March ii, 1920] 



NATURE 



4» 



appointment rests in each case with the research asso- 

 ciation, and not with this Department." 



In the case of the Glass Research Association the 

 State contribution to its funds for the next five years 

 is three-quarters of the total. In view of its relatively 

 large contribution, the State should be able to exer- 

 cise more than a merely nominal control over the 

 appointment of the director; if it cannot do so, it 

 should take immediate steps to remedy its position. 



It is the opinion of the National Union of Scientific 

 Workers that it is the subordination of the scientific 

 worker to the "business man" which has been 

 chiefly responsible in the past for the tardy develop- 

 ment of scientific industry in this country. It feels 

 that this appointment negatives the aims outlined bv 

 the Department, and that the whole industry • will 

 suffer from the consequent neglect of the scientific 

 aspects of glass research work and from the un- 

 willingness of scientific workers to submit to such 

 direction. 



We firmlv believe that the matter is one of the 

 first importance, and that the result of our repre- 

 sentation in this matter, not only with a commercial 

 organisation, but also with the Department charged 

 with the care of scientific interests in the country, 

 may determine the relations of science and industry 

 for many years to come. A. G. Church, 



Secretary. 



19 Tothill Street, Westminster, 

 S.W.I, March 6. 



On Langmuir's Theory of Atoms. 



The great objection to Langmuir's theory of atomic 

 structure is the difficulty of accepting his hypothesis 

 of stationary electrons. In view of the extraordinary 

 power of the theory, it is important to inquire if 



lit' 



i : ■ I 



'III 



: I • 1 



6^^r^4.<^ 



Langmuir's argument from the fixity of direction of 

 the valency forces necessarily holds. There appear 

 to be various ways in which the rotation can be 

 imagined of the stable groups of electrons formed by 

 the combination of atoms. The figures represent 

 diagrammatically, according to Langmuir's system, 

 rotating groups of electrons in the outer shells of 

 molecules of neon, fluorine; and oxygen. In the case 

 of the fluorine molecule the six electrons, forming two 

 quartets with two electrons in common, may revolve 

 as a whole. The same thing may happen in the 

 oxygen molecule, or the electrons may revolve as three 

 quartets. Revolution of the stable groups of electrons 

 would add to the stability of the molecules formed bv 

 their combination and increase the directional steadi- 

 NO. 2628, VOL. 105] 



ness of the valency forces. In this way it may be 

 possible to reconcile Langmuir's theory with that of 



'.^5' c • ,, S. C. Bradford. 



the Science Museum, South Kensington, 

 London, S.W.7, February 16. 



Seconding of Officers for Study at Universities. 



The War Oftice Memorandum recently issued 

 rightly points with satisfaction to the arrangements 

 made to allow Regular ofiicers to take a full course 

 of study at a university (A.O. 323 of 1919). Unfor- 

 tunately, however, the conditions under which officers 

 may avail themselves of this privilege are such 

 that only the wealthy ones will be able to take advan- 

 tage of it, for while seconded they will receive no 

 pay or ifllowance from Army funds; indeed, it has 

 not even been decided whether the whole or any 

 portion of the period spent at a university will count 

 towards pension. 



I venture to suggest that pressure should be brought 

 to bear on the War Office to secure that these privi- 

 leges shall be open to officers of small means bv 

 allowing them to retain their pay and allowance's 

 during the time they are undergraduates. 



J. Werthkimek. 



Merchant Venturers' Technical College, 

 Bristol, March 8. 



Scientific and Tecltnical Books. 



One oart of the Descriptiyp Catalogue of the British 

 Scientific Products Exhibition organised by the British 

 Science Guild last year was devoted to selected lists 

 of books on science and technology. 



The guild has been asked to extend these lists, so as 

 to include not only all branches of science, both bio- 

 logical and physical, but also the chief technical sub- 

 jects. It has undertaken to do this, and a com- 

 mittee, of which I am chairman, has been appointed 

 to prepare such a catalogue. 



The lists will be limited to books of British origin 

 actually in current catalogues of the publishers, so 

 that they can be obtained in the usual way through 

 booksellers. School books and elementary manuals will 

 not be included, and the general standard will be that 

 of college courses in scientific and technical subjects 

 or of works libraries. Each list will be submitted to 

 authorities upon the subject with which it deals, but 

 in order to secure that no important work is omitted 

 the committee invites the assistance of everyone 

 interested in its task. Such aid may be afforded by 

 sending (to the British Science Guild, 6 John .Street, 

 Adelphi, London. W.C.2) lists or single titles of British 

 books of standard value or proved worth in any branch 

 of science or industry. I shall much appreciate help 

 of this kind which any readers of Nature may be 

 able to give. R. A. Gregory. 



Davliglit Saving and the Length of the Working Day. 



Summer time this year is to begin on March 28 and 

 end on September 27 (Nature, February 26, p. 701). 

 In this connection it may be of interest to point out 

 one effect of the Daylight Saving Act which appears 

 to have escaped notice. 



During the six months when the .\ct is in operation 

 the physiological working day is lengthened by one 

 hour — that is to sav. we are all practically compelled 

 to be in active movement (of body or brain) for an 

 hour longer than we normally should be. This 

 lengthened day is accompanied by a curtailment of 

 sleep, particularly in the case of working men who 

 have to rise early, and children. It would be of interest 

 to know the effect of these conditions on the worker's 

 rate of production and the demand for shorter hours. 



Annie D. Betts, 



Hill House, Camberley. 



