no 



NATURE 



[October io, 1918 



Steel the West of Scotland, he enjoyed 



the confide . e of both masters and men. He also 

 took an active interest in the West of Scotland 

 branch of the British Astronomical Association, 

 of which he was honorary vice-president at the 

 time of his death. 



o Dr. Dyer received the honorary degree 

 of LL.D. from the University of Glasgow, and 

 in 1915 the degree of Doctor of Engineering from 

 Japan. In [.882 he was decorated with the Japan- 

 ese Order of the Rising Sun (Class HI.), and a 

 few years later with the Order of the Sacred 

 I reasure (Class 11.). 



In addition to many contributions to periodical 

 literature, Dr. Dyei wrote 1 number of important 

 books, of which the best known is "Dai Nippon, 

 the Britain of the East." In this volume he traces 

 the rise and progress of Japan in economics, in- 

 dustries, and education, very naturally devoting 

 considerable attention to the work of his own 

 College of Engineering. 



His other published works deal with such ques- 

 tions as science teaching in schools, education 

 and national life, the evolution of historv, and the 

 like. 



Dr. Dyer's many friends and associates can 

 look back upon the record of a life well spent in 

 the highest educational activities and in furthering 

 the interests of the community among whom he 

 lived. His was a strong personality actuated by 

 a single-hearted enthusiasm in the cause of 

 scientific training. C. G. K. 



NOTES. 



Wi learn with much satisfaction that the report of 

 the death of the distinguished philosopher, M. Emile 

 Boutroux, member of the Institute of France and of 

 the French Vcademy, is incorrect. 



In the Times for October 5 then- appears a short 

 notice concerning the latest Halberstadt biplane, 

 quoting a report on [his machine prepared by the 

 ["echnical Department of the Air Ministry. It is 

 dingh gratifying to read that the performance 

 of the above machine is poor when compared with 

 own machines oi a similar class, especially when 

 it is remembered that the particular aeroplane on 

 which the report is based was captured so late as 

 las June, and bears the date April 14, [918, stamped 

 on various parts. Some figures relating to speed and 

 iven in the Times, but, unfortunatelv, the 

 lachine is not stated, so that their full 

 significance ; s no1 apparent. The speed is given as 

 ninetv-s. i miles an hour at 10,000 ft. with the 

 180-h.p. engine, and the times given for 



climbs to ; 1 In, indicate a climbing speed 



of about 600 i: per minute at ground-level. If the 

 weight of thi vere 2700 lb., a likely figure 



for such an aeroplane, one would expect a climb in 

 the neighbourhood ft. per minute at ground- 



level with the above horse-power, and this rough 

 figure gives some idea of the relative merits of our 

 own two-seater lighters and this recent German 

 machine. The Halberstadt is considered easy to fly 

 and quick in manoeuvrability, but these qualities can- 

 be used to the best advantage in a machine the 

 I and climb of which are low. The n port in ques- 

 tion is of great interest, since it establishes in a very 

 Miner the superiority of ou s over 



NO. 2554, VOL. I02] 



those of the enemy, and there seems little doubt that 

 this superiority, .nee definitely gained, will be easily 

 maintained in the future. 



Tut: Ric.in ll"\. H. A. I.. Fisher, President of 

 the Board of Education, will preside at a meeting 

 to be held at the Royal Society of Arts on Monday, 



Octobei .'S, al ; p an., when a scheme for the pi - 



lion of industrial art will be submitted for considera- 

 tion. Amongst those who have consented to speak are 

 Lord I.evei huh ro . Sir Charles Allom, Sir Woodman 

 Burbidge, Mr. Kenneth Lee, Sir William McCormick, 

 Mr. Gordon Selfridge, and Sir Frank Warner. The 

 prime objects ol the scheme are: (1) To encourage 

 and co-ordinate movements towards the development 

 and improvement of industrial art, with the view . ■ f 

 maintaining for the trade "I the British Empire its 

 position in the markets of the world; (2) to co-operati 

 with Government Departments and other bodies in 

 promoting exhibitions, and in particular with the 

 Government scheme for a British Institute of Indus- 

 trial Art; and ( ;) to initiate and encourage research, 

 experimental and other work germane to tin- objects 

 above indicated, to award grants for conducting such 

 work, and to co-operate, whenever possible, with 

 Government and other institutions founded for such 

 purposes. 



An Exhibition of New British and "Key" Indus- 

 tries, organised 1,\ the Industrial Section of the Tariff 

 Reform League, was opened at the Central Hall, 

 Westminster, on October 7, and will remain open 

 until October -'-•, when the intention is to take it to 

 Manchester and other large provincial centres of 

 population. The exhibition is on a smaller scale than 

 that recently organised at King's College by the 

 British Science Guild, to which appreciative refereno 

 is made bv Mr. H. J. Mackinder in his introduction 

 to tin- official handbook, and little is included which 

 was not represented in that exhibition. On the 

 scientific side, therefore, there is nothing to record 

 which has not been described ahead) in these columns. 

 Among the exhibits of new or revived British indus- 

 tries are flags, Christmas cards, dolls, toys, puzzles, 

 indoor games, and picture-frame mouldings, which 

 ware outside the field of the British Scientific Pro- 

 duets Exhibition. The handbook, price is. net, con- 

 tains instructive articles upon the occurrence and uses 

 of metals and other substances essential to the , \ist- 

 ence of many great industries, ami controlled by enemy 

 influence before the outbreak of tin- war. The fact 

 that we wen- dependent upon Germany for many 

 products and appliances which we were fully capable 

 of manufacturing ourselves is beyond dispute, but it 

 must remain a matter of opinion as to whether the 

 conclusions of the Tariff Reform League as to its 

 chief cause are correct. The exhibition is, however, 

 an enlightening display of national scientific and indus- 

 trial ell oi-i, and as admission is free then will no di 

 be many visitors to it. 



Dr. Addison, Minister of Reconstruction, in his 

 inaugural address at the opening of the Pharma- 

 ceutical Society's School of Pharmacy on Wednesday 

 of last week, laid stress upon the need for co-ordina- 

 tion of scientific knowledge and for a thorough and 

 scientific treatment of facts and inquiries. The 

 greatest danger before and during the war were 

 German organisation, training, and method, especially 

 in the application of physical science; to safeguard 

 ourselves in tin future it was necessary to provide 

 better training and better conditions of life. At the 

 outbreak of war we were faced with difficulties con- 

 sequent upon our dependence on Germany for the 

 supply of a large number of medicinal chemicals, as 



