March 14, 19 18] 



NATURE 



31 



Albert was., so it should be ,poss>iible to secure its re- 

 observation. 



The recent observations of Encke's comet show that , 

 til. time of perihelion passage will be 1918 March 

 24-^95, G.M.T., which is only 0018 day earlier than 

 Mr. Viljev's predicted value. By the time this appears 

 it will be too near the sun for observation, and on its 

 emergence it will be visible only to southern observers. 



Erratum. — In the note on the comet of 1802 last 

 week, jor "August to October last" read, "August to 

 October, 1802." 



A Star with a Nova Spectrum. — Dr. Max Wolf has 

 announced that a star of magnitude 8-5 showing a 

 Nova spectrum was photographed at Heidelberg on 

 February 4. In Circular No. 3 of the Marseilles Ob- 

 servatory, the position of the star is given by M. 

 Millosevich as R.A. 7h. 22m. 47-985., declination 

 —6° 30' 40-8" ; on February 23 the magnitude of the 

 star was 91. 



The Short-period Variable RZ Cephei. — From ex- 

 tensive photographic observations which have been 

 made at Dunsink, Messrs. Martin and Plummer have 

 deduced a period of 0-308646 day for this interesting 

 variable star (Monthly Notices, vol. Ixxviii., p. 156). A 

 maximum is indicated by the observations at J.D. 

 2421496-616, and the range of variation is from mag- 

 nitude 9-5 to 10 16. The period, of about 7-4 hours, is 

 among the shortest known. The light curve shows a 

 ■more rapid rise to maximum than fall to minimum, 

 and the descending arm shows well-marked secondary 

 waves. The phases of the harmonics show remarkable 

 accordance with those of other short-period variables, 

 and also with those of some of the long-period vari- 

 ables which are included in Group II. of the classifica- 

 tion given by Phillips. It would thus appear possible 

 ■tfiat a common process operates in variables differing 

 as widely as RZ Cephei, and stars with a range of 

 «ome ten magnitudes and periods of the order of a 

 year, or even the sun with its period of eleven years. 



THE RAMSAY MEMORIAL FUND. 



''pHE Lord Mayor of London has issued a special 



*■ appeal to the citizens of London for support to 



the Ramsay Memorial Fund. Towards the loo.oooL 



which the Executive Committee aims at raising, the 



9um of about 31,000/. has been subscribed. The Lord 



'' \ or points out that London has benefited largely in 



[)ast through Sir William Ramsay's connection with 



City, and that great industrial advantages will be 



<lerived from the successful institution of the proposed 



memorial laboratory of engineering chemistry. He 



hopes, therefore, that there will be a generous response 



to his appeal. 



It will be remembered that the principal objects of 



f^xecutive Committee of the memorial fund are to 



I dish : (a) Ramsay memorial research fellowships 



hemistry, tenable at any suitable place possessed of 



quate equipment, and (b) a Ramsay Memorial 



oratory of Engineering Chemistry in connection 



ii University College, London. Subscriptions may 



irmarked for either of these purposes, or may be 



, as regards their allocation, to the discretion of the 



imittee. The president of the Ramsay memorial 



Mr. Asquith, whilst the vice-presidents include the 



ne Minister, Mr. H. A. L. Fisher, Sir J. J. Thom- 



. Lord Rayleigh, the Earl of Rosebery, Lord Reay, 



Lord Gainford of Headlam. Lord Rayleigh is 



irman of the General Committee, Sir Hugh Bell of 



Executive Committee. The hon. treasurers are 



•1 Glenconner and Prof. Norman Collie. On the 



1 utive Committee appear the names of many of the 



NO. 2524, VOL. 101] 



most eminent representatives of British chemical 

 science and industry. 



It is earnestly to be hoped that all friends and ad- 

 mirers of Sir William Ramsay and all supporters and 

 well-wishers of chemical science will subscribe to the 

 memorial. The work which Sir William Ramsay did 

 as a great teacher and investigator will remain for all 

 time as an imperishable monument to his genius, en- 

 thusiasm, and tireless industry. In the centuries to 

 come his name will stand out as one of the greatest 

 discoverers in the long annals of science. 



British chemical science has indeed reason to be 

 proud of the great name which has long been, and 

 ever will remain, one of its brightest ornaments. The 

 proposed memorial wil' not only serve to honour the 

 work and memory of Sir William Ramsay, but will 

 also be of the greatest value for the cause which he 

 had most at heart, namely, the advancement of chem- 

 ical science. This object scarcely requires emphasising 

 at the present time. The well-being, health, pros- 

 perity, and civilisation of nations are dependent on the 

 never-ceasing advance and application of chemical facts 

 and principles. For this purpose every nation requires 

 a host of scientifically trained chemists. The more we 

 possess of such men, the greater will be our chances not 

 merely of prosperity and well-/being, but also of survival 

 in the great race of the immediate future. It is, there- 

 fore, oi vital iniportance to provide young men of pro- 

 mise and ability with every oppvortunity of continuing 

 and improving their chemical studies. The Ramsay 

 memorial research fellowships will enable such young 

 men to continue their training and experience in chem- 

 ical research at that period of their lives when such 

 opportunities are of the greatest importance for their 

 future competency and success. The Ramsay Memo- 

 rial Laboratory of Engineering Chemistry will provide 

 young chemists with the opportunity of learning how 

 to apply the principles of chemical science in technical 

 practice. Many of our chemists have been unaible to 

 apply their knowledge and abilities to the greatest 

 advantage for lack of suitable preparatory training in 

 the theory of practice, which is, essentially, a just 

 comprehension of the engineering and economic aspects 

 of a chemical reaction or process. This is a matter of 

 urgent and pressing importance for the future of British 

 chemical industry. The committee of the Ramsay 

 Memorial Fund hopes, in the ways indicated above, to 

 be able, not onl> to honour the memory of a great 

 man, but also to further the advancement of chemical 

 science and chemical practice. 



Memoranda describing the memorial scheme have re- 

 cently been addressed respectively to the Governments 

 of the Dominions, Colonies, and Dependencies of the 

 Empire and to those of the principal Allied and neutral 

 countries. Each Government is invited to consider the 

 possibility of providing from State funds at least one 

 capital sum of 6oooi., which will be sufficient to found 

 and maintain in perpetuity one Ramsay rnemorial 

 fellowship of the value of 250Z. a year, with an ex- 

 penses grant of 50/. a year. The fellowship, it is pro- 

 posed, will be tenable at any place in the Unite<l King- 

 dom possessed of the necessary equipment by a fully 

 trained chemist from the Dominion, Colony, Depend- 

 ency, or foreign State concerned. For Dominions like 

 Canada and India one fellowship might scarcely be 

 adequate; and it is hoped that some Governments will 

 see their way to found, not one, but a group of fellow- 

 ships. 



The scheme is making good progress in countries 

 outside Great Britain, and it is hoped that a substantial 

 sum will be received from such countries. The Ram- 

 say Memorial Committee has already appointed the 

 following representatives outside Great Britain : Prof. 

 Baskerville in America ; Prof. Masson in Australia ; 



