford. 



More than a passing acknowledgment is due to 

 the care with which this work in a foreign speech 

 has been printed for the Netherlands Institute for 

 Geological Exploration. There are very few of 

 the slips which seem inevitable under such con- 

 ditions. "Tot" for "to," "al" for "all," "ot" 

 for "or" do indeed occur, but the only one which 

 calls for correction, in addition to those indicated 

 in the errata at the end of the text, is "exerted " 

 for "exserted" on p. 78. 



NATIONAL ECONOMY IN FUEL. 



THE need for economy in our national life has 

 been urged upon us in the most emphatic 

 manner by his Majesty's ministers and others, and 

 there can be no doubt but that, great as efforts 

 to economise may have been in recent months, 

 still greater efforts must be made in the imme- 

 diate future. From the national point of view 

 there can be no greater need than for the most 

 rigorous economy in the utilisation of our coal 

 supplies. The appointment of a committee by 

 the British Association, as announced in Nature 

 of October 21, shows a timely appreciation of the 

 necessity for, and a desire to do everything within 

 the powers of the association to achieve, economy 

 in this direction. 



NO. 2408, VOL. 96] 



The question is not a new one. It was con- 

 sider^ed exhaustively in the report to the Royal 

 Commission on Coal Supplies, 1901-1905, and 

 many eminent men have directed attention to it. 

 Sir William Ramsay dealt with the subject some 

 few years since in his presidential address to the 

 British Association, and advocated the formation 

 of an annual stocktaking commission. More re- 

 cently, at Cardiff, Prof. H. E. Armstrong empha- 

 sised the necessity for more scientific methods, 

 and a committee was formed to deal with points 

 of benefit to local industries, which would neces- 

 sarily include coal. But hitherto the question has 

 been treated mainly from the point of view of 

 exhaustion of our supplies, and it cannot be 

 claimed to have attained any great success. On 

 the whole, waste in production and most un- 

 economical utilisation still persist. 



As Mr. Lloyd George has said, "in peace and 

 in war King Coal is the paramount lord of in- 

 dustry." The demand for coal has not been 

 lessened by the war; rather do we find it largely 

 increased by reason of the enormous demands for 

 the output of war material. In SheflSeld it has 

 been stated that the consumption of gas for power 

 and heating purposes is ten times greater than 

 before the war. In Birmingham the demand was 

 1 35 per cent, greater in the past six months than 

 in the corresponding period of last year. Simi- 

 larly, the demand for electric power is affecting 

 numbers of towns. In addition, the large require- 

 ments of our Allies must not be overlooked. 



In 1913 the coal output was 287,411,869 tons 

 and the number of employees 1,110,884. Owing 

 to the great response of the miners to their 

 country's call, Mr. Asquith estimated the output 

 as reduced by 12 per cent, or 34^ million tons 

 below the normal. Clearly at no time in our 

 history has need for economy in coal been so 

 absolutely essential. 



The reduction in output and the difificulties of 

 transport have been brought home forcibly to the 

 individual by the big rise in prices. Hitherto the 

 realisation of the need for economy has been con- 

 fined to the few, and therefore been largely futile. 

 The more general recognition of this need is the 

 best augury for the success of the committee's 

 efforts, as far more likely to result in Govern- 

 ment action. 



Whilst the open fireplace, resporsible for so 

 much waste, still retains its popularity, consumers 

 may be trusted to exercise greater personal care 

 with coal at its present prices than in the past; 

 but the undoubted extension which will take place 

 in the utilisation of gas for heating and cooking, 

 and of coke in the grate, will ensure far more 

 efficient utilisation of coal. Further, the house- 

 holder can, at this juncture, be brought to realise 

 how essential to the supply of the munitions of 

 war the by-products of the gas industry are ; pro- 

 ducts he sends to waste up the chimney. 



In production every waste must be avoided and 

 the output per head of the mining population 

 largely augmented, although this will at once 

 bring its attendant troubles over hours of labour. 



