January i, 1920] 



NATURE 



441 



was agreed, should be given as "true" only, 

 and from 0° to 360° measured clockwise. 



The arrangement of the British "Notice to 

 Mariners " met with universal approval, and its 

 form was adopted as the standard for all 

 countries. 



With regard to the "Light Lists," the principal 

 alterations and additions agreed to were the in- 

 clusion in the lists of "light buoys," "wireless 

 direction-finding stations," and "sound-ranging 

 signal stations." The desirability of finding a 

 satisfactory formula for describing visibility as 

 limited by the intensity of light was recognised, 

 and it was agreed that each nation should make 

 observations and collect data in order that the 

 matter might be dealt with by the International 

 Hydrographic Bureau if ultimately established. 



The subject of "Tides" was carefully con- 

 sidered, and the necessity recognised for the 

 adoption of a uniform zero from which heights 

 should be measured, which should also be the 

 datum for soundings on the charts, and of uni- 

 form methods of publishing- tidal information. 

 A rule for determining a "universal datum plane," 

 to be called "international low water," was sug- 

 gested for the further consideration of hydro- 

 graphers, and decisions were reached regarding 

 information to be published in tide tables, and on 

 charts at places where the semi-diurnal tide pre- 

 dominates, but it was unfortunately found that 

 modern tidal knowledge was insufficient for any 

 recommendation to be made as to information 

 which should be given on charts at places where 

 the semi-diurnal is not the predominating tide- 

 wave ; this question w-as therefore left for further 

 investigation. 



Interchange of publications, a most important 

 matter to all countries, as each country freely 

 copies the publications of the others, received 

 consideration, and steps were taken to put the 

 matter on a more satisfactory footing. 



A number of Instruments used by various 

 countries in hydrographic surveying were ex- 

 hibited, and useful comparisons made and in- 

 formation exchanged. 



The adoption by all countries of a system of 

 " time zones " to regulate the time kept at sea, 

 such as have already been adopted by France, 

 Great Britain, and Italy, was recommended. 



The last item on the programme of the; confer- 

 ence was the establishment of an " International 

 Hydrographic Bureau," and as the work of the 

 conference progressed, the necessity lor such an 

 institution became more and more evident. Ques- 

 tions arose upon which an agreement in principle 

 was arrived at, but time would not permit of the 

 necessary details to give effect to the decisions 

 being worked out by the conference, nor was such 

 a large body as the latter found to be a suitable 

 medium for doing so. On the necessity for the 

 establishment of a bureau, which should be a 

 purely advisory body with no executive powers, 

 and of the existence of sufficient work to employ 

 it, there was unanimous agreement. Such a body, 

 it was felt, was urgently required to consider and 

 NO. 2618, VOL. IO4I 



make proposals for the co-ordination of the work 

 of the whole of the Hydrographic Offices, to study 

 the numerous questions not fully solved by the 

 conference, to act as an authority to which ques- 

 tions could be submitted for advice, to take steps 

 as required to obtain the assistance and co-opera- 

 tion of Governments and Hydrographic Offices 

 when required for the execution of any particular 

 work or research desirable in the common inter- 

 ests of all countries, and generally to watch over 

 and advance the science of hydrography. As a 

 result of its deliberations the conference decided 

 to appoint a committee consisting of Rear- 

 Admiral Sir J. F. Parry, K.C.B. (then Hydro- 

 grapher of the British Navy), Monsieur J. 

 Renaud, the French Hydrographer, and Rear- 

 Admiral E. Simpson, the Hydrographer of the 

 United States Navy, to prepare for presentation 

 to the various Governments the case for the 

 establishment of a bureau, and to take the neces- 

 sary steps for its formation when the various 

 countries should have signified their approval of 

 its institution. 



With this final act the conference concluded 

 its labours, which, from a hydrographical point of 

 view, cannot be over-estimated, and the results 

 of which will, it is hoped, speedily be apparent in 

 the publications of the various Hydrographic 

 Offices. 



A SHAKESPEAREAN GARDEN. 



WE learn with interest that the trustees and 

 guardians of Shakespeare's birthplace are 

 laying out the " Great Garden " attached to his 

 house, "New Place," as an F^lizabethan garden. 

 The trustees are naturally anxious to plant the 

 garden with those old-fashioned flowers which 

 were grown in English gardens in Shakespeare's 

 day, and they appeal to lovers of Shakespeare 

 and of gardens to help them by contributing the 

 flowers needed to restore the garden, so far as 

 possible, to its original aspect. 



Such a garden of old-fashioned flowers is much 

 to be desired in these days, when so many of the 

 old-fashioned, beautiful, sweet-scented flowers are 

 almost lost to cultivation in gardens, owing to 

 their being ousted by the modern creations of 

 florists. No doubt present-day flowers are larger 

 and more brilliant, but we have to a great extent 

 lost the charm, scent, and elegance of the old 

 garden flowers as a result of what may be termed 

 the vulgarity of present-day tastes. 



The desire for masses of colour and for mag- 

 nificence of form no doubt accounts for the lack 

 of interest in the old-fashioned plants, n.any of 

 which are now scarcely known. Among the plants 

 which the trustees desire to obtain are "sweet 

 musk roses," "roses damask'd red and white," 

 the "crimson rose" and "milk-white rose," all 

 alluded to by Shakespeare. Crown imperials, 

 "lilies of all kinds " — but those known in Shake- 

 speare's time were only a tithe of what are now 

 found in gardens ; daffodils — again only a few — 

 and " fleur-de-luce " arc all referred to by Shake- 



