April 14, 1910J 



NATURE 



J 93 



physical oceanography and to deep-sea apparatus. 

 Here there is a great collection of dredges, tow-nets, 

 showing the various devices for opening and closing 

 at a given depth, the deep-sea traps with which the 

 Prince has revolutionised the method of obtaining 

 animals from the greatest depths, and many other 

 appliances, either as used or in the form of models. 

 At present a part of the room is occupied by a coUec- 

 lion of specimens illustrating marine industries, such 



- fishing, sponge-gathering, collecting pearls, as 

 II as the use of pearl-shell, coral, tortoise-shell, and 

 >.,ailar products. The western hall is not yet 

 arranged, but serves at present for classifying the 

 various collections of mollusca, bottom-samples, &c., 

 which are being dealt with. 



•The purpose of the museum is to have all the prin- 

 cipal collections in duplicate, one set for exhibition, 

 the other for purposes of study. The aquariums have 

 already been utilised for the purpose of physiological 

 and biological researches, and the little steam-vessel 

 Eider is available for students to familiarise themselves 

 with the methods of practical oceanography. This 

 little steamer, of twenty tons displacement and sixty 

 horse-power, is fitted for working to a depth of 

 2000 metres, and is being used for the detailed study 

 of the portion of the Mediterranean in the immediate 

 vicinity of the museum. 



The Oceanographical Museum, under the direction 

 of Dr. Richard, to whose admirable description of the 

 building and the collections we are much indebted, is 

 only one part of the Oceanographical Institute which 

 the enlightened munificence of the Prince of Monaco 

 has called into existence. With the object of arousing 

 interest in scientific marine studies in France, the 

 Prince started a series of lectures at the Sorbonne in 

 1903, and in 1906 he gave perpetuity to these courses 

 of lectures by purchasing land which was much 

 wanted for the extension of the university buildings 

 and presenting it to the French nation, together with 

 a building specially devoted to university instruction 

 in oceanography. This building is now nearing com- 

 pletion, and will probably be opened in the present 

 year, or at latest in 191 1. Needless to say, the univer- 

 sity and the French Government accepted the gift 

 with lively gratitude. Three professorships have been 

 created in connection with it, M. A. Berget having 

 the chair of physical oceanography, M. L. Joubin 

 that of biological oceanography, and Dr. P. Portier 

 that of the physiology of marine life. The administra- 

 tive council, under the presidency of the Prince, in- 

 cludes the names of several highly distinguished 

 Frenchmen, but the committee for perfecting the insti- 

 tute is international, and includes representative 

 oceanographers of all countries. Great Britain being 

 represented by Sir John Murray, Dr. W. S. Bruce, 

 and Mr. J. Y. Buchanan. 



During the course of the Monaco gathering four 

 important international committees met, each with 

 the Prince as chairman, and, considering how his time 

 uas filled with State ceremonies and hospitality, it is 

 only extraordinary enthusiasm, as well as most un- 

 usual physical strength, that enabled him to preside 

 hour after hour, with unfailing courtesy and constant 

 tact, over proceedings conducted in three languages. 

 The committees were those for perfecting the Oceano- 

 graphical Institute; for research in the Mediterranean, 

 in which we understand that the Italian Government 

 \\ill take an active part ; for research in the Atlantic, 

 where international cooperation is hoped for, to be or- 

 ganised at a future meeting to be convened by the 

 Oceanographical Institute in Paris; and, finally, for 

 the preparation of a new edition of the Prince's 

 bathymetrical chart of the oceans. It was decided in 

 the new edition of this chart to suppress the indication 

 NO. 21 1 1, VOL. 83] 



of the nature of the bottom, which is often fallacious, 

 to add contour lines and certain physical features on 

 the land, and to revise the terminology. 



By his researches the Prince of >Ionaco has won 

 for himself a place in the foremost rank of men of 

 science, and by enshrining the results in the monu- 

 mental buildings at Monaco and Paris he has invested 

 his labours with permanent value for all time. His 

 modesty and earnestness greatly impressed all those 

 who took part in the proceedings here described, and, 

 if a proof of this is demanded, it is enough to say 

 that no one in authority mentioned the cost of the 

 works, which is usually a prominent feature in the 

 description of any benefaction. 



THE RECENT GROWTH OF POPULATION IN 

 WESTERN EUROPE. 



IX his inaugural address as president of the Royal 

 Statistical Society, delivered in November last and 

 published in the Journal of the Society for December, 

 Sir J. A. Baines deals in detail with the growth of 

 the population of western Europe during the thirty 

 years 1870-1900. The review covers the sixteen 

 countries of western Europe properly so-called, ex- 

 cluding Russia, the countries of south-eastern Europe, 

 and the "half-way" States of Hungary, Galicia, and 

 Poland. In 1870 the population of western Europe so 

 defined amounted in round numbers to 192 millions, 

 a total which had increased by 1900 to 239 millions — 

 an increment of nearly 25 per cent. But, as shown 

 bv the table below, the rate of increase was very 

 different in different countries. 



Total 24-6 87 7-4 1-3 



France and Ireland are both very exceptional ; the 

 population of Ireland actually decreased by nearly i8 

 per cent., while that of France increased by 6 f)er cent, 

 only. In the Scandinavian countries, the increase 

 ranged from 23 per cent, in Sweden to 36 per cent, 

 in Denmark and 53 per cent, in Finland; in the 

 central group from 24 per cent, in western Austria 

 and Switzerland to 43 per cent, in England and 

 Holland. In all countries except France, the natural 

 rate of increase, by excess of births over deaths, has 

 been greater than the actual rate of increase, the 

 average annual rate of increase by excess of births 

 over deaths amounting (as shown by the second 

 column of the above table) to 87 per thousand of the 

 population, while the census only shows an average 

 annual increase of 7*4 per thousand. The loss, or 

 " leakage," has been greatest in Ireland, and next 

 greatest in Norway and Sweden ; in all countries save 

 Italy the rate of loss was greater in the decade 1880-90 

 than in either the earlier or the later decade — in fact 



