206 



NA TV RE 



[June 28, 1900 



and the whole ground of the engineering lectures is provided 

 for in the equipment of the laboratories. The machines are large 

 in number and in capacity, so that every student performs ex- 

 periments on an adequate scale. The work is chiefly pursued in 

 the third and fourth years, and occupies from four to six hours 

 weekly. In some laboratories there are full-size locomotives 

 mounted, so that running tests can be made, and special courses 

 are arranged for those who wish to take up the mechanical side 

 of railway practice. Facilities are given by the railroad com- 

 panies for testing under the conditions of actual running. 



The shops gave the impression of being thoroughly practi- 

 cal, and on such a scale that the knowledge acquired there by 

 the student would be of use in his subsequent professional life. 



The greater size of the Continent is, perhaps, partially re- 

 sponsible for the following paragraph in the committee's report, 

 although really if education were properly appreciated in this 

 country, our island is large enough for us to follow the ex- 

 ample. The paragraph we refer to looks very attractive to 

 those whose woik in this country lies in colleges cramped in the 

 middle of great cities. It runs as follows :— 



"We were very much struck with the amount of ground 

 occupied by the colleges, each building standing in its own 

 grounds, so that it is well lighted on every side. Usually there 

 is a large entrance hall, a fine staircase, and wide corridors lead- 

 ing to class-rooms and laboratories. The floor space in the 

 laboratories is generally very much greater than with us. The 

 apparatus, instead of being huddled away in dark corners, is set 

 out and classified as if for exhibition, jvvhile the machinery ■ 

 occupies a space worthy of its imp(5rtance." 



We observe also that every college possesses departmental 

 libraries and reading-rooms available for the students, in addi- 

 tion to the large central library and read?ig-room. 



The social aspect of university life is hot forgotten, and the 

 following glorified edition of a student's union is well worthy of 

 imitation : — 



" The University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia possesses in 

 Houston Hall a fine building given to the University by an old 

 graduate, in memory of his son, who was also a graduate. It is 

 a club-house for the students, any student becoming a member 

 for two dollars per annum. In the building are reading, billiard 

 and smoking rooms, a luncheon-room, a gymnasium, a swim- 

 ming bath, and rooms for college societies. The hall is 

 entirely and very well managed by the students. It is re- 

 garded by the stafif as having a most excellent influence on 

 student life." 



In concluding this part of the general report of their American 

 visit, the committee make a well-deserved comment, which we 

 will presently quote, for nothing more splendid in the direction 

 of educational endowment has been seen in our times than the 

 magnificent 5ums which wealthy American citizens are willing 

 to place at the disposal of university authorities. They do, in- 

 deed, realise, as we do not, or at least have not yet, the immense, 

 the super-eminent, importance of real education and knowledge, 

 to a country and an empire which has to hold its own against 

 ever-increasing competition, and constantly to make its way in 

 fresh uncivilised regions. The following are the concluding 

 general remarks : — 



"We desire to express cur admiration alike for the high 

 ideal of scientific education, which is the aim in American uni- 

 versities, and for the enthusiasm in all classes which renders it 

 possible to approach so near that ideal. Everywhere we found 

 evidence that the wealthier citizens realise the importance of 

 university education, and encourage the universities by generous 

 gifts ; and everj where, both by teachers and by students, these 

 gifts are being used for higher learning and research." 



THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON 

 A CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERA- 

 TURE, LONDON, JUNE 1900. 



List of Delegates Appointed to Attend the 

 Conference. 

 Austria. — Prof. E. Weiss (Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissen- 

 schaften, Vienna) ; Prof. Karl Toldt (Universitat, Vienna). 



France. — Prot. G. Daiboux (Membrede I'lnstitut de France) ; 

 Dr. J. Deniker (Bibliothecaire du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, 

 Paris) ; Prof. H. Poincare (Membre de I'lnstitut de France). 

 Germany.— VioL Dr. F. Klein (Geheimer Regierungs-Rath, 



KO. l6C0. VOL. 62] 



Universitat, Gottingen) ; Prof. Dr. B. Schwalbe (Direktor, 

 Real-Gymnasium, Berlin) ; Dr. F. Milkau (Oberbibliothekar, 

 Universitat, Berlin). 



Greece. — Mons. de Metaxas (Charge d'Afifaires for Greece). 



