September 6, i 



900J 



NA TURE 



439 



which it has been subjected, and that the durability of 

 the rail depends on its structure. 



Apart from the micrographical appendices, much in- 

 teresting information may be obtained from a study of 

 the mechanical tests, and some of the conclusions drawn 

 by Prof. Unwin from these are among the most definite 

 in the report, though they do not go far to explain the 

 St. Xeots mishap. It is found, for instance, that rails 



Fig. 4 — Running edge showing " flow." x 140 d. 



generally break near their ends "owing to greater strain- 

 ing action due to discontinuity at the joint," and that the 

 fish-joints are an unavoidable source of danger. It is 

 also found that a rail is more liable to break when its 

 worn head is turned down, as usually happens after a few 

 years' use in the case of double-headed rails. Consider- 

 ations of space alone prevent these points from being 

 dealt with at greater length. 



THE BRADFORD MEETING OF THE 

 BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 



THE final arrangements for the Bradford meeting 

 of the British Association are now complete, and 

 there is every indication that the gathering will be 

 one of the largest that has been held in recent years. 

 Representatives of scientific institutions are coming from 

 nearly every country in the world ; and there are dele- 

 gates from the United States, Canada, the Cape, New 

 Zealand, the West Indies, India, France, Germany, 

 Russia, Denmark and Sweden, Spain, Italy and Greece. 

 The Bradford people have come forward in a most 

 willing manner to offer hospitality to the visitors, and a 

 large proportion of the strangers will at any rate have 

 had the opportunity of accepting private hospitality. 



In our last article we dealt with the excursion pro- 

 gramme. We propose now to say something about the 

 various social functions which have been organised for 

 the week. 



The first social gathering will be a reception at the 

 Municipal Technical College this afternoon (September 6). 

 Mr. W. E. B. Priestley, the chairman of the Technical 

 Instruction Committee, will welcome the visitors ; and, 

 alter partaking of afternoon tea, they will be escorted in 

 small bodies round the building, to see the textile 

 exhibition, and the various processes of the textile 

 industries. On the evening of the same day ( Fhursday) 



NO. l6lO, VOL. 62] 



the Mayor and Mayoress have invited the Association to 

 a conversazione in St. George's Hall. The building will 

 be elaborately decorated, and music will be provided by 

 a large string band, under the conductorship of Mr. I. 

 Shepherd. There will be exhibits of various scientific 

 novelties in different parts of the building ; and the 

 galleries will be specially levelled-up for refreshment and 

 supper buffets. The 2nd West York .Artillery Volunteers 

 are providing a (iuard of Honour to line the 

 staircase. 



At the conclusion of Prof. Gotch's lecture on 

 Friday night there will be a smoking concert 

 at the Technical College in honour of the 

 President, for which various well-known elocu- 

 tionists have been engaged. 



On Monday, September 10, the Mayor and 

 Corporation are inviting all persons attending 

 the meeting to a large garden-party in Lister 

 Park. The portion of the park where the 

 guests will chiefly collect will be that above 

 the lake. Around or in this space there will 

 be several refreshment tents, and in front of 

 each will be little tables in the open, surrounded 

 by chairs, after the style of the foreign cafes. 

 The lake will be decorated by means of Venetian 

 masts and flags ; while some new boats will be 

 out, with boatmen in suitable garb in charge of 

 them. The Black Dyke Band plays near the 

 lake, and the band of the Bradford Rifles at the 

 high end of the park. Archery and other 

 amusements will be provided ; and in one 

 corner there will be some ballooning experi- 

 ments under the direction of the Rev. J. M, 

 Bacon, who is well known just now in con- 

 nection with the trials which, in conjunction 

 with Admiral Fremantle, he has been making 

 in improved military signalling from balloons. Prob- 

 ably Mr. Bacon will be accompanied by the Admiral. 

 It is proposed to erect a 70-foot pole about 30 yards 

 from the balloon, and another, of equal height, in the 

 furthest corner of the park ; and, somewhere between the 

 two, it will be attempted to explode a mine by means 

 of wireless telegraphy, an experiment which was recently 

 successfully performed at Newbury. Mr. Nevil Maskelyne 

 will take part in the wireless telegraphic experiments, in 

 order to exhibit the new receiver which he has patented 

 and sold to Lloyd's. 



On Tuesday the Mayor and Corporation are inviting 

 the Association to a soiree in St. George's Hall. The 

 arrangements will be somewhat similar to those on the 

 occasion of the Mayor's function on the preceding 

 Thursday, excepting that the music will be provided by 

 the band of the Artillery Volunteers. 



On Wednesday various private garden-parties will take 

 place. Mrs. Henry lUingworth has invited 150 members 

 of the Association to visit her grounds, for tea, tennis and 

 croquet ; and there will be music for those who prefer to 

 rest after their labours. There will also be a garden- 

 party at Ferniehurst, Baildon, by the kind invitation of 

 Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Waud ; a procession of prize-winning 

 hackneys will take place in the course of the afternoon ; 

 and also sheep-dog trials, for which most of the celebrated 

 dogs in the North Country have been brought to- 

 gether. 



Messrs. Wm. Fison and Co. have also invited a 

 hundred members to a garden-party at Greenholme, 

 where, after tea, they will have an opportunity of visiting 

 the turbine machinery and their textile works. Another 

 function on the same day will be a garden-party at Royds 

 Hall, by the kind invitation of the Low Moor Iron 

 Company. The visitors will first be taken round the 

 foundries to see some smelting work, and to examine 

 some of the most striking parts of the machinery. 



On the evening of Wednesday (the 12th) there will be 



