August i, 191 8] 



NATURE 



439 



As the coupling increases from zero, the ratio of 

 the periods of the superposed vibrations of the coupled 

 pendulums usually increases continuously until it 

 equals or exceeds 2:1. When, however, both lengths 

 and masses are unequal, the short length having the 

 ■wavy bob, a new feature appears. As the coupling 

 gradually increases from zero, the ratio of the periods 

 at first diininishes, reaches a minimuni, and then 

 increases. Thus the number of vibrations in a beat 

 cycle at first incrcises, reaches a maximum, and then 

 decreases. These special effects are shown in Fig. 2. 

 They were theoretically predicted and then experi- 

 mentally confirmed. The maximum number of vibra- 

 ;(jns in the beat cycle occurs for the highest coupling 

 liown in the figure, viz. 6-3 per cent. The details 

 as to bobs, lengths, and couplings are all indicated 

 in the figure. The able collaboration of Miss H. M. 

 Browning in this work was gratefully acknowledged. 

 (To he continued.) 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 Glasgow. — The Ferguson fellowship in applied 

 chemistry, founded this year, is in the gift of the 

 trustees of the Ferguson Bequest Fund, and is of the 

 annual value of 2ooi. ; it is ordinarily tenable for 

 twd years, subject to the fulfilment of the prescribed 

 conditions. Candidates must be graduates in science 

 of the University of Glasgow who have completed the 

 curriculum for a degree in applied chemistry, or have 

 taken chemistry as a principal subject in the Final 

 Science Examination for a degree in pure science. 

 The fellow is required to devote himself, during the 

 tenure of his fellosvship, to research in relation to 

 some branch or branches of applied chemistry approved 

 by the fellowship committee. His work may be 

 carried out at the University, the Royal Technical 

 College, or elsewhere, as the fellowship committee 

 may direct. Candidates for the Ferguson fellowship 

 for iqi8 should, in the first instance, send their names 

 to the registrar of the University early in the first 

 term of the session 1918-19. 



Science announces, that gifts to Yale University in 

 the past year and credited as endowment made a 

 total of 2j^6,oooZ. From time to time gifts have been 

 announced, but the new items included 2o,oooZ. as the 

 Earl Williams Fund from Mrs. J- H. Williams for 

 the benefit of the University Press, and 8o,oooL from 

 William L. Harkness as a building fund. 



Prof. T. Brailsford Robertson, professoy of 

 biochemistry and pharmacology in the University of 

 California, has been appointed professor of bio- 

 chemistry in the University of Toronto. Prof. J. J. R. 

 Macleod, professor of physiology and biochemistry in 

 the Western Reserve University, has been appointed 

 professor of physiolocv in the same University. 



In view of the practical impossibilitv while the war 

 continues of holding the .A.M.I.E.E. examination 

 and of candidates having the requisite time to prepare 

 for or undergo examination, the council of the Institu- 

 tion of Electrical Engineers has decided to suspend 

 temporarily the institution rules in regard to examina- 

 tion. The greatest care will, nevertheless, be exer- 

 cised bv the council to ensure that only candidates 

 possessing the qualifications laid down in the articles 

 in respect of training and experience are admitted to 

 associate membership. 



On Speech Day at King's School, Canterbury, on 

 July 24, Mr. A. Latter, the headmaster, announced 

 that as a permanent memorial to their son, William 

 NO. 2544, VOL. lOl] 



I Frederick Drughorn, an old King's scholar, killed in 

 I action, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Drughorn proposed to 

 ' endow the school with laboratories, to be known as 

 j the Drughorn Science Buildings, at a cost of 25,000^., 

 subject to arrangements being made for outside 

 students to have access to them. Mr. Drughorn, he 

 said, wishes " to encourage scientific education in the 

 country, and hopes that the scheme will be a means 

 to our future defence against a repetition of the peace- 

 ful scientific invasion of our present unscrupulous 

 enemies, to whom these buildings will be closed." 



At the ninth biennial vacation course, which meets 

 in the Oxford School of Geography on August 1-16, 

 special attention is being devoted to some geographical 

 aspects of the Empire, while both in the lectures and 

 in the practical geography classes: (for the study of 

 climate, land-forms, the home region, and exploration) 

 various general problems are to be discussed. Excur- 

 sions to places of geographical interest in the vicinity 

 of Oxford have been arranged. The course is specially 

 designed to be of service to teachers both in secondary 

 and in elementary schools. Earl Denbigh is to 

 lecture on " German Aims and the Causes of the 

 War." In addition to the members of the staff of 

 the Oxford School of Geography the lecturers will 

 also include the Master of Balliol,'Prof. F. Haverfield, 

 Prof. C. Grant Robertson, Prof. Grenville A. J. Cole, 

 and Prof. P. M. Roxby. Particulars of the course 

 may be obtained from the Secretary, School of Geo- 

 graphy, University of Oxford. 



A committee entitled the Officers University and 

 Technical Training Committee has been appointed "to 

 advise the Board of Agriculture, the Board of Educa- 

 tion, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of 

 Pensions upon such courses of education and training 

 as it may be desirable to arrange for the benefit of 

 officers and ex-officers of H.M. Forces and men of 

 like standing, particularly with the view of fitting them 

 for suitable employment after the war; to consider 

 anv general questions arising in connection with such 

 education and training, and when necessary to_ advise 

 individual officers as to suitable courses of training." 

 .Among the members of the committee are : — Capt. 

 W. D. Ross, University of Oxford; Mr. H. A. 

 Roberts, Universitv of' Cambridge; Sir William 

 Collins, Universitv 'of London; Sir William Ashley 

 and Prof. W. Ripper, Universities of Birmingham, 

 Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield; 

 Principal E. H. Griffiths, Universities of Wales and 

 Bristol; Mr. F. Wilkinson. .Association of Technical 

 Institutions; Mr. W. .\. Nicholls, Workers' Educa- 

 tional Association; Mr. C. B. L. Tennyson, Federa- 

 tion of British Industries; Mr. Howard Martin, Sur- 

 vevors' Institution; Sir Charies Bathurst, M.P., Cen- 

 tral Chamber of Agriculture; and Mr. .\. M. Samuel, 

 Association of Chambers of Commerce. Lt.-Gen. 

 Sir Alfred Keogh is the chairman of the committee, 

 and the secretaries are Mr. G. H. V. .Sutheriand, of 

 the Board of Education, and Mr. F. J. Bullen, of the 

 .Appointments Department, Ministry of Labour. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, July 8.— M. P. Painlevd in the 

 chair. The president announced the death of Charles 

 Wolf.- G. Bigourdan : Notice on the life and work 

 of Charles Wolf.— G. Humbert: The representations 

 of an integer bv indefinite, tcrnarv. quadratic forms.— 

 C. Richet, P. Brodin, and Fr. Saint-Girons : The effects 

 of isotonic intravenous iniections in haemorrhage. 

 From experiments on dogs in cases of grave hasmor- 

 rhatie the authors recommend extensive intravenous 



