November 27, 1902] 



NATURE 



S', 



different positions in the area is here given, and will 

 probably be of interest. Unfortunately, no special 

 magnetic instruments were on board, and therefore no 

 observations on the dip or force could be made. It is 

 hoped to complete the observations later. The maximum 

 deviation is u° W. 



The remarkable point in this instance is not only the 

 magnitude of the disturbing force, the depth of water and 

 therefore the distance of the compass from the bottom 

 being ioo feet, but that the north point of the needle is 

 repelled from the apparent line of magnetic disturbance, 

 and not attracted towards it as is usually the case in 

 northern latitudes. W. J. L. Wharton. 



Admiralty, November 15. 



THE NEEDS OF KING'S COLLEGE, 

 LONDON. 

 A PUBLIC meeting was held on Wednesday, 

 ■'*■ November 19, under the presidency of Lord 

 Selborne, to assist the appeal being made to secure the 

 adequate endowment and equipment of King's College, 

 London. Many men prominent in every department of 

 human learning were present, among whom may be 

 mentioned the Bishops of London and Rochester, Lord 

 Glenesk, Sir A. W. Riicker, F.R.S., Sir John Wolfe 

 Barry, F.R.S., Sir Philip Magnus, Sir W. H. Preece, 

 F.R.S., Mr. A. Siemens, Profs. Jeffrey Bell, W. G. Adams, 

 F.R.S., J. M. Thomson, F.R.S., W. D. Halliburton, 

 F.R.S., W. H. Hudson and D. S. Capper. 



The following message from the King was read by the 

 Bishop of London : — 



" His Majesty is thoroughly in sympathy with the pro- 

 posal to raise by subscription a large fund for the endow- 

 ment of King's College as a constituent of the newly- 

 developed University of London, and wishes the move- 

 ment for that purpose all success." 



The Prime Minister also sent a letter in support of 

 the appeal. He remarked, in the course of the letter, that 

 " It would be a serious misfortune to the interests of 

 higher education in the metropolis if, through the burden 

 of debt and the want of proper endowment, King's Col- 

 lege was not able to do its part in the great work which 

 I trust lies before the reconstituted University. Higher 

 education cannot be made self-supporting, and is, 

 nevertheless, one of the greatest of our national needs." 



Lord Selborne, in explaining the objects of the meet- 

 ing, referred in high terms of praise to the work accom- 

 plished in the past by King's College in training men 

 adequately to undertake a noble part in the civilisation 

 and humanisation of the world. During the course of his 

 remarks, he referred to the value of science in the follow- 

 ing words, which we quote from the Times report : — 



They were met to try to help King's College to go on in 

 the future preaching the gospel of learning and of work, the 

 gospel of research and applied science on which the real 

 strength of the Empire was built. Was it a great thing that 

 King's College, with its history and distinctive features, should 

 appeal to them for that endowment which was absolutely 

 necessary ? That effort was only part of a great movement 

 through which they were passing at this moment. There was 

 a fresh wave of enthusiasm for university teaching sweeping 

 over the land. In London, in the provinces, there were move- 

 ments for the extension of universities, for the founding of 

 universities, for the development of higher education. Why ? 

 He thought it was because there was a general belief that in 

 the university teaching of this country men were taught what 

 they wanted to know by men who knew how to teach. They 

 felt that the higher part of education was not lost sight of in 

 these universities, certainly not in King's College. 



It was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Sir 

 R. J ebb, 



" That, in view of the distinguished services which have been 

 rendered by King's College to higher education and research in 



NO. 1726, VOL. 67] 



London, it is of the highest importance that the work of the 

 College, in its new connection with the University of London, 

 should receive support adequate for its effective continuance and 

 progress." 



In seconding the resolution, Sir J. W. Barry said : — 

 It was necessary to bring before all interested in the wellbeing 

 of the University of London the absolute necessity of the culti- 

 vation of science and the promot'on of research. They knew 

 the story of the exultant professor who said he was inves- 

 tigating a subject which could not be of any use to anybody, and 

 that was why he was so much interested in it. But that was 

 probably only a partial view of that professor, as experience 

 showed that researches which appeared to be of no practical 

 use often turned out to be most valuable adjuncts to human 

 knowledge. What was wanted was not merely to educate 

 workmen in a technical way, but to educate masters and 

 directors. There was no longer a possibility of the great manu- 

 factures of this country being conducted successfully without 

 scientific knowledge from top to bottom of the whole of the 

 people engaged. 



A resolution proposed by the Bishop of London and 

 seconded by Sir Douglas Fox pledged the meeting to 

 use every effort to raise a sum sufficient to secure ''the 

 liberation of the College from debt, the maintenance of 

 the efficiency of the College in laboratories and equipment 

 for higher teaching and research, and the adequate en- 

 dowment of its professorships.'' 



NOTES. 

 It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Sir 

 William Roberts-Austen, K.C.B., F.R.S., on Saturday last, at 

 the age of fifty-nine. 



The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia has, on the 

 recommendation of its special committee, consisting of Messrs. 

 Theo. D. Rand, Amos P. Brown, R. A. F. Penrose, jun., and 

 H. F. Osborn, has conferred the gold medal of the Hayden 

 memorial geological award for 1902 on Sir Archibald Geikie, 

 F.R.S. 



The trawling vessel s.s. Huxley, which has been chartered and 

 fitted out by the Marine Biological Association for service in 

 connection with the International Noith Sea Investigations, 

 will be alongside Fish Wharf, Billingsgate (by London Bridge) 

 during the afternoon of Tuesday next, December 2. The presi- 

 dent of the Association has issued invitations to an inaugural 

 inspection of the vessel to be held on that day. 



A NEW building to accommodate the French Academy of 

 Medicine was opened on Tuesday, M. Loubet and M. Chaumie, 

 Minister of Education, being among the guests present. Dr. A. 

 Riche, president of the Academy, gave an address upon the 

 history of the Academy and the contributions made to medical 

 science by its members. "The Academy is happy," he is 

 reported by the Times correspondent to have said, " to take 

 possession of a dwelling worthy of France, which it owes to the 

 liberality of the Government of the Republic, and whereby it 

 obtains the means of better serving the interests of the public 

 health." 



The formation of a British committee to take part in the 

 movement for the erection of a memorial statue of the late Prof. 

 Virchow at Berlin was referred to a fortnight ago (p. 35). 

 The inaugural meeting of the committee was held on Friday last, 

 when Lord Lister, who was in the chair, described the origin 

 of the movement and the ready support that has been given to 

 it. A general committee has been formed containing nearly one 

 hundred names of men distinguished by their work in various 

 branches of natural science and medicine ; and a form of appeal 



