November 15, 1900] 



NATURE 



1Z 



checking its present thrifiless use. Prof. Perry pointed out a 

 few weeks ago to the members of the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science that the best steam engines are utilising 

 only one-twelfth of the energy available by the combustion of 

 the fuel, while the ordinary steam engines utilise a far less pro- 

 portion. Whether our coal supply is sufficient to last for some 

 centuries, or whether, as is the opinion of many competent 

 authorities, a serious coal famine will begin to be felt within the 

 lives of the present generation, economy in the use of coal is 

 unquestionably of the utmost importance, and the investigation 

 of the best means of effecting such economy would repay even a 

 large expenditure, whether by the Government or by industrial 

 corporations and technical societies. If the result of such 

 inquiry were merely to effect an economy of one per cent, in the 

 consumption of coal this would mean an annual saving to the 

 coal consumers of this country of nearly i| million tons, worth 

 at last year's prices about ;i^625,ooo. 



Such an investigation might also deal specially with the 

 question of the supply of coal for the Navy. At present certain 

 classes of coal, which with little or no effort on the part ol the 

 stoker can be burned without the production of smoke,are specially 

 used for steamships and are often known by the name of " steam 

 coal." If any means can be devised, by investigation and 

 experiment, by which other classes of coal can be burned smoke- 

 lessly, as is surely possible, our ships will no longer be dependent 

 upon one class of fuel, the naval coal bills will be lessened, and 

 the danger of the failure of coal available for naval purposes 

 •will arise only when the total coal supply of the country 

 approaches the point of exhaustion. 



Another matter of interest in the present statistics is the 

 increase of the exportation of coal. The quantity of coal 

 exported in 1899 (exclusive of coke and patent fuel) was more 

 than 41 million tons — an amount more than the whole output of 

 coal in any country in the world except the United States and 

 Germany. Of this export more than three-sevenths in quantity 

 and almost half in value is from the South Wales ports. In 1898 

 and also in 1897 the export was only a little over 35 millions. 

 For the purpose of comparison it is better to take the year 1897, 

 as the quantities dealt with in 1898 were disturbed by the coal 

 strike. Compared with the former year there has been an 

 increase of nearly 6 millions in the total export, and this increase 

 is almost entirely in the export to foreign countries, the export 

 to the British Colonies and Possessions having increased by only 

 200,000 tons. The countries whose purchases of coal show the 

 largest increase are Russia (which has increased its purchase by 

 nearly \\ millions), France (more than i million), Sweden 

 (f million), Italy and Holland. The exports to Germany, Spain, 

 Egypt and South America show only a small increase. The 

 export to the United States is inconsiderable, amounting only 

 to 119,000 tons, chiefly to ports on the Pacific. Among the 

 British Colonies and Possessions there is a considerable increase 

 in the export to India, and some increase in that to South Africa ; 

 elsewhere the tendency is rather to decrease. 



It must not be assumed that the whole of the coal exported to 

 foreign countries was consumed by foreign nations. Some of it 

 was merely shipped to foreign ports and there utilised for re- 

 coaling English steamers. What proportion was so employed does 

 not appear from any statistics that are available, though possibly 

 some indication may be gathered from the amounts sent to Malta, 

 Gibraltar, and Aden, whieh in 1899 were respectively 418,000, 

 326,000, and 176,000 tons. 

 I As regards minerals other than coal, the increasing importance 



b of aluminium may be noted. The output of this metal now 

 R amounts to 550 tons, with a value of 71,125/. The output 

 r^ thus approaches in quantity nearly to that of copper, while the 

 value is considerably greater. In spite of higher prices, copper, 

 lead and tin show diminished outputs. 



The total value of all minerals raised approaches 100,000,000/. 

 sterling, the increase of 20,000,000/. compared with 1898 being 

 mainly due to the enhanced value of coal. With our present 

 output, a rise of one penny in the price of coal represents nearly 

 one million of money. 



UNI VE US I TV A NO ED UCA TIONA L 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 Cambridge. — An election to an Isaac Newton Studentship 

 in astronomy and astronomical physics will be held next term. 

 The studentship is worth 200/. a year for three years. Candi- 

 dates must be Bachelors of Arts who are under twenty-five on 

 January i, 1900. 



