26o 



NATURE 



[July 14, i< 



hidden a lot of war materials in the cellars of the observatory. 

 After a thorough inspection an electric battery was found in the 

 cellars. However, the absence of instruments of destruction 

 did not allay the suspicions, especially as the story was told at the 

 time the French soldiers were approaching Antananarivo. 



In August, the Madagascan Government sent M. Ramarosaona 

 to make a complete search over the observatory. He found in 

 the north tower six cases with the following inscription on them : 

 "Produits chimiques et photographiques, Brewer Freres, Paris," 

 and at once concluded that this was the ammunition, deciding 

 that the two copper-mounted telescopes were the] cannons, and 

 he .announced his discovery to the Prime Minister with much 

 pride. The Prime Minister, however, knew that the instru- 

 ments were really telescopes and not cannons, and expressed 

 the wish to look through one. On seeing how clearly distant 

 objects could be observed, he at once concluded that the 

 instruments were used for watching the manoeuvres of the 

 French soldiers. All suspicious instruments and boxes were 

 then taken to the palace ; inspectors were frequently sent to the 

 observatory to try and find the hidden war material, but to 

 no effect. 



Finally, in September an order was issued from the Queen 

 that the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages were to take 

 the instruments and furniture of the observatory to the college 

 at Ambohipo, and to destroy the observatory, in order that the 

 French, who were advancing on the town, should not find a single 

 shelter. With all possible speed the two men in charge dismounted 

 as many instruments as possible, and packed them ready for 

 transport. The inhabitants, however, were already in the build- 

 ings breaking down windows and doors, so that many instru- 

 ments were broken, and others disappeared. The meteorological 

 observations were continued up to the last moment, and much 

 credit is due to the two assistants, who were indefatigable in 

 their efforts to save as much as possible. 



Soon after the destruction of the observatory, of which only 

 a few feet of the walls were left, the French arrived, and an 

 engagement followed between them and the Madagascans ; and 

 the position of the latter became so bad that they had to 

 escape to Antananarivo, leaving behind them their cannons and 

 ammunition, which were afterwards used by the French to 

 bombard the palace. 



The next day an inspection was made of the instruments at 

 the college, but most of them were found to have been 

 damaged in transport ; so much so, that it was either a case of 

 sending them to France to be mended, or of leplacing them by 

 new ones. Most of the other instruments that were taken were 

 returned, and in some cases money was sent to compensate for 

 damages. 



The observatory had been at work for a little over six years, 

 and during that time very important observations in meteorology, 

 astronomy, magnetics and geodesy had been made. A subscrip- 

 tion is now open for a new observatory and for the College of 

 France at Antananarivo, and in all probability the new 

 observatory will be dedicated to the memory of the soldiers 

 killed in Madagascar. 



TIDES IN THE GULF AND RIVER ST. 

 LA WRENCE. 

 \\7E have received a copy of a paper ^ read before the Royal 

 Society of Canada, giving a general description of the 

 results of the tidal observations which are being carried out in 

 the St. Lawrence under the direction of the Canadian Govern- 

 ment. In Nature of April 22, 1897, an account was given as 

 to the origin of this survey and the manner in which the opera- 

 tions were being conducted by Mr. Bell Dawson, the officer in 

 charge of the work, under the direction of the Marine Depart- 

 ment of the Dominion. One of the principal objects of the 

 survey is to obtain, by means of self-recording tide-gauges, data 

 for computing trustworthy tide-tables for the use of the 

 navigation. 



Tide-tables for two of the stations — Halifax and Quebec — 

 have been issued for the last two years, and for St. John for the 

 present year. Owing to the great variation of the rise and time 

 of the tides at different parts of the Gulf, the pamphlet affords 



1 "Character and Progress of the Tides in the Gulf and River St. 

 Lawrence, as ascertained by Simultaneous Observations with belf-regis- 

 tering Tide-Gauges." By W. Bell Dawson, M. A., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E. 

