APRIL 4, 1907] 
INCA T Oa 
On 
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tions have been rcached which formerly were 
impossible to attain. The data collected at various 
heights above the earth’s surface have now, therefore, 
become considerable, and our knowledge of the dis- 
tribution of atmospheric temperature has in this way 
been greatly advanced. Thus it is known that the 
temperature does not gradually decrease as greater 
elevations are reached at the rate that was previously 
assumed. In fact, numerous records from auto- 
matic instruments have shown that at some heights 
quite considerable rises in temperature, extending 
through large depths of atmosphere, have been noted, 
these inversions being far more common than was 
at first contemplated. 
With this condition of things so prominently 
brought out, it is at once obvious that some attention 
should be paid to a possible revision of the assump- 
tion on which the theory of astronomical refraction 
is based, because the path of a ray of light traversing 
such variously heated layers may not be the same 
as that computed on the old hypothesis. 
Fortunately this question is now receiving some 
attention, and this is shown by a recent preliminary 
paper by Prof. H. G. van de Sande Bakhuyzen 
entitled “‘On the Astronomical Refractions Corre- 
sponding to a Distribution of the Temperature 
derived from Balloon Ascents,’? which appeared in 
the Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te 
Amsterdam (January 26). 
In this investigation Prof. Bakhuyzen has 
employed observations made on 182 different days, 
of which fifty-eight were made with unclouded and 
124 with clouded sky. The ascents were made from 
Halde (in Denmark), Berlin, Paris, Strassburg, and 
Vienna, so that the values which he gives for 
temperatures at heights from o kilometre to 16 kilo- 
metres apply to the mean of the area enclosed by 
those stations. The talues for the means above 
13 kilometres are, as he states, not very certain, but 
the observations indicate that the temperature at 
these heights decreases slowly. 
As this table is of considerable interest, a portion 
of it may be given here :— 
Temperatures (centigrade) at heights from o-16 kilo- 
metres for clear weather. 
Annual 
Height mean Diff. 
o Ordon 
I SAS 
2 ar iQ) 8 
3 = seer 
ee 
é Be ean 
Sot ee b 
6 - 21°84 
7 =o 
Soe pan ea 
9 TS 
10 AOR 
1 SSA Te oer 
12 ae ir +2 Sve ohe eae 
13 man Pp Aa = 580 ag 
14 tes Ec shi =a 
15 = SPO Ge 
ug -59°'2° 7 
The result of this preliminary investigation shows 
that when the refractions for zenith distances greater 
than 85° have been determined, the values for these 
alone’ are given in the paper, the values deviate 
perceptibly from those deduced from Ivory’s theory. 
Even if great weight be not put on this result, the 
inquiry is one which should undoubtedly be taken 
up again when more data are forthcoming. The 
astronomer of to-day is perhaps inclined to look upon 
NO. 1953, VOL. 75 | 
the results of the computation of refraction by 
methods at present in use as strictly correct, but 
evidently due regard must now be paid to new data 
rendered available by atmospheric soundings. The 
subject of Prof. Bakhuyzen’s inquiry is therefore of 
considerable importance, and future research in this 
direction will be followed with interest. 
NOTES. 
In the issue of the Revue Scientifique for March 30 are 
re-printed portions of the funeral oration delivered by M. 
Briand, the Minister of Public Instruction, at the national 
funeral of M. and Mme. Berthelot at the Panthéon on 
March 25. M. Briand, speaking of Berthelot, said :“‘ The 
illustrious man of science, the great Frenchman for whom 
we mourn, of those men who are an 
honour to every country and every age. He thought it the 
duty of every citizen to interest himself in the affairs of 
his city, and that is why his life was so multiplex, why 
his activities were exercised in such directions. 
Probably he would: have preferred to give all his time to 
his laboratory and his favourite studies; but when the 
public interest called him, when it looked to him to place 
at the service of the national defences of educa- 
was one colossal 
various 
his science 
tion, of general politics, Marcellin Berthelot did his duty 
simply, and we have thus to celebrate to-day at the same 
time the man of science, the philosopher, the educator, 
the politician and l’honnéte homme.’ Toward the close 
of his oration M. Briand remarked that he had been 
called by his position ‘‘to the painful and formidable 
honour of rendering homage, in the name of the Govern- 
ment, to the man of genius for whom universal science 
is in mourning ’’; he then proceeded to give a touching 
eulogy of Berthelot as a private individual. The discourse 
serves admirably to show the high esteem in which the 
French people and rulers hold their great men of science. 
” 
Dr. Nansen will give a paper on “‘ Polar Problems 
at the Royal Geographical Society on Monday, April 29; 
on May 13 a paper on “‘ An Expedition from the Niger 
to the Nile ’’ will be read by Lieut. Boyd Alexander. 
Ar the recent annual meeting of the Royal Irish 
Academy Prof. F. A. Tarleton was elected president for 
the session 1907-8, and the following were elected honorary 
members in the section of science:—Profs. Ramon Y. 
Cajal, Madrid; W. Ostwald, Leipzig; E. C. Pickering, 
Cambridge (Mass.), U.S.A.; and H. Poincaré, Paris. 
that 
at Bitlis 
A ReuTER message from Constantinople 
considerable damage has been done to property 
by violent earthquake shocks on March 29. 
H. Bryan, F.R.S., will 
reports 
On Tuesday, April 9, Prof. G. 
begin a course of two lectures at the Royal Institution 
on ‘Wings and Aéroplanes’’; on Thursday, April 11, 
Prof. H. A. Miers, F.R.S., will commence a course of 
two lectures on ‘‘ The Birth and Affinities of Crystals,”” 
and on Saturday, April 13, Prof. Silvanus P. Thompson, 
F.R.S., will begin a course of three lectures on ‘‘ Studies 
in Magnetism’ (the Tyndall lectures). The Friday even- 
ing discourse on April 12 will be delivered by Prof. A. H. 
Church, F.R.S., the subject being ‘* Conservation of 
Historic Buildings and Frescoes,’’ and on April 19 by 
Prof. €. S. Sherrington, F.R.S., on ““ Nerve as a Master 
of Muscle.”’ 
Mr. ANDREW CARNEGIE has invited a 
guests from England to attend the dedication of 
building of the Carnegie Institute at Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
party of 
the new 
large 