NO. 1620, VOL. 63] 



Mr. H. F. Baker, F.R.S., of St. John's College, has been 

 appointed University Lecturer in Mathematics. 



At the biennial election to the Council of the Senate on 

 November 7, the following new members were returned : Dr. 

 Ryle, Dr. Taylor, Prof. Ridgeway, Mr. R. F. Scott, St. John's. 



Science states that a bronze medallion with a likeness of Prof. 

 Sylvester will hereafter be awarded as a mathematical prize at 

 the Johns Hopkins University. 



Dr. Lorenz, of the University at Halle, has been made 

 director of the physical and technological institute of the 

 University of Gottingen. 



The following appointments have recently been made at 

 University College, Sheffield. Dr. S. R. Milner, late junior 

 demonstrator in physics at Owens College, to be demonstrator 

 and assistant lecturer in physics. Dr. T. S. Price to be additional 

 demonstrator in chemistry. 



Mr. E. J Russell, assistant lecturer and demonstrator at 

 the Owens' College, has been appointed lecturer in chemistry at 

 the South- Eastern Agricultural College in succession to Mr. 

 H. H. Cousins, who has been appointed agricultural chemist to 

 the Government of Jamaica. 



Calendars of University Colleges are all built upon much the 

 same pattern, but each has some noteworthy characteristics. Fof 

 instance, we see that the Durham College of Science, Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne, like one or two similar institutions, has a marine bio- 

 logical laboratory available for its students at Cullercoats. The 

 agricultural department has been well organised, and is entrusted 

 with the scientific direction of the farm acquired for the purpose 

 of demonstration and experiment by the County Council of 

 Northumberland. Ooportunity is afforded to qualified students 

 to undertake oiiginal work in all departments, and the students 

 are permitted lu visi: chemical and other woiks in the district. 

 Prof. Louis is to lieliver a special course this session for the 

 instruction of persons proceedmg to any of the gold-fields. The 

 course will deal with prospecting for gold, the methods of ex- 

 traction of gold from its ores, and the assaying of gold ore anJ 

 bullion. A scheme is on foot for the establishment of a new 

 northern university based on the Durham College, on the model 

 of that founded at Birmingham upon Mason College. 



A scHEiME of agricultural education, which. Mr. A. N. 

 Pearson has drawn up for Victoria, in connection with the Royal 

 Commission on Technical Education, is founded on the principles 

 which are now accepted to form the only permanent basis for 

 scientific instruction : viz. that natural knowledge only comes 

 by individual experience in the school of nature. Many 

 elementary facts of agriculture lend themselves readily to edu- 

 cational purposes, and by employing them in a proper way it is 

 possible to give yourtg pupils an intelligent view of natural 

 processes which will be of value in the practical work of later 

 life. With a few seeds it is easy to study germination and the 

 growth and structure of root and stem. Simple examinations oi 

 soils may follow, and then determinations of the composition o» 

 plants. After this, there would be but a short step to an 

 elementary knowledge of the chemical composition of soils and of 

 commercial plant foods, and the pupil could make intelligent 

 use of the latter, either in growing pot plants, or in cultivating 

 small garden plots. Mr. Pearson gives in his report a scheme 

 for the education of youths in agricultural colleges and farm- 

 schools, and he shows that he is inspired with the spirit of true 

 education. By adopting such a scheme of work as he suggests, 

 the Government of Victoria will show foresight for the future 

 welfare of the colony, and will make its methods of agricultural 

 instruction equal to the best. 



Father A. L. Cortie, S.J., discoursed on the teaching of 

 science in Catholic Schools at the last conference of Catholic 

 Colleges on Secondary Education ; and his paper is given in full 

 in the official report just received. The fundamental note of his 

 remarks is that classics and mathematics ought to be the founda- 

 tion of our educational structure, and the "finish and polish of a 

 course of science " should be put upon it afterwards. It is sug- 

 gested that scientific men wish to oust the classics, and substitute 

 a merely commercial and scientific education as the mental 

 training of the boy intended for trade and the practical walks of 

 life. This, however, scarcely expresses the real state of the case, 

 for many scientific men are familiar with classical literature and 

 would be sorry to see it neglected. But can the same be said of 

 classical men as a rule : are they inclined to give science a proper 



