212 



KNOWLEDGE. 



June, 1911. 



The Laboratory (see Fissure 1). like the adjoining 

 saloon, is dominated b\- a roof structure and deri\-es 

 its light parth' from the side-windows of the latter 

 and partly from four circular hatchways in the ship's 

 walls. On its longitudinal sides are arranged lockers 

 •90 metre in height for stowing away instruments, 

 on the top of which ample room is pro\ided tor 

 performing all sorts of operations and installing 

 scientific apparatus. The laboratory further comjirises 

 a compressed-air conduit w ith six discharges, allow- 

 ing small aquarium tanks to be thoroughly aerated. 

 Two additional berths can be made up on the 

 instrument lockers in cases of emergency. As the 

 ship engine works with remarkable smoothness. 

 microscopes of modest magnifying power can very 

 well be used in a quiet sea. which is the more 

 advantageous as the plankton of the sea should be 

 examined while still ali\e. at least for its main 

 characteristics. The Laboratory is. of course, 

 equipped with all sorts of oceanographic and other 

 instruments. 



In the middle of the ship, vi/., in the part taken 

 up on steamers bv the engine and boiler, is located 

 a spacious, well-aerated and lighted saloon, which 

 serves as dining as well as bedroom, .\longside its 

 longitudinal walls are installed four lierths with 

 chests of drawers and on its transversal walls 

 four wardrobes, one of wlmh has been converted 

 into a pantrv. contaiinng an ample suiijih" of 

 crocker\-. 



The engine plant is located in the hind part of 

 the vessel. The engine is a sevent\-fi\'e horse- 

 power motor, constructed b\' the W'oh'erine 

 Works, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, imparting 

 to the ship a speed of nine knots, which, 

 thanks to the excellent design of its carburettor, 

 can be operated at will with gasoline, petroleum, 

 or alcohol. This motor is of a ver\- substantial 



construction and remarkably simple manipu- 

 lation and superintendence, being started merely by 

 a pressure on the le\er of the electrical ignition, 

 in order afterwards to go on working quite 

 automaticalh', needing inspection only from time to 

 time. This engine has repeatedly stood severe tests 

 in a rough sea with excellent results. In order to 

 afford greater stabilit\- in a gale and heavy seas, the 

 vessel has been equippe<l with a triangular sail and 

 a jib. 



This engine is coupled to the air compressor 

 supphing air for aerating the a(]uarium tanks and 

 operating the ship's whistle. In the same part of the 

 vessel is located the electric plant which comprises a 

 two horse-power gasoline motor coupled to a dynamo, 

 generating electric current at sixty-five volts tension 

 for operating the w inches and lighting the vessel. It 

 issupi)lementedbvan accumulator batteryof thirty-six 

 cells, resorted to in cases of emergency and when the 

 d\-namo is stopped. Scientific work can thus be con- 

 tinued even by night, allowing, e.f^.. the air bubbles 

 from liottles immersed in the sea to be watched with 

 a \-iew to ascertaining the course of water currents. 

 The installation of a search-light will likewise be of 

 much importance for biological and oceanographic 

 pur[)oses. Finall\-. there is a possibility of ojierating 

 directh' from the d\'namo or accumulator batter\-. 

 a sea-water pump for keeping up the water circula- 

 tion in the aijuarium tanks. 



.\djoining the engine room is the shiji's kitchen 

 wliich. in spite of its (liniiiuiti\-e dimensions, perfectly 

 suffices for its task. It is equijiped with an 

 econoniiser sto\'e for coal firing and all necessary 

 kitchen utensils. 



.\[iart from its use as a research vessel the '■.\dria" 

 is alst) to ser\e for instructional purposes, in 

 connection with periodical journeys of scientific 

 disco\er\' for the lienefit of undergraduate students. 



SCIENCE .\T TfiE CORONATION KXllIi'.lTlON. 



For a third time a science section has been arranged at 

 the Shepherd's Bnsh Exhibition, and this year the Committee, 

 of which Sir .Alexander Pedler, F.R.S., is Chairman, lias 

 bronght together a number of very interesting exhibits. We 

 hope to deal with some of these in detail, but at the moment 

 we may point out that a feature of the Astronomical division 

 is a series of transparencies, while there are collections of 

 sundials and astrolabes, as well as some remarkable models 

 sent by Greenwich Observatory. The Meteorological Office 

 illustrates its useful work and there are some instruments on 

 view. Anthropology is represented by measuring instruments, 

 old and new ; by a series of casts of the oldest known skulls ; 

 and by Dr. Gray's Perseveration apparatus, described by him 

 in "Knowledge " for December. 1910. It is kept in a small 

 bureau in the right hand corner I going from Uxbridge Road), 

 of the first building devoted to science, and visitors may be tested 

 upon application. Fifty years' work of the Geologists' Associa- 

 tion is represented by collections made upon the well-known 

 excursions of the society, and there is a good series of fossils 

 showing changes in structure of the teeth of Ccratodns. The 

 fossil eggs of fishes are noteworthy, and the specimens of the 

 spines of sea urchins which, though alike externally, show 

 internal structure \\ liich is characteristic of tlie \arions species. 



The apparatus employed for investigations on the rusting of 

 iron is a special exhibit in the Chemical division in which also 

 coloured compounds, new drugs, and the making of Vanadium 

 steel are illustrated. Physics is necessarily chiefly represented 

 by apparatus. The Biological exhibits are not extensive but 

 call for special attention. The London School of Tropical 

 Medicine sends a detailed exhibit including a prehistoric skull 

 showing that trepanning was practised long ago. University 

 College, Bristol, exhibits some excellent models showing electric 

 installations in connection with the growing of crops in field 

 and in greenhouse. The Selborne Society makes a display of 

 the English nesting boxes recently introduced with much 

 success. The .Agricultural exhibits illustrate the work of the 

 Board of .Agriculture in the way of distributing maps, of 

 fisheries, and the study of plant diseases as well as of 

 forestry. The Earthcjuake-recording instruments shown have 

 been of practical \alue in connection with railway work 

 and the Isalancing of engines. The Royal Geographical 

 Society sends facsimiles of the maps of celebrated explorers 

 and one or two relics. Oeeanogr.aphy occupies itself 

 with subin.u-ino cables, and in this division is shown 

 a nunilnr of photomicrographs of minute forms of 

 ni.ninc life, such as were found at very great depths. 



