I ' 



NATURE 



November 7. [918 



The current calendar of the Merchani Venturers' 

 Technical College, in which the faculty of engineering 

 of the University <>f Bristol is provided and main- 

 d, gives particulars of the exemptions accorded 

 to graduates of the University and students of the 

 faculty In various examining bodies and learned 

 societies. The Institution of ('ivil Engineers recog- 

 nises the B.Sc. degree with honours in civil or 

 mechanical engineering as exempting from examina- 

 tion foi associate membership ii .1 regular course of 

 study, occupying not less than three academic years, 

 has been pursued in the I niversity. The institution 

 also recognises the pass degn e as 1 sempting similarly 

 if, in addition to the other conditions, the entrance 

 examination to the engineering course in the 

 I niversity lias been passed in the subjects pre- 

 scribed by the institution. These degrees are also 

 similarly recognised as qualifications for appointments 

 as assistant engineers in the Public Works Depart- 

 ments of India and Egypt. The possession of the B.Sc. 

 degree in (i\il or mechanical engineering is allowed to 

 count as one year towards the three '.ears' practical 

 training required l>\ candidates for the appointment oi 

 Assistapl Civil Engineer in the Works Department of 

 the Admiralty. The B.Sc. degree in mechanical en- 

 gineering exempts from the associate membership 

 examination of the Institution of Mechanical En- 

 gineers, and the degree in electrical engineering 

 exempts from examination for the associate member- 

 ship of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. 

 Finally, the B.Sc. degree, or success in the inter- 

 mediate examination for that degree, is accepted in 

 lieu of the Army entrance examination. 



CERTAIN representative science teachers and others 

 inti rested in natural science in Yorkshire have decided 

 to form an association with the object of encouraging 

 a broad outlook on scientific problems, and of pro- 

 viding a means whereby they may be kept in touch 

 with modern scientific views. The hearty support 

 given to this proposal from many quarters justifies the 

 view that such a natural science association would 

 be welcome in Yorkshire, and a provisional committee 

 has been appointed to undertake its organisation. Its 

 aims have been formulated as follows : — (i) To afford 

 opportunity for intercourse and co-operation amongst 

 those interested in natural science (chemistry, physics, 

 botany, zoology, and other natural sciences); (2) to 

 discuss the teaching of science in all its bearings ; 

 i;i to discuss modern developments in science, and 

 the applications of science in industry; (4) to arrange 

 for visits to places of scientific interest; and (5) to 

 afford -i medium for (he formulation of collective 

 11 upon matters affecting the place of science in 

 ifi of the community. Membership will be open 

 vvho are interested in the objects of the associa- 

 tnd it is proposed that the subscription shall be 

 5s. per annum. The inaugural general meeting will 

 taki pi on Saturday, November 23, at \ p.m., in 

 the University of Leeds, when the president-elect, 

 Prof. W. Bateson, will deliver an address on "Science 

 and Nationality." All who are interested in the move- 

 ment an 1 ill invited to be present. Any further 



information ma\ tic obtained from the chairman of the 

 provisional committee. Or. Harold Wager, the Uni- 

 versity, I. (ids, or from the hon. secretaries, Mr. F. 

 Fairbrother, the Grammar School, Leeds, and Miss 

 R. I-'. Shove, the University, 1 eeds. 



M. PAUL OtlKT has an interesting article on " Le 

 traitemeni de la litterature scientifique " in the 

 Revue gdnSrale des Si tern es for September 15-30. 

 His claim is that Governments should give more 

 attention to the various methods by which the results 

 of scientific investigation can be made widely known. 



NO. 2558, VOL. I02] 



Among such methods he includes the publication of 

 periodicals, abstracts, annual reports', bibliographies, 

 dictionaries, and text-books. As an example to 1" 

 followed lie quotes the International Institute oi 

 Agriculture at Rome. This institute, founded in 1905 

 In international co-operation, has alread) an income 



,ooo francs, possesses a library of 70, 



volumes and pamphlets, and receives annual!) t6oo 



reviews and journals sent to Rome from the fifty-six 



co-operating countries. The institute issues three 

 monthly bulletins, two annual volumes of statistics, 

 three other publications appearing once or twice a 

 year, a bibliography of agronomy, and many spei 

 monographs. M . Otlel looks forward to the founda- 

 tion of a similar institute for science, supported 



all the Governments of the world, or, at all events, 

 by the Allied Governments. The International Cata- 

 logue oi Scientific Literature would be a part of this 

 institute, which would also publish abstracts of all 

 scientific papers and periodical resumes of work in 

 spei ial branches of science, possess a library to which 



all scientific periodicals should be sent as the) appear, 

 and make arrangements for lending books and papers 

 to subscribers. Finally, M. <)tlei asks for an inter- 

 national or inter-Allied investigation into the whole 

 domain of science (pure, applied, economic, and 

 social), including the direction of original research, its 

 application to industries, records of results, scientific 

 literature of all kinds, the teaching of science, and the 

 diffusion of scientific knowledge. The investigation 

 would be followed by a congress with power to make 

 the necessary agreements between the co-operating 

 Governments, and to bring existing associations, 

 institutions, and private undertakings into the general 

 scheme. By such unification of the scientific activities 

 of the world it is hoped to accelerate the progress of 

 science and of its applications. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 

 Zoological Society, October 22.- Dr. A. Smith Wood- 

 ward, vice-president, in the chair. — Sir E. G. I.oder, 

 Bart. : Notes on the beavers at Leonardslee, (916 [8. 

 Evidence was given of the hitherto unrecorded fact 

 that beavers may breed twice in a season. — G. A. 

 Boulenger : Madagascar frogs of the genus Manti- 

 dactylus, Blgr.— Prof. II. M. Lefroy : The Wheat 

 Commission on Wheat Weevil in Australia. 



MAN< nisi 1 ;;. 

 Literary and Philosophical Society, October 15. — Mr. 

 W. Thomson, president, in the chair. — J. W. Jackson: 

 Discover) of quartz-pebble beds in the Carboniferous 



Limestone of Caldon Low, Stalls. These pebble-beds 

 form the dip slope of the Low on its N.X.W. side, 

 overlooking Caldon village. At the latter place a large 

 series of fossils, reminiscent of the " Brachiopod beds" 

 of Castleton, etc., has been obtained by Mr. W. E. 

 Alkins. The beds here apparently follow the pebble- 

 beds in true sequence. Tin two pebble-beds differ 

 greatl) in composition, that of Caldon Low being 

 made up almost entirely of rounded pebbles of vein- 

 stone-quartz with fragments of chert, while that of 

 Castleton lonsists of Carboniferous Limestom pebbles. 



sin 1 1 inn. 

 Society of (ilass Technology. October 2;,. Dr. M. W. 



Travers in the chair. - Prof. J. W. Cobb: Refr; 



materials and the glass industry. Prof. (~t<h}> em- 

 phasised the fact that, although temperatures in glass 

 manufacture were by no mi ans abnormally high, yet 

 the natun oi the chemical reactions taking place was 



