57o 



NA TURE 



[Oct. ii, 1S83 



The memorandum which we print below briefly sets 

 forth the proposal as now submitted to the Executive 

 Committee of the Fisheries Exhibition. It has been 

 signed by the following naturalists : — Sir John Lubbock, 

 Mr. P. L. Sclater, Prof. Jeffrey Bell, Prof. Michael Foster, 

 Prof. Burdon Sanderson, Prof. Flower, Prof. Allman, Prof. 

 Richard Owen, Dr. G. J. Romanes, Prof. Lankester, Prof. 

 Moseley, Dr. Carpenter, Mr. John Murray, Mr. Thiselton 

 Dyer, Prof. Milnes Marshall, and Mr. Adam Sedg- 

 wick. The absence of the nimes of one or two influential 

 zoologists from this list is explained by their official con- 

 nection with the Exhibition, which has rendered it un- 

 desirable to ask them to commit themselves in reference 

 to a question in the consideration of which they will 

 ultimately have the greatest responsibility and weight. 



The memorandum runs as follows : — 



Proposal for the Foundation of an Observatory on the British 

 Coast for the Study of Marine Animals ami Plants in relation 

 to Pish and Fisheries. 



The value to the fish industry of an increased knowledge of 

 the habits and life-history of fishes lias been proved by the ex- 

 perience of the American and French Commissions. Without 

 such knowledge we cannot improve our fisheries commercially ; 

 with it, there is every probability that a great deal may be done 

 in the way of controlling and extending them. In order to gain 

 accurate knowledge as to the circumstances which affect the life 

 of fishes, and the various mollusks, shell-fishes, corals, and 

 sponges, which are important commercially as well as interesting 

 from the scientific point of view, it is necessary that continuous 

 observations should lie made upon their growth from the egg 

 onwards, upon their food and its natural history, as well as upon 

 their enemies and the conditions favouring, or injurious to, their 

 life. Such observations can only be successfully carried out by 

 persons resident on the sea-coast. In order to enable competent 

 observers to spend such time as they can afford for these studies 

 to the greatest advantage, zoological observatories have been 

 established on the sea-coast of foreign countries, but at present 

 there is no such observatory on the British coast. The first 

 observatory of the kind is the "zoological station " established 

 by Dr. Dohm at Naples, which is frequented by naturalists from 

 all parts of Europe. Its buildings and aquaria represent an 

 expenditure of 20,000/., and its annual expenditure is over 4000/. 

