NATURE 
[APRIL 25, 1907 
620 
gation and practical skill in chemical manufacturing, 
gratifying though it be as a splendid achievement of 
applied chemistry, is a sad trial to many thousands of 
Indian ryets and their British masters; and this is merely 
the foretaste of what will inevitably happen in many other 
s. What is fcod for one is poison for another. 
Perhaps the very greatest problem of applied chemistry 
is the direct production of feeding-stuffs for man and beast. 
The synthesis of alimentary substances from inorganic 
matter has, up to this moment, not been even remotely 
achieved, nor can we at present so much as guess the 
direction in which this might be done, whilst, as for the 
production of food from sawdust and other waste organic 
substances, we are in no better case. But even here the 
word *‘ impossible ’’ should not be pronounced. In a more 
modest form, at all events, chemistry has found magnifi- 
cent scope in that quarter, viz. in the extraction of 
alimentary substances from new sources and in the increase 
of production from old ones. The colossal industry of beet- 
root sugar is an instance of the former, whilst agricultural 
chemistry, as a whole, works in the latter direction. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Courses of lectures, and arrangements for informal in- 
struction, have been arranged by the Oxford University 
Committee for Anthropology for the coming Easter term. 
There will be lectures and other instruction in general 
anthropology, physical anthropology, psychology, geo- 
graphical distribution, prehistoric archzeology, technology, 
sociology (religion, law, custom, &c.), philology, and other 
subjects of interest to students of anthropology. 
THE sum of 61001. has been subscribed by alumni of 
Harvard University to establish a Shaler memorial fund 
in commemoration of the long services of Prof. N. S. 
Shaler and of the great affection in which he was held 
by his many students and friends. It is proposed to 
place a memorial tablet in the geological section of the 
University museum, or some other suitable place, and to 
use the income of the balance for the benefit of the 
division of geology, in support of original research and in 
the publication of the results of research. 
On Tuesday, April 23, the Prince and Princess of Wales 
visited Glasgow and opened the new buildings at the 
University. These buildings were erected by Principal 
Story’s university fund, which was largely raised by the 
efforts of the late Principal. They form an important 
addition to the laboratory and lecture-room equipment of 
the University. They consist cf two large detached insti- 
tutes to the west of the main building; one provides 
accommodation for the departments of physiology, materia 
medica, forensic medicine, and the other for the depart- 
ment of natural philosophy. The cost of the buildings has 
been defrayed by subscriptions to the amount of 80,oool. 
from the citizens of Glasgow and a grant of 40,ocol. from 
the Carnegie trustees. A special honorary graduation was 
held_on the same day, at which the honorary degree of 
LL.D. was conferred on the Prince and Princess of Wales, 
the Lord Provost of Glasgow (Mr. Wm. Bilsland), the 
Duchess of Montrose, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
who is also Rector of the University, Right Hon. Geo. 
Wyndham, a former Rector, Mr. Ure, the Solicitor- 
General for Scotland, Sir George Watt, Sir W. R. Cop- 
land, Miss Galloway, Prof. Fmile Boutroux, Prof. Norman 
Collie, Prof. J. H. Poincaré, Mr. Sidney Lee, Mr. D. S. 
MacColl, Mr. Jas. A. Reid, Mr. N. Dunlop, Prof. J. G. 
McKendrick, Prof. G. G. Ramsay, Prof. A. M. Stuart, 
and Principal Donald Macalister. 
