June i6, 1910] 



NA TURE 



475 



.1 marked contrast in the two fringes of shadow. This 

 corroborates what we have just deduced, for at this time 

 the relative positions of the sun and earth were reversed. 



In the case of Saturn we have, as another interesting 

 detail, the excellent instance it affords of contrast. From 

 the bright equatorial belt, the most brilliant part of the 

 whole picture, we notice a regular gradation of tints down 

 to the faintest parts of the rings, for it is noteworthy that 

 the dark belts of the planet are not so dark as these. 

 This grading is particularly serviceable for being practic- 

 ally that of the eye, for the colour screen and plate used 

 were such as to give us the light from that portion of the 

 spectrum of which the eye takes greatest cognisance. The 

 relative effect, therefore, on the plate is the same as on 

 the retina. 



Lastly, we come to what is one of the greatest triumphs 

 of the whole process, the self-recording of the wisps of 

 Saturn. It was in September that these wisps were first 

 detected visually, independently, by my assistant, Mr. 

 E. C. Slipher, and myself. Curiously enough, they were 

 suspected synchronously on the photographic images, and 

 on later ones were definitely seen. They counterpart 

 almost precisely those of Jupiter, though, of course, in 

 very faint replica. Here comes in the beauty of the photo- 

 graphic method. Instead of taking but a single image, 

 twenty or more are taken one after the other on a single 

 plate. Meanwhile, the colour-screen is moved. Thus any 

 detail in the image due to defect on the plate proclaims 

 its origin by its singularity, and in the same manner the 

 colour-screen betrays its self-written markings. If a 

 detail is repeated on several images in place it must be 

 real, however faint. 



As we take our leave of Saturn let me point out the 

 beautiful elliptical figures of the rings thus shown, a 

 symmetrical correctness wonderfully pleasing to the eye, 

 and which the best of drawings fails to reproduce. 



From the detail these photographs have thus proved 

 themselves able to depict, they mark a new departure in 

 planetary research. While, on the one hand, they exhibit 

 to the world at large something of the advance recently 

 achieved in our knowledge of the solar system, on the 

 other they constitute in themselves the beginning of a set 

 of records in which the future of the planets mav be 

 confronted with its archived past, and which shall endure 

 after those who first conceived such registry shall have 

 long since passed away. They can never take the place 

 of first-rate visual observation, but they will form a firm 

 foundation for whatever shall subsequently be seen, and 

 will enable such changes as must inevitably ensue to be 

 the better collated and compared. They are the histories 

 of the planets written by themselves, their autobiographies 

 penned by light: and in their grand historical portrait 

 gallery, where the planets' pasts live on for ever in 

 immortal youth, astronomers yet to come may see the 

 earlier stages of the great cosmic drama which is slowly 

 but surely working itself out. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Birmingham. — Mr. E. M. Holmes, whose magnificent 

 collection of seaweeds and algas was purchased for the 

 University some time ago, has now presented to the 

 botanical department another series of about 2000 beauti- 

 fully preserved specimens, together with a number of 

 valuable books on algology. The possession of this collec- 

 tion, the finest of the kind in the world, places the Uni- 

 versity in a unique position for the study of this branch 

 of botany. 



Prof. Sidney S. Dawson has resigned the chair of 

 accounting. 



An official degree of M.Sc. is to be conferred on Prof. 

 F. W. Gamble. 



Dr. Arthur Francis Bashford, director of the Imperial 

 Cancer Research, has been appointed to deliver the Inglebv 

 lectures for 191 1. 



Prof. Charles Lapworth, F.R.S., has been appointed to 

 represent the University at the International Geological 

 v>ongress at Stockholm in August next. 

 , ^'^■^^B'^iDGE. — The general board of studies has appointed 

 the following university lecturers : — Dr. Marr, geology ; 



NO. 2120, VOL. 85] 



Dr. Shore, physiology; Dr. Baker and Mr. J. H. Grace, 

 mathematics ; Mr. G. F. C. Searle and Mr. C. T. R. 