 Similar observatories have been established by the' Austrian 

 Government at Trieste, and by the French Government at Con- 

 carneau, Roscoff, and Villefranche. It has been for some years 

 the desire of English naturalists to establish a zoological obser- 

 vatory on the British coast, v hich would be in charge of a com- 

 petent resident superintendent, and fitted with aquaria, labora- 

 tories, and apparatus, and possessed of boats and dredging 

 apparatus. Two or three fishermen would be kept in the pay of 

 the observatory. The institution thus organised would be fre- 

 quented at all times of the year by naturalists desirous of carrying 

 on original investigations relative to the life-history and 

 structure of marine organisms. Accommodation for as many 

 as si x such naturalists might be provided. The affairs of 

 the observatory and the granting of permission to make use 

 of its appliances might be intrusted to a small committee, 

 consisting (for example) in the first place of the Warden 

 of the Fishmongers' Company, the professors of zoology, 

 botany, and physiology in the universities of Great Britain, and 

 in the London colleges, and the secretaries of the Linnxan and 

 Zoological Societies of London. Were such an observatory 

 once established, there is every reason to believe that funds could 

 be raised annually for the purpose of extending its operations, 

 and of carrying on special work in it by grants from scientific 

 societies, the universities, and such sources. The obstacle 

 hitherto to the establishment of a British zoological observatory- 

 has been the difficulty of obtaining the large sum necessary to 

 launch the institution. It is calculated that 8,000/. would be 

 sufficient to secure a site and erect and furnish a suitable build- 

 ing — whilst 500/. a year should be secured as a minimum income 

 for the purpose of paying a salary of 250/. a year to a resident 

 superintendent, minor salaries to fishermen and attendants, and 

 of meeting the small current expenses. The income of the 

 institution might be materially aided by the payment of a fee 

 (say 5/. a month) on the part of those naturalists making use of 

 its resources. The opportunity for securing the 20,000/. neces- 

 sary for the inauguration of such a zoological observatory has 



presented itself in connection with the International Fisheries 

 Exhibition. Should there be, as there is reason to hope, a large 

 surplus fund in the hands of the Committee of the Exhibition at 

 its close, it is proposed to bring the suggestion of the establish- 

 ment of a Marine Zoological Observatory before the Committee, 

 and to endeavour to obtain the support of that body for the 

 scheme. It is proposed that a deputation of scientific men 

 should interview the committee of the Fisheries Exhibition, in 

 order to explain the importance of a marine observatory and the 

 close relationship of the work done in such an institution to the 

 interests of our fisheries ; and the Committee would then be 

 asked to consider the propriety of handing over the sum of 

 20,000/. (or if possible a larger sum, this being a minimum) to 

 trustees, for the purpose of building and endowing such an 

 observatory, provision being made as to the future government 

 and occupation of the observatory, as above suggested. 



NOTES 

 At the opening of the London Hospital Medical School, Prof. 

 Huxley gave an address on the relations of the State to the 

 medical profession. He considers the present relations on the 

 whole satisfactory, and that it is not desirable that the State 

 should do more than it does to protect the public against in- 

 competent persons and quacks. He thinks that no license 

 should be granted except for the three qualifications, and that 

 the course of study should be extended somewhat backwards, 

 by insisting, instead of the general education test, upon some 

 knowledge of elementary physics, chemistry, and so forth, by 

 the young man desirous of entering upon a course of medical 

 studies. In conclusion, he referred to the want of organisation 

 for the advancement of the science of medicine considered^ as a 

 pure science. 



Prof. Michael Foster gave the introductory address at the 

 School of Pharmacy last week ; the subject was "Cramming," 

 and the address will be found reported in full in the Pharmaceic 

 tieal Journal of October 6. 



The remains of William Harvey are about to be removed to 

 a new sarcophagus in Hemel Hempstead Church. 



An amusing incident is related in our contemporary L'£lec- 

 trieien, showing that the knowledge of electrical terminology is 

 yet far from perfect amongst patrons of the latest applications of 

 the science. One of the most eminent and old-established firms 

 who supply incandescent lamps had lately fulfilled an order for a 

 certain number of lamps, specified to be of twenty candle-power 

 at forty-five volts. Th;y received, three days after despatching 

 the goods, the following memorandum: — "We have received 

 your lamps as per invoice, together with the supports, but we 

 were unable to find amongst the goods consigned the forty-five 

 volts invoiced with the lamps ... " ! 



As the papers often refer to Chinese telegrams sent to and 

 from Europe in connection with the Franco-Chinese negotiations, 

 it may not be useless to state that a special c^de of telegraphy 

 has been devised for the use of the Chinese. All the characters 

 of the Chinese language have been numbered, and these numbers 

 are sent by telegraph as secret messages. On arriving in China 

 they are translated into Chinese numbers for the use of Chinese 

 officials. 



In carrying out an Act passed by Congress, President Arthur 

 has invited the various countries to send representatives to an 

 International Conference at Washington, the date of which is 

 unfixed, to establish a common prime meridian. The Govern- 

 ments of Austria, Norway, and Sweden have declined, but the 

 two latter approve of the object. Spain is favourable, but has 

 deferred its reply. Belgium is uncertain, but Denmark and 

 Portugal have accepted the invitation conditionally. Switzer- 

 land, Venezuela, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, China, Japan, 

 Hawaii, Ilayti, Liberia, Holland, Canada, Guatemala, Rou- 