On Saturday last, April 20, the Borough Polytechnic 
Institute was open for the annual inspection and display 
of students’ work. To judge from the crowds which 
thronged through the building during the evening, those 
who live in the neighbourhood must take a great interest 
in this educational centre. In the chemical laboratory 
there was an exhibition of electrochemical anparatus, and 
one saw the rapid deposition of metals by means of 
retating electrodes. Apparatus for measuring the absorp- 
tion taking place in reduction and oxidation methods was 
also shown working. In the general laboratory various 
NO. 1956, VOL. 75] 
chemical operations were in progress, such as fraction- 
ation, steam distillation, and the like. The general public 
who crowded the laboratories did not, of course, under- 
stand much, but they realised that what was to them 
mystical chemistry might be interesting, and perhaps a 
few oi them will become students. The recently equipped 
electrotechnical department, which is in the engine-room, 
caused a good deal of interest. Many of the fittings have 
been put up by the students, who also helped to build 
up the experimental dynamo. ‘The engineering depart- 
ment is becoming very complete, and students can now 
carry out tests upon quite a large scale. The latest 
addition here is a Delaval 5 horse-power steam-turbine 
engine coupled on to a dynamo. Some of the metal work 
and wood work executed by the students was of a very 
creditable character, the hammered copper work being 
especially interesting. A noteworthy exhibit was a vernier 
with micrometer screw which had been entirely made— 
scale and all—by a lad sixteen years of age in the 
technical day school. The average person who passed 
through the institute on Saturday night would probably 
be most interested in the bakery and confectionery depart- 
ment or in the book-binding or shoe-making. All these, 
of course, are of great importance, and much good work 
is being done, but it should not be forgotten that on the 
scientific side, which tends above all things to the nation’s 
advancement, good work is being done with a rather 
difficult material and a small staff, the chemistry depart- 
meut being one of the very few in Great Britain which 
publishes research work. 
Tue question of education in relation to the British 
Empire was considered at a meeting held in the Guildhall, 
London, on Tuesday, under the presidency of the Lord 
Mayor. The following resolutions were unanimously 
adopted :—(1) That in the opinion of this meeting of 
citizens of London and others, the education of the people 
of Great Britain on the subject of the Empire is deplorably 
backward, and that as an illustration of this fact it may 
be pointed out that no official map er text-book in regard 
to the Empire is available for teachers and the public ; 
that in the opinion of this meeting the teaching of Empire 
subjects with the aid of official maps and text-books should 
be obligatory in all elementary and secondary schools in 
Great Britain, and that the Government be requested to 
lend official assistance in the preparation of such maps 
and text-books, and to sanction the permanent display of 
Empire maps in all schools, post-offices, and public build- 
ings (moved by the Duke of Somerset and seconded by 
Dr. Parkin). (2) That a public subscription for the pur- 
pose of Empire education be inaugurated, and that the aid 
of the London and provincial Press and of al! societies 
and associations, without regard to party politics, be 
invoked to collect funds for the purpose; that copies of 
these resolutions be sent to the Government, all lieutenants 
of counties, lord mayors, and mayors throughout the 
country, inviting them to call public meetings and submit 
thereto. similar resolutions, and appeal for subscriptions to 
the fund (moved by Lord Milner and seconded by Mr. 
Deakin). (3) That the fund be called the *‘ Empire Educa- 
tion Fund,”’ and that the first trustees shall be the Right 
Hon. Sir W. Treloar, Lord Mayor, his Grace the Duke 
of Somerset, the Right Hon. Viscount Milner, P.C., 
G.C.B., G.C.M.G., the Right Hon. Sir Rowland Blenner- 
hassett, Bart., P.C., and Mr. Allen H. P. Stoneham 
(moved by Lord Strathcona and seconded by Lord 
Ranfurly). 
A CONFERENCE on the teaching of hygiene and temper- 
ance in the universities and schools of the British Empire 
was held in London on ‘Tuesday. Lord Strathcona pre- 
sided at the morning session and Sir John Gorst occupied 
the chair at the afternoon meeting. From the papers read 
it is clear that in several of our colonies and in some 
foreign countries much more attention is given to instruc- 
tion in the laws of health than has yet been granted to it 
in this country. The chief object of the conference was 
to give prominence to this fact and to urge upon our 
educational authorities the importance of remedying the 
defect. Sir Victor Horsley, F.R.S., in an address on the 
method of introducing hygiene and temperance into 
secondary schools and universities, suggested that an 
