April 27, 19 16] 



NATURE 



8^ 



Cambridge in June, 191 1. The photographs in 

 question are unique, inasmuch as in place of the 

 usual comparisons at opposite points of the limb, 

 they compare the spectra at points 90° apart, at 

 intervals of 15° completely round the sun. By 

 this arrangement the velocities in the two hemi- 

 spheres may be separately derived, and Mr. 

 Hubrecht concludes that at the period of these 

 observations the velocities were greatest in the 

 northern hemisphere. Thirty lines, belonging to 

 seven elements, and including four enhanced lines, 

 were measured, and no departure from average 

 results was found for any of them. There was, 

 however, a distinct diminution of the indicated 

 velocity with increase of wave-length, for which 

 no definite explanation can yet be given. In rela- 

 tion to heliographic latitude, the results are 

 remarkable as showing uniform angular velocity 

 from 15° N. to 15° S., and, following the usual 

 decline to higher latitudes, a slight increase be- 

 tween latitudes 60° and 75°. The deduced angular 

 velocities as a whole are also considerably smaller 

 than those derived at Mt. Wilson, and the equa- 

 torial velocity is assigned the correspondingly 

 low value of i'85 km. per second. 



■ These departures from the average results of 



I other observers were constant throughout the 

 period of observation, and there is evidence that 

 they were not due to local disturbances ; Mr. 

 Hubrecht appears to regard them as possibly 



: associated with temp>orary conditions in the sun, 

 and believes that his results are consistent with 

 Emden's theory. 



A somewhat remarkable feature of Mr. 

 Hubrecht's memoir is its appearance as vol. iii. , 



I part i., of the Annals of the Solar Physics Ob- 

 servatory, Cambridge, since it refers to data 

 obtained before the transfer of the Solar Physics 

 Observaton.- from South Kensington, and dis- 

 cussed after the author had left Cambridge. 

 jVols. i. and ii. of these Annals have not yet been 

 'issued, and we have been unable to ascertain 

 Iwhat their contents will be. 



NOTES. 



j We learn with much satisfaction that the announce- 

 inent of the death of Prof. I. P. Pavlov is incorrect; 

 |ind we may hope, therefore, that the record of his 

 jvork given in Nature of March 2 will be extended 

 till further in the coming years. Prof. B. Menschut- 

 jun, of the Polytechnic Institute, Petrograd, writing on 

 jiarch 20, informs us that Prof. Pavlov is alive and 

 j/ell, and that the Prof. Pavlov who died in February 

 |/as Eugeni Vasilievitch Pavlov, a celebrated surgeon. 

 jTie name of Pavlov is common in Russia, there 

 !eing no fewer than five professors of that name in 



etrograd. so that the mistake in the Times of 



ebruar}- 12 is quite comprehensible. 



The death is announced, at Ottawa, of Dr. W. F. 

 ling, chief astronomer. Department of the Interior, 

 ianada, and director of the Dominion Astronomical 



bservatory-; also of the Rev. J. B. McClellan, 



rnerly principal of the Roval Agricultural College, 



'encester. 



The bronze tablet placed in St. Paul's Cathedral to 

 memor}^ of Captain Scott and his companions 



NO. 2426, VOL. 97] 



I will be unveiled by the Prime Minister on Friday, 

 I May 5. 



I A conference on engineering and scientific research 

 ; will be held at Caxton Hall, Westminster, on Monday 

 j next. May i, at 5 p.m. The conference will be opened 

 by Prof.' J. A. Fleming, and a number of leading 

 j representatives of engineering science are expected to 

 ! take part in the discussion. 



His Excellency Lord C.-vrmich-^el has accepted the 

 ■ chairmanship of the trustees of the Indian Museum 

 '■• for the jear 1916-17. The Hon. Justice Sir Asutosh 

 I Mookerjee has been elected vice-chairman', and the 

 , Hon. Raja Rishe Case Law honorary treasurer. 



The council of the Institution of Civil Engineers 

 has made the following awards for papers read and 

 discussed during the session 1915-16 : — K Telford gold 

 medal to Sir John Benton (Eastbourne); a Watt gold 

 medal to Sir George Buchanan (Rangoon); a George 

 Stephenson gold medal to Mr. F. W. Carter (Rugby); 

 and Telford premiums to Mr. C. Carkeet James 

 (London), Mr. D. E. Llovd-Davies (Cape Town), and 

 Mr. W. T. Lucy (Oxford). 



We learn with regret that Mr. C. Lees Curties, 

 late partner in the well-known firm of Charles Baker» 

 High Holbom, London, W.C., scientific instrument 

 manufacturer and agent, died on April 24, at fift)'- 

 five years of age. We are informed that the business 

 will be carried on as usual, under the same title, by 

 the remaining partners — Mr. T. Hale Curties and Mr. 

 C. Lees Curties, jun. 



The President of the Board of Trade has appointed 

 a Committee to control the supply and distribution of 

 petrol, and to consider what measures are necessary 

 in the national interest (i) to ensure that adequate 

 supplies of petrol shall be available for the purposes 

 of the war and for other essential needs ; (2) with the 

 above object to regulate the use of petrol for other 

 purposes in the United Kingdom during the period 

 of the war; and, subject to the direction of the Board 

 of Trade, to give executive effect to the measures 

 decided on. The Committee consists of Mr. O. Bur>' 

 (chairman), Mr. A. E. Bowen, Sir John P. Hewett, 

 and Mr. P. G. L. Webb. Mr. H. W. Cole, of the 

 Board of Trade, will act as secretary to the Com- 

 mittee. 



The President of the Board of Trade has appointed 

 two further Committees to consider the position of cer- 

 tain branches of British trade after the war, with 

 special reference to international competition, and to 

 report what steps, if any, are necessar}- or desirable in 

 order to safeguard that position. These Committees 

 are : — For the Textile Industries : — Mr. Henry Birch- 

 enough (chairman), Sir F. Forbes Adam, Mr. J. 

 Beattie, Mr. T. Craig Brown, Mr. E. B. Fielder, 

 Mr. J. W. Hill, Mr. A. Illingworth, Mr. J. H. Kaye, 

 Mr. E. H. Langdon, Mr. J. W. McConnel, Mr. H. 

 Norman Rae, Sir Frederick Smith, Bart., Mr. T. C. 

 Taylor, Right Hon. Robert Thompson, Mr. F. 

 Warner. Mr. T. M. Ainscough will act as secretary 

 to the Committee, and all communications relating to 

 it should be addressed to him at 6 Whitehall Gardens, 

 S.W. For the Electrical Trades :— Hon. Sir Charles 

 A. Parsons (chairman), Mr. J. Annan Bryce, Mr. 

 T. O. Callender, Mr. J. Devonshire, Mr. B. M. Drake, 

 Sir John Snell. All communications should be ad- 

 dressed to the secretary, Electrical Trades Committee, 

 at 7 Whitehall Gardens, S.W. 



The tragic death of Major W. L. Hawksley, 

 R.A.M.C., whilst on active service in France, removes 

 from the service of the Liverpool Corporation a bril- 



