78 



NA TURE 



[May 21, 1901 



THE BRITISH ASSOCIATIOIV MEETING. 



THERE is every indication that the coming meeting 

 at Glasgow will be an unusually large one, and the 

 local committee is putting forth every effort to make it a 

 success in every way. 



The last meeting in Glasgow was in 1S76, under 

 the presidency of Dr. Andrews, F.R.S., professor of 

 chemistry, Queen's College, T.elfast, and the attendance 

 was 2774. At that date the population of Glasgow was 

 about 500,000, and now it is considerably more than 

 760,000, or. including the neighbouring burghs, about one 

 million. But the expectation of a large meeting is based, 

 not only on the increased population, but also on the 

 increased attention paid locally to scientific pursuits and 

 to the circumstance that an International Exhibition of 

 Industry, Science and .A.rt is being held in the Kelvingrove 

 Park, adjacent to the University Buildings, where all the 

 sectional meetings are to take place. 



Four very important additions have been made to 

 the buildings of the University since the Association last 

 met in Glasgow. The Bute Hall is to be used as a re- 

 ception room, and from its position and size it lends itself 

 admirably to that purpose. Large and commodious 

 anatomical rooms have been completed, and separate 

 handsome buildings for botany and engineering are ex- 

 pected to be finished in time for the meetings. Thus, in the 

 class-rooms of the University, there will be ample room 

 for all the section meetings and conferences. The first 

 general meeting will be held at 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 

 .September 11, in the St. ."Andrews Hall, when the 

 president-elect. Prof. Arthur W. Riicker, Sec.R.S., will 

 deliver the opening address. In the same hall, which 

 will accommodate considerably more than 3000 persons, 

 the Friday evening lecture will be delivered by Prof. 

 William Ramsay, F.R.S., and the Monday evening 

 lecture by Mr. Francis Darwin, F.R.S. The Saturday 

 evening lecture to workmen will be delivered in the City 

 Hall by Mr. H. J. Mackinder. 



On Thursday evening, September 12, the Corporation 

 of the City of Glasgow will give a conversazione and 

 reception to the members in the City Chambers, and on 

 Tuesdiy evening, September 17, the Executive Council 

 of the International Exhibition will give a conversazione 

 and reception in the Fine .^.rt Galleries within the Exhi- 

 bition grounds. This building is considered to be one of 

 the finest in this country and consists of a central court, 

 125 feet by 56 feet, with two .courts, each 102 feet by 

 60 feet, east and west of the hall ; also twelve galleries 

 averaging 100 feet by 28 feet, aranged in two floors 

 around the courts. The collection embraces the following 

 divisions : — 



(i) Oil-paintings of the nineteenth century. 



(2) Water-colour paintings of the nineteenth century. 



(3) Sculpture and architecture. 



(4) Works in black and white. 



(5) Photography. 



(6) Art objects. 



(7) Scottish archaeology and history. 



The conversazione in the Art Galleries will therefore 

 be of special interest. 



The Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water 

 Colours win give a conversazione on .September 18, and 

 the Faculty of Physicians and .Surgeons will give a 

 dinner to the medical , members of the Association on 

 September 16; and other public bodies in the city 

 are expected to cooperate in a similar manner. Lord 

 Overtoun has kindly offered to entertain the members 

 at a garden party at his seat at Overtoun, Dumbarton- 

 shire, probably on the afternoon of Monday, September 

 16 ; and another garden party will be held in the Botanic 

 Gardens on the afternoon of Friday, September 13. 



Excursions are limited this year to Saturday as, 

 by resolution of the general committee, the local com- 



NO. 1647, VOL. 64] 



mittee has been requested not to arrange for any whole 

 day excursions on Thursday, September 19. On Saturday, 

 September 14, there will be excursions to : — 



1. Loch Lomond, where the party will be entertained to 

 luncheon by the kind invitation of the Duke of Montrose, 

 Lord Overtoun, Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Mr. 

 Crum Ewing of Strathleven, Dr. Jacks of Crosslet, Mr. 

 Campbell of TuUichewan, and others. 



2. The Roman Camp at Ardoch, Doune Castle, and 

 Dunblane Cathedral, where the party will be entertained 

 by Sir James I5ell, Bart. 



3. Craignethan Castle (Tillitudlem), Lanark and Falls 

 of Clyde, where the party will be entertained to luncheon 

 by the Right Hon. the F2arl of Home. 



4. Stirling, where the party will be entertained to 

 luncheon by the Town Council of Stirling. 



The Howieton Fishery Company has kindly agreed 

 to allow the excursionists to inspect the interesting fish 

 ponds at Sauchie. 



5. Paisley, including visits to the Abbey, Coats 

 Memorial Church and Paisley Thread Works, where- 

 the party will be entertained by Sir Thomas Gleri 

 Coats. 



(~)ther excursions are in contemplation, including a 

 sail down the river ; but the arrangements have not yet 

 been completed. 



A large number of the clubs and libraries in Glasgow- 

 have kindly agreed to admit non-resident members as 

 honorary meinbers on presentation of their membership 

 tickets. Full particulars of these will be given to members 

 in the reception-room. 



Glasgow, being situated in a district rendered famous 

 by the genius of romance, and still more famous as 

 the theatre of many of the most thrilling events in 

 Scottish history, is well known to be the seat of some of 

 the most extensive trading and manufacturing interests 

 of the country ; its engineering and shipbuilding 

 works, its cotton and chemical manufactories and its 

 iron trade are world famous. Arrangements are being 

 made to allow members to visit some of the more im- 

 portant establishments at stated times during the meeting,, 

 including engineering works, shipbuilding works, iron- 

 works, mills, locomotive works, printing works, pottery 

 manufacturing, chemical manufactories, &c. 



In 1S76, when the Association last met in Glasgow, the 

 local committee prepared three handbooks, which have 

 remained until the present day as valuable books of 

 reference for men of science and other students of the fauna, 

 flora and geological features of the Clyde district. 

 Following this precedent, the local committee for this 

 coming meeting is also preparing three handbooks. 

 The first is to deal with the general industries of 

 Glasgow and the Clyde, and will deal with, among 

 other subjects : — 



(i) Mining and Quarrying, by Mr. G. R. Thompson ;. 

 (2) Metallurgy, by Prof A. H. Sexton ; (3) Mechanical 

 Engineering, by Dr. H. Dyer ; (4) Marine Engineering 

 and Ship-Building, by Dr. R. Caird ; (5) Transport, by 

 Mr. 13. T. Sandeman ; (6) Textile and Allied Industries, 

 by Mr. Robert Macintyre ; (7) Chemical Industries, by 

 Prof G. G. Henderson ; (8) Pottery, Glass, etc., by Mr. 

 James Fleming ; (9) Municipal Enterprise and the Clyde 

 Trust, by Mr. John S. Samuel. Principal Angus 

 Maclean, Technical School, Paisley, is the editor of 

 this volume. 



The second handbook, on the fauna and flora of the 

 Clyde valley, is under the general editorship of Dr. 

 M. Laurie and Mr. G. F. Scott-Elliott. For the 

 flora part of the handbook the main contributions are : 

 (i) Introduction, by Mr. G. F. Scott-Elliott ; (2) History 

 of Botany, by Prof F. O. Bower, F.R.S. : (3) Phyto- 

 plankton, by Mr. V. H. Blackman and Mr. G. Murray, 

 F.R.S. ; (4) Freshwater Alg;e, by Messrs. T. Paterson,. 

 J. M. Taylor and W. W. West ; (5) Diatoms, by Messrs. 