Hungary. — Dr. August Heller (Bibliothekar, Ungarische 

 Akademie, Buda-Pesth) ; Dr. Theodore Duka (Hon. Member 

 of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences). 



Jtaiy. — Prof. Giacomo Ciamician (R. Universita, Bologna); 

 Prof. Raffaelo Nasini (R. Universiia, Padua). 



Japan. — Prof. Einosuke Yamaguchi (Imperial University of 

 Kioto). 



Mexico. — Sefior Don Francisco del Paso y Troncoso. 



Norway. — Dr. JiJrgen Brunchorst (Secretary, Bergenske 

 Museum). 



Swiizerlanc. — Dr. Jean Henri Graf (President, Commission 

 de la Bibliotheque Nationale Suisse, Berne) ; Dr. Jean Ber- 

 noulli (Librarian, Bibliotheque Nationale Suisse, Berne). 



United Kingdom. — Representing the Government : The Right 

 Hon. Sir John E. Gorst, Q.C., M.P., F.R.S. (Vice-President 

 of the Committee of Council on Education). Representing the 

 Royal Society of London : Sir Michael Foster, K.C.B.,Sec. R.S. ; 

 Prof. Arthur W. Rticker, Sec. R.S. ; Prof. H. E. Arm- 

 strong, F.R.S. ; Sir J. Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S. ; 

 Dr. Ludwig Mond, F.R.S. ; Dr. T. E. Thorpe, For. Sec. R S. 



Cafe Colony.— ^u David Gill, K.C.B., F.R.S. ; Roland 

 Trimen, Esq., F.R.S. 



/wa'za.— Lieut. -General Sir Richard Strachey, G.C.S.I., 

 F.R.S. ; Dr. W. T. Blanford, F.R.S, 



NalaL—Sn Walter Peace, K.C.M.G. (Agent-General for 

 Natal). 



New Zealand.— The. Hon. W\ P. Reeves (Agent-General for 

 New Zealand). 



Queensland.— The. Hon. Sir Horace Tozer, K.C. M.G. (Agent- 

 General for Queensland). 



Acta. 



Opening Meeting, Tuesday, June 12, at the rooms of the Society 



of A7itiqtiaries, at lo d clock. 



(i) Prof. Darboux moved that Sir John E. Gorst be the 

 President of the Conference. The motion having been carried 

 unanimously— 



(2) Sir John Gorst took the chair and welcomed the 

 delegates. 



(3) On the motion of Sir M. Foster, seconded by Prof. 

 Darboux, it was resolved that Dr. F. Milkau be the secretary 

 for the German language ; that Dr. Jean Bernoulli and Dr. J. 

 Deniker be the secretaries for the French language ; that Prof. 

 Giacomo Ciamician be the secretary for the Italian language ; 

 that Prof. H. E. Armstrong be the secretary for the English 

 language. 



(4) That the secretaries, with the help of shorthand reporters, 

 be responsible for the prochs verbal of the proceedings of the 

 Conference in their respective languages. 



(5) Sir Michael Foster read out the names of delegates 

 appointed to attend the Conference. 



^6) On the motion of Sir Michael Foster, it was resolved — 

 (i.) That the meeting adjourn at I p m., and meet again at 

 2. 30 p m. ; (ii ) that on W^ednesday, the meeting commence 

 at II a.m. 



(7) On the motion of Sir Michael Foster, seconded by Prof. 

 Rllcker, it was resolved that English, French, German and 

 Italian be the official languages ot the Conference, but that it 

 shall be open for any delegate to address the Conference in any 

 other language, provided that be supplies for the/waV verbal oi 

 the Conference, a written translation of his remarks into one or 

 other of the official languages. 



(8) Sir Michael Foster presented the Report of the Provisional 

 International Committee, and it was resolved that the report be 

 received. • x t. 



(9) The following resolutions were then agreed to :— (1.) That 

 the publication of a card catalogue be postponed for the present ; 

 (ii.) that the book catalogue be at first issued only in the form of 

 annual volumes. 



(10) Sir Michael Foster having moved (iii.) that the catalogue 

 include both an authors' and a subject index, according to 

 the scheme of the [Provisional International Committee ; 

 Prof. Ritcker thereupon explained the financial position, and 

 the delegates of the various countries stated to what extent they 

 were authorised to promise contributions towards the expenses 

 of the catalogue. From these statements it appeared that sub- 

 scriptions to 163 sets of volumes (or their equivalent) of the 



