6o4 



NA TURE 



[October 20, 1898 



seen it so located among the clouds that its origin must be placed 

 at or below their level, and, therefore, within a few thousand 

 feet of the earth's surface. On the other hand, those who have 

 calculated the altitudes of specific beams by trigonometrical or 

 equivalent methods have deduced heights of twenty to a hundred 

 miles; Dr. Boiler has even quoted an altitude of 1243 miles. 

 Prof. Abbe remarks that, after reviewing the literature of the 

 subject since the time of Halley, he finds that all methods agree 

 in one fundamental assumption that the observed beams and 

 arches have an individual existence and a definite loctis. But 

 this assumption is negatived by the equal frequency of negative 

 and positive parallaxes wherever the parallax method is applied. 

 The only conclusion possible is that the observers do not see the 

 same object, partly because the aurora is too low down, and 

 partly because there are optical illusions due to alignment. 



During the present year. Dr. Doberck, Director of the Hong 

 Kong Observatory, published a useful pamphlet on '* The law 

 of storms in the Eastern seas," the first part of which was issued 

 in 1886. The work is illustrated by plates showing the different 

 classes of typhoons, and their average tracks and rate of progress, 

 based upon 244 storms registered during the past thirteen years. 

 A translation of the pamphlet by Dr. P. Bergholz, of Bremen, 

 appeared in the Meteorologische Zeitschrift for September, thus 

 testifying to the value of Dr. Doberck's investigations to the 

 sea-faring community, and to maritime meteorology generally. 



The special Antarctic number of the Scottish Geographical 

 Magazine ought to be widely distributed and read, in order to 

 excite a little more practical sympathy with scientific Antarctic 

 exploration than has yet been shown by the general public. 

 Sir John Murray pleads strongly for a British Antarctic Ex- 

 pedition. At the present moment, he points out, scientific 

 men in Germany are making arrangements, with the approval 

 and support of their Government, for the exploration of the 

 Antarctic in the year 1900. We have been asked to co-operate, 

 at the same time, in this exploration, but our Government has 

 expressed itself unable to support the undertaking, and there is 

 little hope of the necessary funds being procured from private 

 sources. The outlook is thus not at all promising so far as 

 British science is concerned ; and unless the unexpected 

 happens, we shall have to stand aside while other countries 

 carry through the great work of examining the south polar area, 

 and reap the results of their enterprise. Sir John Murray 

 suggests that a rich man, or several rich men, should place in 

 the hands of the President of the Royal Society at least 

 100,000/. for the purpose of organising an Antarctic expedition 

 to co-operate with the other expeditions that are preparing to 

 set out in the year 1900. Here is a splendid opportunity for 

 wealth to assist most usefully in the development of knowledge, 

 and earn renown for British science. May the desire to place 

 our country in the fore-front in scientific research, and especially 

 in oceanic explorations, move some generous benefactor to 

 provide means for equipping and sustaining an expedition 

 which will be a credit to the nation and to science. The whole 

 history of Antarctic exploration, including complete reports of 

 the discussion of the subject at the Royal Society on February 

 24 (see Nature, vol. Ivii. pp. 420-427), and an excellent map 

 of the south polar regions, is given in the Scottish Geographical 

 Magazine, and we trust its publication will produce a practical 

 result. 



The August number of the Bulletin de la Sociiti d' Encourage- 

 ment pour T Industrie Nationalei^zx\%) is occupied almost entirely 

 by an article by M. L. de Chasseloup-Laubat, on the steamboat 

 service of this country, the United States, Germany and France. 

 The development of steam navigation is traced, and full descrip- 

 tions given of all the principal steamers which have been 

 engaged in the passenger service of the world, and of some cargo 

 NO. 15 I 2, VOL. 58] 



boats. The article contains detailed particulars of the dimen- 

 sions of the boats, mode of construction, engines and fittings, 

 speed and draught. In some of the more modern boats, such 

 as the Campania, particulars are given of the staff and crew 

 engaged in working the boats, and the quantity of coal and pro- 

 visions used. From the tables given it appears that for the 

 number of cabin passengers carried the American Line stands 

 first, followed in order by the Cunard, White Star, Hamburg- 

 American and Norddeutscher Lloyd. The German boats 

 carry the greatest number of emigrants. The article is very 

 fully illustrated, and contains several tables as to the time 

 occupied in the different voyages, details of dimensions, horse- 

 power and other matters. 



A MAGNIFICENT meteor was observed at numerous points irk 

 Ontario, at 8. 50 standard time of July 5, and many descriptions of 

 it appeared in the newspapers at the time. Mr. F. F. Payne gives a 

 few particulars of the meteor in the July number of the Canadian 

 Monthly Weather Review, which has just reached this country. 

 The meteor was described by observers as a ball of lurid light, 

 apparently about ten inches in diameter, exploding with a loud 

 rumbling noise like thunder, and leaving a long sinuous trail of 

 white vapour, which was visible for at least six minutes after- 

 wards. As is usual there was some apparent disagreement be- 

 tween observers as to the meteor's flight, the popular opinion 

 prevailing that its course must be parallel to the earth's surface,, 

 its vertical motion scarcely being considered. From data re- 

 ceived, Mr. Payne thinks that the meteor became visible at a 

 height of 125 miles above the earth's surface at a point some- 

 what to the eastward of Collingwood, over which place it passed 

 near the zenith, its path being inclined a little to the north of 

 west. It apparently exploded over the Georgian Bay in latitude 

 44" 50', longitude 80° 30', and the observer at Collingwood 

 states that "a loud rumbling noise was heard." 



The question of the determination of the neutral elements of 

 involutions presents considerable difficulties to the mathema- 

 tician. An important contribution to the solution of this 

 problem is given by M. F. Deruyts, of the University of Liege, 

 in the Bulletin of the Belgian Academy. The same mathe- 

 matician also considers certain properties of gauche curves, his 

 conclusions including amongst others the following interesting 

 result : — " Through 9 - /t points of space there can be drawn 



I 



)C/:0> 



gauche curves of the fourth order having contact of order 

 (/('-/> -t- I ) with a given gauche curve of order n, and meeting 

 this curve in 2/ - 3 points. " 



The installation of a storage battery of ten thousand cells 

 has enabled Prof. John Trowbridge to undertake an inquiry 

 into the nature of electrical discharges in air and gases under 

 conditions which render the investigation practically an incur- 

 sion into a new region of research. The results of his invest- 

 igations have on several occasions been referred to in these 

 columns ; nevertheless the following r^.rMw^ of certain conclusions, 

 from his paper in the Proceedings of the American Academy of 

 Arts and Sciences, vol. xxxiii. No. 21, is of interest :— Beyond 

 1 ,000,000 volts the initial resistance of atmospheric air to electric 

 discharge decreases, and may become as low as 1000 ohms 

 between terminals 2 or 3 inches apart. When the initial 

 resistance of highly rarefied air is broken down by x-rays, it 

 exhibits less resistance than it does at 2 mm, pressure when its 

 conductivity is generally considered to be greatest. There are 

 anode as well as kathode x-iays, and these rays exhibit all the 

 peculiarities of the kathode rays. The x-rays can be distinctly 

 produced with an electromotive force of 10,000 volts, and there 

 are indications of them at 5C00 volts. Electrostatic induction 