 Wilson, experimental physics ; and Mr. H. O. Meredith, 

 economics. 



The special board for biology and geology has nominated 

 Prof. I. Ikeda to occupy the university table at the labora- 

 tory of the Marine Biological Association at Plymouth for 

 three weeks between July 15 and August 30. 



Glasgow.— Among the recipients of the honorary degree 

 of Doctor of Laws on Thursday, June 9, were Dr. H. 

 Dyer, C.E., first principal of the Imperial College of 

 Engineering, Tokyo, now honorary principal of the 

 college, and emeritus professor of the University of Tokyo ; 

 and Prof. G. O. A. Montelius, royal antiquary of Sweden 

 and professor at the National Archaeological Museum, 

 Stockholm. 



Leeds. — On Saturday, June 11, the University- held a 

 Congregation for the purpose of installing the Duke of 

 Devonshire as Chancellor in succession to the late Marquis 

 of Ripon. The gathering, which included the Mayor and 

 Corporation of the City, a large representation of York- 

 shire civic and educational authorities, as well as the 

 Court, Senate, and Convocation of the University, was 

 held in the 'lown Hall. After the ceremony of installa- 

 tion a band of one hundred and fifty students sang a chorus 

 from Bach's " Dramma per Musica. " The Chancellor 

 delivered a short address, in which he alluded to the 

 hereditary interest of his family in the fortunes of the 

 Yorkshire College and the Leeds University, and expressed 

 himself anxious to maintain the tradition to the utmost of 

 his power. He commended the work of tutorial university 

 extension, and the prosecution of research, especially in 

 connection with the prevention of disease. In connection 

 with the ceremony, honorary degrees were conferred on a 

 number of distinguished public men, including the Prime 

 Minister (who was born near Leeds), the Earl of Crewe, 

 Lord Lansdowne, and the Speaker. The degree of D.Sc. 

 was conferred on Lord Rayleigh, Sir Clements Markham, 

 K.C.B., and Prof. Osier. Sir Hugh Bell, Bart., received 

 the degree of LL.D. On behalf of the honorary graduates, 

 Mr. Asquith congratulated the University upon the installa- 

 tion of its new Chancellor. He expressed the opinion that 

 the new universities had justified the faith and fulfilled 

 the high hopes of their founders, and he passed a warm 

 eulogium upon the work of the University of Leeds. The 

 ceremonial of the proceedings, which was picturesque with- 

 out being archaic, excited great interest, and the part 

 taken by the students met with general approbation. 



On Thursday. June 23, Dr. H. A. Miers, F.R.S., prin- 

 cipal of the University of London, will present the prizes 

 at the London (Royal Free Hospital) School of Medicine 

 for Women. Mrs. Garrett-Anderson,, president of the 

 school, will occupy the chair. 



We learn from Science that an announcement has been 

 made of the receipt by Western Reserve University of a 

 gift of 50,000/. by Mr. H. M. Hanna, as an addition to 

 the endowment of the medical department, and that Mr. 

 J. Ogden Armour has made a gift of 14,000/. to the 

 Armour Institute of Technology. 



According to a Reuter message from Peking, the 

 Throne of China, approving a recommendation of its 

 Board of Education, decrees that English shall be the 

 ofVicial language for scientific and technical education. 

 The study of English is made compulsory in all provincial 

 scientific and technical high schools. 



The annual conference of the Association of Teachers in 

 Technical Institutions, which was postponed on account of 

 the death of King Edward VII., will be held at Birming- 

 ham on Friday and Saturday, June 17 and 18. Mr. j. 

 Wilson, president of the association, will deliver his address 

 on the latter da}', and a paper will be read by Dr. T. 

 Slater Price on the relations of technical institutions to 

 the universities. 



The late Prof. J. Campbell Brown, professor of chem- 

 istry for thirty-two vears in Liverpool University, left estate 

 of the gross value of 43,101/., of which the net personalty has 

 been sworn at 42,740/. We learn from the Times that he 

 bequeathed to the professors of chemistry of the Universitv 



