February 28, 19 18] 



NATURE 



D': 



15 



led between 2ih. and 22h. The timings of the 



liminary phages are somewhat doubtful, first, be- 



ise the motions connected with them were very 



-ht; secondly, because wind and microseismic effects 



isked the true earthquake effect. The following 



ii.iv, however, be taken as approximately correct: — 



Tiimary, 2ih. 24m. 44s.; secondary, 2ih. 34m. 4s. 



i hf beginning of the long-wave phase was about 



jih. 49m. These times correspond with an earthquake 



i; the distance of Guatemala. The following maxima 



\\ <re recorded : — 



Time Period Amolitude 



X.-S. component 2ih. 57m. 33s. 19s. 185 /x 

 ^.-W. component 2 ih. 58m. 13s. i8s. iT'i/* 



The largest vertical motions occurred about the same 

 time. The displacements due to the horizontal waves 

 were in the S.W.-N.E. direction. The disturbance 

 continued until about 24h. 



Deceinber 29, 1917.— Another large disturbance oc- 

 curred on the evening of this day. Very unfortun- 

 ately, the light failed about an hour before the earth- 

 quake began, a minute particle of soot having blocked 

 the acetylene jet. In consequence, the photographic 

 record for the horizontal components is too faint to be 

 read with accuracy. The vertical instrument gave a 

 verj' fine record, however, and from it the following 

 times are taken : — Primary, 23h. 2m. 43s. ; secondary, 

 23h. 12m. 39s. The maximum displacements were at 

 23h. 375m-, and had a period of 21s. The disturbance 

 did not die down until ih. 30m. on December 30. 

 K December 30, 19 17. — A faint disturbance was re- 

 Kcorded from i6h. 41m. until i7h. 9m. 

 B January i, 1918.— From about oh. until i5h. a 

 somewhat unusual record was obtained from the hori- 

 ntal instruments. Ordinarily, on a seismically quiet 

 \. the trace shows nothing but the regular micro- 

 hms. But, superposed on these, there was, during 

 interval referred to, an almost continual movement 

 an irregular kind, due most probably to a large 

 amber of minor shocks at some distant epicentre, 

 January 3, 1918. — From oh. 19m. to oh. 42m. a faint 

 -turbance occurred. From i4h. om. to i4h. 21m. a 

 ^ht disturbance, including two groups of long waves, 

 - recorded. The first group had a period averaging 

 -., the second averaging 20s, 



Wind effects obscured the seismogram about mid- 

 .^ht, but the trace shows signs of faint disturbance. 

 January 4, 19 18.— A larger disturbance was noticed 

 four hours later. The primary wave occurred at 4h. 

 44"''- 37Sm the secondary at 4h. 54m. 38s., and the 

 long-wave phase began about 5h. qm. These timings 

 indicate an epicentre at the distance of Guatemala. 

 The maximum displacement occurred at 5h. 19m. on 

 he E.-W. instrument, its period being 20s., and the 

 Miplitude 4-2 fi. 

 \t i6h. 30m. a slight, indefinitely marked disturbance 

 ^an and lasted for nearlv an hour. 

 All the above times are G.M.T. 



I HE PITTSBURGH MEETING OF THE 

 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. 

 T^HE seventieth meeting of the American Associa- 

 -*■ tion for the Advancement of Science was held in 

 Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, December 28, 1917-January 

 19 iS. The total registration at the office of the 

 rmanent secretary was 692. 



The impressive keynote of the whole meeting was 

 Air preparation and' efficiency. This was borne out 

 lot only in a number of symposia devoted to specific 

 war topics, but also in other discussions, and in other 

 papers, the titles of which would not necessarilv lead 

 one to expect a development along the line of war 

 preparation. 



NO. 2522, VOL. 100] 



The opening general session of the association was 

 held on Friday night, December 28, in the lecture hall 

 of the Carnegie Institution. The president of the 

 association. Prof. T. W. Richards, of Harvard Univer- 

 sity, was absent, and Dr. G. H. Perkins, of the Uni- 

 versity of Vermont, senior vice-president, presided. 

 Mr. H. M. Irons, city attorney of Pittsburgh, gave an 

 address of welcome on behalf of the mayor of Pitts- 

 burgh, to which Dr. Perkins replied. 



Dr. C. R. Van Hise, retiring president of the. asso- 

 ciation, in his address on^" Some Economic Aspects of 

 the World War," set the note for the entire meeting. 

 Certain special items on the programme of the week 

 may be especially mentioned on account of their war 

 bearing; 



Section C held a symposium on '"Education in 

 Chemical Engineering." Section M held an important 

 symposium on " Factors Concerned in an Increased 

 Agricultural Production." * Section I listened to a 

 paper by the Hon. John Barrett on "The War and the 

 New Pan-America," and before the same section 

 Mr. H. E. Coffin, President of the Aircraft Board at 

 Washington, spoke on the subject of "General Stand- 

 ardisation." Section B held a general interest session 

 on the subject of " Relationship of Physics to the 

 War." Section G, with the Botanical Society of 

 America and the American Phytopathological Society^ 

 held a joint session on "War Problems in Botany." 

 Dr. Vernon L. Kellogg, formerly of the Belgium Relief 

 Commission, and now with Mr. Hoover's board in 

 Washington, gave an exceedingly strong address before 

 the Entomological Society of America on "The Bio- 

 logical Aspects of the War." Section I held a special 

 symposium on "War Problems." Section F held a 

 symposium on "Contributions of Zoology to Human 

 Welfare," in which many war problems were dis- 

 cussed. Section K held a very important syrnposium 

 on the subject of "Medical Problems of the War." 

 This symposium included an address by Lieut. George 

 Loew\v, of the French Army, on "The Treatment of 

 War Wounds by the Carrel Method," which was illus- 

 trated by moving pictures. The School Garden Asso- 

 ciation of America held a symposium on " Organisation 

 of War Gardens." The Association of Economic Ento- 

 mologists discussed the two following topics at length : 

 "Insects and Camp Sanitation " and "How the Ento- 

 mologist can Assist irj Increasing Food Production." 

 The Botanical Society of America and the American 

 Phytopathological Society held a symposium on 

 "Phytopathology in Relation to War Service." 



It was decided to hold the next meeting- of the asso- 

 ciation in Boston, Massachusetts, the meeting to begia 

 on Friday, December 27, 1918. The following officers 

 were elected : — President, J. M. Coulter, of the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago; Presidents of Sections: A, G. D. 

 Burkhoff, Harvard University; B, G. T. Hull, Dart- 

 mouth College ; C, Alex. Smith, Columbia University ; 

 D, I. N. Hollis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; E, 

 D. White, U.S. Geological Survev, Washington, D.C. ; 

 F, W. Patten, Dartmouth College; G, A. F. Blakeslee. 

 Cold Spring Harbour; H, (no election); I, J. Barrett, 

 WashiiiiTton ; K, F. S. Lee, Columbia Universitv ; L. 

 S. A. Courtis. Detroit, Mich.; M. IT. P' Armshv. 

 Pennsylvania State College. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 BiRMiNGH.AM.— The council of the Universitv and the 

 Principal (Sir Oliver Lodge) have issued, for' presenta- 

 tion at the annual meeting of the Court of Governors, 

 their reports for the session 1916-17. The war has re-^ 

 ed the total number of students to about 63 per 

 t. of the normal. The diminution affects all facul- 



duced 

 cen 



