August 25, 1892] 



NATURE 



395 



common amongst chemists, of the literature of his special 

 science in all its varied departments. If any of our men 

 wanted a quick reference to either recent or ancient work, 

 it was always " Go and askSchorlemmer,"and they seldom 

 came empty away. But his acquaintance with other 

 sciences was also considerable. If he had not been a 

 distinguished chemist he would have made an equally 

 distinguished botanist. He likewise possessed in full 

 measure that dogged power of work which distinguishes 

 the German. I was especially fortunate in securing his 

 co-operation as co-author of the Treatise. The success 

 of my little book — as to which no one was more sur- 

 prised than myself— induced me to set about the task 

 of writing a larger and more complete work. I soon 

 found that the other very various and pressing duties of 

 my position rendered it impossible for me to do all the 

 work myself, and my friend Schorlemmer joined me in 

 this somewhat laborious business. To him the organic 

 part almost entirely owes its being, whilst in the inorganic 

 portion his assistance and suggestions were most valu- 

 able. We published the book simultaneously in Ger- 

 many and England, and it is not too much to say that in 

 both countries the work has become a standard one. 

 For the last few years of his life this was his main work. 

 Only those few men who have lately attempted the task 

 of writing even a moderately complete treatise on 

 modern organic chemistry can know what serious labour 

 such work entails. Several distinguished chemists have 

 given up the task as hopeless, and have not 

 completed what they had begun. If Schorlemmer's 

 life had been spared he would have brought his 

 work to a conclusion, cost what it might. Our 

 consolation — and it is but a poor one — at his early death 

 (for he was only fifty-eight), must be that, so far as the 

 chemistry of the hydrocarbons and their derivatives are 

 concerned, his manuscript is complete, and in the hands 

 of Messrs. Vieweg. A mass of material he has gathered 

 together for the remaining organic compounds in which 

 nitrogen occurs as a constituent element. It will be my 

 task to see whether this last portion of the work is com- 

 plete, and if not, how it can best be brought up to the 

 level of the day. 



As a historian of our science, I think that the desig- 

 nation of him by his German friends as the " English 

 Kopp " is a just one. Only a few weeks before his death 

 he talked to me with pleasure of the results of his work 

 on an introduction to the history of chemistry, which had 

 engaged his attention for many months past. Fortunately, 

 he had the rare power of writing so that his manuscript 

 was at once ready for press. Hence, although a frag- 

 ment, his history so far as it goes — and I believe it goes 

 as far as the end of the eighteenth century — is complete. 

 We shall all look with interest to its speedy publication, 

 and from what I know of the author's works and 

 ways, I shall be disappointed if this fragment does 

 not throw a new light on many dark pages in the 

 early history of our science. One word more as to his 

 character. I have said that we never had a ditTerence, 

 and I believe from what I know of his other friends that 

 they would say the same. He was of a retiring, most 

 modest, and unassuming disposition. To only a few of 

 his intimates, German and English, were his true colours 

 visible. As a laboratory teacher he was excelled by few, 

 merely as a lecturer by many. But although, like some 

 other eminent lecturers, his diction may have been faulty, 

 the staple article was there, and I never met a real student 

 amongst all those who passed through his hands who 

 did not express his admiration for the man, and his 

 sense of the obligation which he felt for the 

 masterly instruction which the Professor always and most 

 readily gave, whilst the long list of honours which his 

 men gained in organic chemistry, both at London and 

 afterwards at Victoria, proved that his teaching was not 

 in vain. True to his science, he valued chiefly the 



NO. 1 191. VOL. 46] 



respect and affection of his colleagues and pupils. In 

 society he did not shine, nor did he take any leading part 

 in the government of the College or in the foundation of the 

 University, although those of us who were more active in 

 these matters could always count upon his support in all 

 questions in which the interests of science were concerned, 

 and if he usually preferred to be at his own desk rather 

 than to spend his time listening to the often tedious 

 discussions of the Senate meetings, he was always at 

 hand when a vote was needed to carry out some measure 

 of scientific reform. Although for many years a natural- 

 ized Englishman, and enjoying and appreciating English 

 freedom and English ways, he retained more than is 

 usual, a lively interest in the welfare of the " Vaterland," 

 I knew but little of his political views, for these 

 he did not obtrude on his friends, though he 

 held decided ones. He believed in popular freedom 

 and popular rights, and was a strong supporter 

 of the German Social Democratic party, many of the 

 leaders of this movement, both in Germany and in 

 England, being his intimate personal friends. But with 

 these matters we have here little to do. We here have 

 to recognize the scientific work which he has done 

 amongst us, to record our appreciation of that work, and 

 to express the regret of all interested in science at his 

 untimely death, H. E, ROSCOE. 



SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS OF THE 

 SCOTTISH FISHERY BOARD. 



THE Fishery Board for Scotland has issued its Tenth 

 Annual Report (for the year 1891). It is divided 

 into two parts — the general report, and the report on 

 salmon fisheries. We reprint from the general report 

 the passage relating to the scientific investigations carried 

 on since the Board was reconstituted ten years ago : — 



The following is a statement of the sums which have 

 been sanctioned during each of the following years and 

 spent by the Board on scientific investigations : — 



(With ;^200 for travelling 

 expenses.) 

 1891-92 ... ;^i8oo Do. 



In addition a sum of ;.^25oo was applied in 1886-87 for the 

 purchase of the steamer Garland, and £s^^ P^r annum allowed 

 for its maintenance, which was increased first to ;^900, and 

 afterwards to ;f^i200 a year. 



When the Board commenced its operations, it was a new de- 

 parture in State administration. The Fisheries Commission of 

 the United States was only established in 1871, and we were 

 without the experience which has since been gained in America, 

 Germany, Norway, and other countries bordering on the North 

 Sea, The directions of the Act of Parliament creating the 

 Board were very general. We were appointed to "take cog- 

 nisance of everything relating to the coast and deep sea fisheries 

 of Scotland, and take such measures for their improvement as 

 the funds under their administration not otherwise appropriated 

 might admit of, but without interfering with any existing 

 authority or private right." Hitherto the fisheries had been 

 practically left to take care of themselves. During the adminis- 

 iration of the old Board, which had existed from 1809 under the 

 name of the Commissioners of the British White Herring 

 Fishery, scientific investigations had indeed been made from 

 time to time into special points, such as the spawning of the 

 herring, the capture of immature herrings by sprat fishermen, 

 and the action of the beam-trawl on herring spawning-beds. 

 These inquiries were, however, limited both in character and 