 (Ottawa : J. Durie and Son. London : Bernard Quaritch, 1897.) 



NO. 1498, VOL. 58] 



an extremely interesting study of tidal conditions. The regu- 

 larity with which the tide proceeds to Quebec after it has once 

 entered the mouth of the river is in great contrast with its 

 character while in the Gulf. 



The variation in the period of time which the tidal undula- 

 tion occupies in crossing the open Gulf is twice as great as the 

 variation in the period between Anticosti and Quebec, where 

 the distance is double. The main set of the tide is along the 

 deep-water channel of 100 fathoms, which continues up the 

 river to the mouth of the Saguenay, 130 miles below Quebec. 

 Along the 240 miles from St. Paul Island in Cabot Strait to 

 Anticosti the tide is propagated at the rate of 43 miles an 

 hour ; whereas over the 450 miles from Antico.«ti to Quebec the 

 rate is 82 J miles an hour. The variation in the range of the 

 tide at different parts of the Gulf and river is even more varied. 

 At some of the stations and in the Atlantic the range is from 

 4 to 5 feet. At Magdalen Island, in the middle of the Gulf, 

 and also in parts of Northumberland Strait, the rise is almost 

 imperceptible ; while at Quebec and St. John the range is 26 

 and 32 feet. The wind is also found to have a material effect 

 on the range and time of the tides, which are delayed or ad- 

 vanced from 1 1 to 2 hours in some parts of the Gulf, according 

 to its direction and force. The pamphlet is accompanied by a 

 map of the Gulf and several tidal diagrams. 



THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE ON 

 UNIVERSITY EXTENSION. 

 A CONFERENCE on University Extension was held in 

 "'"^ Cambridge last week, and on Thursday, the second day of 

 the proceedings, the Duke of Devonshire presided, and delivered 

 an address, portions of which, taken from the Times report, we 

 reproduce : — 



Local Extension Colleges. 

 The most important outcome of University extension during 

 the last few years has been the light which it has thrown on the 

 possibility of coordinating, where the circumstances are favour- 

 able, various forms of adult education. A few weeks ago his 

 Royal Highness the Prince of Wales opened the new buildings 

 of the University Extension College at Reading, and the presence 

 of a large and distinguished body of representatives of the Uni- 

 versity of Oxford showed the deep interest taken by the sister 

 University in this new institution, which is the direct result of 

 the University extension movement aided and supported by 

 municipal contributions, local generosity, and the subsidies of 

 the neighbouring County Councils. Special local circumstances 

 and the encouragement given by the Board of Agriculture have 

 given a particular character to the organisation of the Reading 

 College ; but the essential fact in its rapid and striking growth 

 has been the part played by the representatives of the University 

 in organising and stimulating local effort and in educing out of 

 various elements a new type of educational institution which 

 associates municipal and local activity with University traditions 

 and prestige. The successful growth of the Exeter University 

 Extension College, which stands in a close relation to the Uni- 

 versity of Cambridge, and largely owes its increasing educational 

 importance to that connection, is another proof the value of the 

 services which the Universities are rendering to this branch of 

 national education. The differences in the organisation of the 

 Reading and Exeter Colleges show how wisely the methods of 

 University extension work have been allowed to adapt them- 

 selves to the various conditions of distinct localities. The 

 operations of the University syndicates have been happily marked 

 by a judicious sense of the need for elasticity and freedom in 

 educational organisation, coupled with an earnest care for high 

 aims and for a high standing of teaching. A good beginning 

 has also been made, in close connection with the University of 

 Cambridge, at Colchester, where the new University Extension 

 College will, it may be hoped, render excellent educational 

 service to the municipality and surrounding neighbourhood. 



A Vlmdication of the Extension Movement. 

 Apart from providing guidance and stimulus in studies for 

 those who would otherwise be deprived of them, the University 

 Extension colleges and courses have proved of great advantage 

 to many who desire to keep up their intellectual interests and to 

 refresh their knowledge. Teachers in the various grades of 

 schools, public and private, are among those who have had 



