JULY 2, 1914] 
NALORE 
459 
relation between the metre and a suitable wave- 
length of light. 
All who have been brought into contact with 
Dr. René Benoit, for so many years director of 
the international bureau, will regret to hear that 
he will be retiring from that position at the end of 
the present year. Dr. Benoit has been identified 
with all the principal researches which have been 
undertaken at that institution during the last 
thirty-six years. In this country his services in 
connection with establishing the relations between 
the units of the British and the metric systems 
of weight and measure will be especially 
remembered. 
AWGREAT TELESCOPE, FOR CANADA. 
NOLABLE addition is to be made to the 
equipment of the Dominion Astronomical 
Observatory at Ottawa, Canada. At present its 
chief instrument is a 15-in. refractor. This has 
been used mainly for radial velocity determina- 
tions, and for some time its limitations have been 
keenly felt. Using low dispersion, spectrograms 
of fifth magnitude stars could be obtained, but 
beyond this it was ineffective, and it was recog- 
nised that further progress demanded a more 
powerful instrument. Supported by various scien- 
tific societies and representative astronomers, the 
chief astronomer, Dr. W. F. King, appealed to 
the Dominion Governmént for improved equip- 
ment, and the request was successful. 
Contracts have been made for the construction 
of a 72-in. reflector. The optical parts will be 
made by the John A. Brashear Co., of Pittsburgh, 
Pa., and the mounting by Warner and Swasey, 
of Cleveland, Ohio. The cost will be about 
90,000 dollars (18,000l.). 
The focal length of the great mirror will be 
30 ft., with a hole ten inches in diameter at its 
centre to allow for a Cassegrain combination. 
For this purpose a convex hyperboloidal mirror, 
with an aperture of 19 in, and a focal length of 
10 ft., will be placed 23 ft. above the main mirror. 
The resulting focal length will be 108 ft. 
The mounting will resemble those of the Mel- 
bourne and Ann Arbor reflectors. The skeleton 
tube will be at one side of the long polar axis, 
nearly midway between its bearings, the balance 
being restored by the declination mechanism and 
counterweights on the other side of the axis. It 
is hoped to have the telescope completed within 
two years. 
The instrument will be used primarily for spec- 
trographic determination of radial velocities. For 
the brighter stars it will be used in the Casse- 
grain form just described, the spectrograph being 
attached in the axis of the tube, below the 10-in. 
Opening in the mirror. For the fainter stars a 
low-dispersion spectrograph will be attached at 
the principal focus. Direct photography ot 
nebule, clusters, and other small areas of the sky 
will also be attempted. 
To be used effectively, such an instrument de- 
mands a suitable position, and for more than a 
Nama 337, VOL..93| 
| and reading rooms will also be erected. 
year Mr. W. E. Harper, of thé observatory staff, 
has been investigating the astronomical possi- 
bilities of various regions ranging from Ottawa 
to the Pacific coast. Of all those tested, Victoria, 
B.C., showed a decided superiority in good ‘“see- 
ing” and small nocturnal range of temperature, 
and accordingly that place was chosen. The pre 
cise site is on Saanich Hill (elevation 732 ft.), 
about seven miles north of the city, from which it 
is easily reached by electric railway and carriage 
road. 
The great dome will be 66 ft. in diameter and 
60 ft. high. A building to contain offices, library, 
The total 
cost of buildings and equipment will be about 
200,000 dollars (40,000l.). All the plans and 
specifications have been made by Dr. J. S. 
Plaskett, after consultation with many experts, 
and he will be in charge of the station. 
C. A. CHANT. 
NOTES. 
Dr. F. W. Dyson, Astronomer Royal, has been 
elected a correspondant of the Paris Academy of 
Sciences, in the section of astronomy. 
VicE-ADMIRAL SiR EpMOND J. W. Stabe, K.C.1.E., 
K.C.V.O., has consented to act as president of the 
Meteorological Conference to be held in Edinburgh 
next September. 
Tue Bill introduced in the House of Commons by 
Sir Frederick Banbury, to prohibit experiments on 
dogs, was withdrawn on Tuesday, June 30, after a 
number of amendments to the principal clause had 
been carried in the Standing Committee appointed to 
consider the Bill. 
Mr. W. O. Repman Kine, lecturer in zoology at 
the University of Leeds, has been appointed Ray Lan- 
kester investigator at the Marine Biological Labora- 
tory at Plymouth, in succession to Prof. E. L. Bouvier, 
of Paris. The investigator is required to undertake 
research work of his own choosing at the laboratory 
for a period of five months, the emolument being 7ol. 
Sir James Catrp, of Dundee, has given 24,o00l., 
free of any conditions, to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 
Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition. This gift relieves 
Sir Ernest of anxiety as to the financial side of the 
expedition, which will now be able to start well 
equipped in about a month’s time. Further subscrip- 
tions would, however, be not unwelcome, and would 
be used to obtain accessories for increased efficiency. 
Tue Geologists’ Association has arranged a long 
excursion to the Rhenish Westphalian Upland, in- 
cluding the volcanic districts of the Eifel, Siebenge- 
birge, etc., on September 4-19 next. The various 
daily excursions will be attended by Prof. G. Stein- 
mann, Dr. Tilman, and others as directors. The 
official party will leave Charing Cross on September 4, 
at g p.m. The excursion secretary is Mr. E. Montag, 
\ 18 Woodchurch Road, Prenton, Birkenhead. 
At the annual meeting of the Royal Society of Arts, 
held on Wednesday, June 24, the Duke of Connaught 
