2/8 



NA TURE 



[January 23, 1896 



Zoological Society, and point out the divergences between them 

 and what is called the Stricklandian Code of Nomenclature, 

 recognised by the British Association, and usually followed in 

 this country. 



The question of technical and commercial attaches to British 

 Embassies was referred to by the Right Hon. George Curzon, 

 M.P., Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in the course of some 

 remarks to the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce last 

 week. He acknowledged that it is desirable, in many of those 

 countries where our commercial connection is large, to have 

 representatives whose attention is exclusively directed to our 

 commercial interests. He also remarked that it appeared to his 

 Department that the existing arrangement of the areas of our 

 commercial attaches in Europe, of which there are three, is un- 

 scientific and imperfect. A technical attache should be appointed 

 in Germany, and our forces in other directions ought to be 

 increased. But while he agreed that attaches with technical 

 knowledge could be of great assistance in the development of 

 British trade, and hoped that the Foreign Office would soon be 

 able to do something to extend the Consular service in the 

 desired direction, he thought that Chambers of Commerce should 

 do more than they seem to do at present in furtherance of 

 their own trades, by sending out commissions to distant parts 

 to ascertain on the spot what are the particular points with 

 which they have to contend, and the lines of possible develop- 

 ment. This is typical of the kind of advice usually given by the 

 British Government. It amounts to an acknowledgment of 

 defects, but leaves private enterprise to supply the remedy. In 

 this respect our Government differs in policy from those of 

 P'rance and Germany — two of our chief competitors in trade — 

 for in those countries the State takes an active interest in the 

 development of industries ; and the knowledge which makes for 

 such advancement, as well as the men who are competent to 

 form an opinion upon industrial processes, are fully utilised. 

 The Foreign Office exists for the promotion and fostering of 

 British trade, as well as for the handling of our relations with 

 foreign Powers. It certainly does something to supply the com- 

 mercial world with trade statistics received through its Consuls, 

 but it could do much more for the real advancement of industry 

 if it were advised and guided in technical matters by scientific 

 opinion. The collection of facts useful in the improvement of 

 industrial methods and processes should form a very important 

 part of the work carried on at our Consulates. To leave this 

 valuable work to men sent out by traders, is to court defeat by 

 the countries which recognise the value of attaches possessing 

 technical and scientific knowledge. We agree that our Chambers 

 of Commerce might adopt with advantage the forward policy of 

 some of the French Chambers of Commerce, but, at the same 

 time, we hold that the comparison of the Chambers of the two 

 nations does not show British traders to extreme disadvantage 

 as regards enterprise, whereas the work of the British Govern- 

 ment in the same direction is not comparable with that of other 

 nations. As in trade, so in science and education, individuals 

 have done their share in the work of advancement ; it is the 

 Government which lags behind. 



As an example of what private associations do to discover in 

 what way industrial practices and processes on the continent 

 differ from those in Great Britain, we may mention the delega- 

 tion recently organised by the British Iron Trade Association 

 for the purpose of inquiring into the conditions of competition 

 in the iron and steel industries of the continent. The report 

 of the delegates has just been finally adopted by the Associa- 

 tion, and one or two points in it furnish instructive reading. 

 It is admitted that both Belgium and Germany are well to 

 the front in regard to mechanical appliances. The general 

 arrangement of the blast furnace plants was modern and ex- 

 NO. 1369, VOL. 53] 



cellent, and they appeared to be worked to secure a large outpat 

 with a minimum of capital and labour expenditure. In the 

 finished iron and steel, works visited, the practice adopted was 

 excellent, and in some respects in ad%'ance of England. But 

 of more especial interest to us is the fact that attention is called 

 to the greater importance attached in Germany than in England 

 to technical education, and the facilities given for its acquisition. 

 This is regarded as one of the reasons why Germany has been 

 able to quickly acquire, and make rapid advances in, kon and 

 steel manufacture. On account of the attention given to scien- 

 tific and technical education, the masters, as a rule, thoroughly 

 understand the principles of their industrial processes, and are 

 therefore able to economise in matters of detail ; and moreover, 

 they recognise the value of scientific advice and guidance upon 

 all questions of improved methods. 



The appointment of Scientific Adviser to the Trinity House, 

 wliich has been in abeyance since the resignation of Dr. Tyndall, 

 and which was formerly held by Prof. Faraday, has been revived, 

 and has been accepted by Lord Rayleigh. 



The engineer to the scheme for bringing sea-water from 

 Lancing to London has prepared, for the information of 

 Parliament, an estimate of the entire cost of this scheme. 

 He states that the works contained in the Bill can be carried 

 out for ;^45o,ooo, which includes the acquisition of all the 

 necessary lands for the distribution of sea- water throughout 

 London. 



A Reuter telegram from Christiania announces that Lieut. 

 Ewind Astrup, the well-known Polar explorer, who took part 

 in both Lieut. Peary's Greenland expeditions, was found dead 

 on Tuesday in the Lille-Elvedal. Lieut. Astrup left Jerkin, at 

 the foot of Sneehatta, in the Hovre Fjeld, shortly before 

 Christmas, but since then nothing had been heard of him. 

 A few days ago twenty-five men on snow-shoes started out to 

 search for the explorer, M'ilh the result that they found his 

 remains in the valley. 



The Committee of the CEuvre de la Tuberculose, founded by 

 the late Prof. Verneuil, have (says the British Medical Journal) 

 elected Prof. Bouchard to succeed that distinguished surgeon in 

 the office of President, Prof. Lannelongue was at the same 

 time elected Vice-President, and Dr. L. Henri Petit, General 

 Secretary. The next Congress on Tuberculosis, which had been 

 fixed for July 1896, has been postponed to 1897. 



We are informed that the Geological Society will this 

 year award the following medals and funds :— The WoUas- 

 ton medal to Prof. E. Suess, the Murchison medal to Mr. T. 

 Mellard Reade, the Lyell medal to Mr. A. Smith Woodward, 

 the proceeds of the Wollaston fund and part of the Barlow- 

 Jameson fund to Mr. Alfred Harker, the proceeds of the 

 Murchison fund to Mr. Philip Lake, the proceeds of the Lyell 

 fund to Dr. W. F. Hume and Mr. W. C. Andrews, the pro- 

 ceeds of the Barlow-Jameson fund to Mr. Joseph Wright and 

 Mr. John Storrie. 



A.\ International Exhibition is to be held at Brussels in 1897. 

 The exhibition will comprise fourteen sections: i. Fine arts. 

 2. Social economy. 3. Hygiene. 4. Life saving. 5. Indus- 

 trial and decorative arts. 6. Lighting and heating. 7. Elec- 

 tricity—traction. 8. Military art. 9. Industrial manufactures 

 — materials, methods, and products. 10. Sporting material. 

 1 1 . Exercises — popular games. 1 2. Temporary competitions in 

 agriculture and horticulture. 13. Practical teaching, and the 

 industries and handiwork of women. 14. Trade. Colonies. 



A 1'rei.iminary account of the Florentine earthquake o* 

 last May 18, the strongest felt in the district during the present 

 century, has been written by Dr. M. Baratta. The chief damage 



