G:{. PRESlbENT S ADDRESS. 



that cirrus and cirro-stratus clouds begin to dissolve at sunset, 

 and the rising moon makes them visible again and that they 

 merely continue to decrease as they would have done had there 

 been no moon. 



Electricity. 



I have very few notes on electricity this year, but amongst them 

 is the record of a step which will always stand out prominently 

 in its annals — the sending of the first message across the Atlantic 

 by the jNIarconi wireless s)'stem on October 17th, 1907, which 

 has been followed by a regular and successful interchange, on a 

 business footing. The French Academy of Sciences is consider- 

 ing a proposal that a wireless signal shall be made regularly at 

 midnight from the Eiflfel Tower, which would have a range of 

 2,000 kilometres. The distance could probably be doubled by 

 increased power. This signal would be of great use in navigation. 

 It is also suggested that from the top of the peak of Teneriffe 

 signals could probably be detected over the whole globe. In the 

 last few years we have heard much of the electron theory, in 

 which the atoms of all substances were supposed to consist of 

 vast numbers of still more minute particles of electricity or 

 electrons, revolving at great speed in various ways. A serious 

 blow has been dealt to this theory by the discovery that the 

 number of electrons was of the same order as the weight of the 

 atom in the terms of that of hydrogen as unity. It remains to be 

 seen whether the electron theor}' will be merely modified or 

 discarded ; but there is a strong inclination at the present day to 

 endeavour to simplify chemistry by showing that all substances 

 have a common foundation or origin. 



Chemistry. 



The exact origin of radium seems to be still a matter of 

 uncertainty considering the diff"erent substances which have been 

 assigned as those from which it is developed, and it is now found 



