May 29, 1919] 



NATURE 



253 



determined by the smaller instruments, and to some 

 extent by the astrolabe a prisme, which has been con- 

 fided to the care of Mme. Chandon. In the middle 

 of the year 1918 a provisional observatory was installed 

 at Lyons, to which the astrolabe and other instruments 

 for determination of time were transferred. M. Henri 

 Renan has retired from the service of the observatory 

 after forty-four years' service, and M. Puiseux, who 

 entered the observatory in 1879, resigned his office in 

 the year 19 17. 



THE ATLANTIC FLIGHT. 



''PHE safety of Mr. H. G. Hawker and Comdr. 

 ■*■ Mackenzie-Grieve, after their daring attempt 

 at a direct flight across the Atlantic, is at present 

 the feature of special interest. The Times of May 26, 

 referring to the news, says "it will cause as keen 

 and as widespread a joy as the news of many a 

 victory in the war." Without doubt the safety of the 

 two airmen has lifted a cloud which threatened to 

 overshadow other competitors. 



Much fog was encountered immediately after the 

 start from Newfoundland, and, later, cloud and a 

 squally northerly wind. The flight was made chiefly 

 at an elevation of about 10,000 ft. A direct course 

 for the British Isles was being made, and the aircraft 

 had completed one-half of the journey eastward when, 

 according to Mr. Hawker, "the machine stopped 

 owing to the water-filter in the feed-pipe from the radia- 

 tor to the water-pump being blocked up with refuse." 

 It is said that there was no trouble in landing on the 

 sea, and Mr. Hawker and Comdr. Grieve were picked 

 up by the Danish tramp steamship Mary in lat. 

 50° 20' N. and long. 29° 30' W., after being in the 

 water about one and a half hours, at 8.30 a.m. 

 G.M.T. on May 19. 



The Mary left New Orleans on April 28, bound for 

 Denmark, Fortunately, this vessel was close at hand 

 when the aircraft was in difficulty. An examination 

 of the wireless weather reports published by the 

 Meteorological Office in the International Section of 

 the Daily Weather Report indicates that Atlantic 

 liners were apparently nowhere near at the time. 



From weather maps prepared, it seems that fair 

 north and north-west winds were blowing from New- 

 foundland to about mid-Atlantic, with cloudy weather, 

 the conditions being chiefly anticyclonic. Further 

 eastward there was a cyclonic disturbance which 

 occasioned gales and heavy weather. This storm 

 system hovered in about the same position to the 

 westward of Ireland for a fortnight, which, meteoro- 

 logically, is very exceptional, its passage being barred 

 by a region of high barometer which has persistently 

 hung over Scandinavia. Such anomalies offer a 

 decided difficulty to trans-Atlantic flying, although 

 with more perfect engines and further improvement 

 in the flying machines these diilficulties will, without 

 doubt, be overcome in time. 



We join with the entire British public and others 

 in hearty congratulations on the happy ending of the 

 venturesome and courageous voyage. 



The Daily Mail has generouslv decided to give a 

 consolation prize of soooZ. for division between Mr. 

 Hawker and his navigator. 



The United States Navy seaplane N.C.4, which 

 accomplished a flight to the Azores from Newfound- 

 land on May 16-17, left Ponta Delgada on Mav 27 

 and arrived at Lisbon on the same evening. This 

 <;tage of the journey was about eight hundred miles, 

 tnd the third stage to Plymouth, by which the trans- 

 Atlantic flight is to be concluded as we go to press, is 

 .ibout nine hundred miles. 



:0. 2587, VOL. 103] 



CARNEGIE LIBRARIES AND EDUCA- 

 TIONAL WELFARE. 

 ''PHE fifth annual report (1918) of the Carnegie 

 ■*■ United Kingdom Trust was submitted by the 

 executive committee to the trustees on February 26, 

 and has now been published (Edinburgh : T. and A. 

 Constable). The work of the Trustees suggests that, 

 as it is the fashion now to create new Ministries, 

 there is a splendid opportunity for the Prime Minister 

 to appoint a Minister of Philanthropy. Mr. Carnegie, 

 with the most benevolent intentions, spent about 

 two millions on libraries, and, while undoubtedly 

 many towns owe him gratitude for his gifts of fine 

 buildings, we fear the balance would show that he 

 probably did more harm than good. Many of these 

 libraries have proved to be mere white elephants, their 

 upkeep in many cases practically exhausting the whole 

 of the available income, resulting in miserably paid 

 and ineffective staffs, and nothing left for the purchase 

 of books. In some cases less than il. has been spent 

 on books during an entire year. Whether or not Mr. 

 Carnegie realised this before the end of his personal 

 benefactions we cannot tell, but he very wisely handed 

 over a large sum to carefully chosen trustees, who 

 from the first have laid themselves out to amend past 

 mistakes and make sure that fresh benefactions should 

 be granted with some surety of lasting good results ; 

 they have, therefore, steadily refused to make building 

 grants where the yield of the rate is inadequate for 

 the maintenance of a proper library. 



The trustees have taken education and the welfare 

 of the people in the widest sense for their province, 

 and they have made the renewal of their annual grants 

 dependent on results. The report is well worth read- 

 ing. Taking as their model the excellent Yorkshire 

 Village Library scheme, which for more than fifty 

 years has done so much for the working classes, the 

 trustees have established .and maintained rural cir- 

 culating libraries throughout the country, including 

 both Scotland and Ireland, some under the county 

 education authorities, some in relation with town 

 libraries, and others under the charge of the local 

 clergy or schoolmasters. They have established and 

 supported play centres for " toddlers " — that is, children 

 below five years — and, for older children, cricket, foot- 

 ball, and other games, all complete with pavilions and 

 everything necessary. In fact, their motto for all such 

 enterprises appears to be " thoroughness." Baths and 

 wash-houses have not been forgotten, and one of their 

 most recent experiments is the encouragement of 

 music by offerin^f rewards for compositions, which are 

 published when judged worthy by their experts. 

 Recognising that music takes a very high place 

 among the instruments for elevating and refining the 

 mind, they have requested Sir Henry Hadow to 

 " investigate and describe the agencies which exist for 

 promoting the practice and appreciation of the art of 

 music among the people of the United Kingdom, 

 and to report what steps might be taken towards their 

 further encouragement in the future." Under the 

 direction of Dr. Terry, considerable progress has been 

 made with the recovery of the works of the musicians 

 of the Tudor period and the transcription of them 

 into modern notation. 



The trustees have made a grant of 4000Z. to the 

 National Union of Women Workers for travelling 

 welfare exhibitions in England and Scotland, the 

 expenditure to be spread over two years ; and a sum 

 of 7i;oi. for the same purpose has recently been paid 

 to the Women's National Health Association for 

 Ireland. Taught by their five years' experience, thev 

 direct special attetitton to that blot on our public 



