July i8, 1895] 



NA TURE 



271 



establishment of a central bureau under the Royal 

 Society ; and several others more or less clearly imply 

 that they would fa\our such a course. 



Over and over again, it is stated that the production 

 by international co-operation of a catalogue such as is 

 contemplated is not only desirable, but practicable. The 

 Americans who, as already stated, are the most enthu- 

 siastic supporters of the scheme, especially dwell on the 

 importance of early action being taken. Prof Bowditch, 

 of Harvard University, in particular, points out that if 

 the Royal Society of London wish to guide the enter- 

 prise, it ought to announce its views and put forward a 

 comprehensive scheme with the least possible delay. It 

 maybe added here that he also urges that in determining 

 the scope of the catalogue a ver)- wide interpretation 

 should be given to the word " Science." 



No very precise information as to the best mode of 

 putting the scheme into operation is to be gathered from 

 the replies as a whole. 



It is generally agreed that the enterprise should be an 

 international one. ^L'iny think that international financial 

 support should and would be accorded to it, but no method 

 of securing this is indicated ; others express the view 

 that the cost may be met by subscriptions from societies, 

 libraries, booksellers and individuals without Government 

 aid, and this is, perhaps, on the whole, the prevailing 

 feeling among those who have discussed the matter from 

 a financial point of view. But in no case is any attempt 

 made to form any exact estimate of the cost. 



A number of scientific bodies and institutions e.xpress 

 themselves prepared to work in such a cause. The 

 .Secretary of the .Smithsonian Institution suggests that as 

 the Institution receives all the serials and independent 

 works published in America, a branch office might be 

 established there, and that it is not impossible that a sum 

 of money might be given yearly in aid. The Royal 

 Danish .\cademy is willing to render as much assistance 

 as possible. It would charge an official of one of the I 

 Danish chief libraries in receipt of all Danish publications i 

 with the task of editing slips, and would defray the cost ! 

 of this work. The Societe des .Sciences of Helsingfors 

 would furnish the central office with information as to 

 the scientific work done in Finland. The Kongl. \'eten- 

 skaps Akademie of Stockholm would organise a Com- 

 mittee for .Sweden. 



As regards language, there appears to be more unani- 

 mity than could have been expected. Over and over 

 again the opinion is expressed that English should be 

 the language of the subject catalogue. Frequent reference 

 is made to the importance of quoting titles in the original 

 language, although some suggest that this should be done 

 only in the case of those published in English, French, 

 or German, and perhaps Italian. 



Some form of card catalogue appears to be generally 

 favoured, especially in .'\merica, as the basis of the 

 scheme ; the Committee of Harvard University, whose 

 reply is very full, in particular discuss this point in detail. 



In an interview with the Committee in March last, 

 I'rof. .Agassiz spoke very warmly in favour of the scheme, 

 and of the support which it would meet with in the 

 United .States, especially from libraries. .As others have 

 done, he strongly urged that the co-operation of book- 

 sellers and authors should be secured. Prof Agassiz 

 also expressed the view that the regular issue to libraries 

 and scientific workers from the central office of cards or 

 slips which would aftbrd the material for the construction 

 of card catalogues would form ;m important source of 

 income, at all events in his country. 



From various sides it is urged that an International 

 Congress should be held to discuss plans. This is ad- 

 vocated as a first step in a reply received from the 

 Konigl. (jesellschaft dcr Wissenschaften in (lijttingen, a 

 reply to which, not only as regards this point, but also 

 in rcsjiect to the whole matter, the Committee attach vcr\- 



NO. 1342, VOL. 52] 



great weight, since it embodies in an official form views 

 arrived at by the academies of Vienna and Munich, and 

 by the scientific societies of Leipsic and Gottingcn, who 

 have considered the matter in common. Prof. .Agassiz 

 strongly urged the calling of a conference, and among 

 others who share this view. Dr. Gill, of the Cape Ob- 

 servatory, in his letter particularly dwells on the great 

 value of such meetings as the means of securing unanimity 

 of action. 



Such being the tenour of the correspondence, your 

 Committee are convinced that initial steps of a definite 

 nature in furtherance of the scheme ought now to be 

 taken. 



They accordingly request the President and Council 

 to take measures w ith the view of calling together, in 

 July of next year (1896), an International Conference, at 

 which representatives of the several nations engaged in 

 scientific work should be invited to attend, with the view 

 of discussing and settling a detailed scheme for the pro- 

 duction by international co-operation of complete authors' 

 and subject catalogues of scientific literature. 



London will probably be found the best place in which 

 to hold such a conference. It may be desirable to 

 summon the representatives of the different countries 

 through their respective Governments, and it will 

 obviously be necessary that a detailed scheme be pre- 

 pared, to serve as a basis for discussion at the con- 

 ference. These and other points will require much 

 consideration before any action at all can be taken ; 

 meanwhile, it is desirable that a beginning should be 

 made during the autumn, before the winter session of 

 the Society. The Committee therefore recommend that 

 the President and Council should give the Committee 

 (which includes the President and officers) executive 

 powers in order that they may take, in the name of the 

 Society, such steps as they may think desirable with the 

 view of calling together the above-mentioned conference. 



SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS AT CAMBRIDGE. 



"\\^ITHIX the past academical year an attempt has 

 ' ' been made by the college tutors at Cambridge, 

 in consultation with representatives from 0.xford, to come 

 to an understanding as to the times at which examinations 

 for entrance scholarships shall be held. Headmasters 

 have frequently complained of the interruption to school 

 work caused by the present somewhat haphazard arrange- 

 ments, and have suggested the grouping of colleges and 

 other expedients in mitigation of the difficulty. Some 

 of the colleges, notably Caius, Jesus, Christ's, and Em- 

 manuel, Pembroke with King's, and Clare with Trinity 

 Hall, have agreed to group their examinations, candidates 

 entering for the combined examination being required to 

 indicate the colleges, in the order of their preference, 

 which they desire to join if successful. The larger 

 colleges, Trinity and .St. John's, have for various reasons 

 found it impracticable to form such combinations : but 

 they have agreed at least to avoid clashing by fixing 

 their examinations about a month apart. Nine of the 

 colleges ofter scholarships and exhibitions for natural 

 science, the rest confining the competition to the old- 

 established subjects of classics and mathematics. In the 

 ensuing academical year, examinations in natural science 

 for these aw^ards will be held as follows : at Trinity, 

 November 5 ; at Peterhouse (physical sciences only), 

 November 19; at the group —Caius, Jesus, Christ's, 

 Emmanuel — November 26 ; at the group — Pembroke, 

 King's — and also at St. John's College, December 3 ; 

 at Sidney, Sussex, December 12 ; at the group — Clare, 

 Trinity Hall- January- 1 ; and at Downing, about March 17. 

 The value of the scholarships varies from ^80 to ^40 

 a year, of the exhibitions from ^50 to £10. They are 

 usually tenable for three or four years, with a condition 

 that bv the end of the second vear the scholar shall have 



