270) 
three-screw turbines. Last summer, the Channel 
steamer Paris, fitted with geared turbines, attained 
the remarkable speed of 25-07 knots—a result which 
has only been surpassed by torpedo craft. Hydraulic 
transmission has lately been developed in Germany, 
and electrical transmission has also been applied to 
several vessels. Cargo steamers have advanced from 
6400 to 9600 tons dead-weight, at practically constant 
speed of 11 knots. There are many attractive pos- 
sibilities in the problem of producing a trustworthy 
internal-combustion engine able to compete success- 
fully with the steam-engine and geared turbine. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES FOR NOVEMBER :— 
Nov. 1. 16h. om. Mercury at greatest elongation 
east of the Sun. 
2. 2th. 18m. Jupiter in conjunction with the 
Moon (Jupiter 4° 35’ N.). 
4. 11h. 32m. Uranus in conjunction with the 
Moon (Uranus 3° 26’ N.). 
5. 8h. om. Venus at greatest heliocentric 
latitude N. 
12. 13h. om. Mercury stationary. 
15. 12h, 25m. Saturn in conjunction with the 
Moon (Saturn 6° 40! S.). 
18. 7h. 6m. Mars in conjunction with the 
Moon (Mars 2° 23’ S.). 
13h. 21m. Neptune in conjunction with the 
Moon (Neptune 4° 40’ S.). 
22. 18h. om. Mercury in inferior conjunction 
with the Sun. 
26. 7h. 33m. Venus in conjunction with the 
Moon (Venus 5° 41’ N) 
»> 23h. 32m. Mercury in conjunction with the 
Moon (Mercury 6° 43’ N.). 
27. oh. om. Mars stationary. 
30. 16h. 5m. Jupiter in conjunction with the 
Moon (Jupiter 4° 12’ N.). 
A New Comert.—A Kiel telegram, dated October 24, 
distributes the information communicated by Prof. 
Hartwig that on October 23 Dr. Zinner discovered a 
comet of the 1oth magnitude at 7h. 58:8m. M.T. Bam- 
berg. Its position is given as R.A. 18h. 4om. 1s., and 
declination —4° 32’ 38”, and the object was observed 
to have a tail. The comet is thus situated in the 
constellation of Aquila, a little less than half-way 
between A Aquilze and 7 Serpentis. 
Comet Metcatr 1913b.—The following is the 
ephemeris for Metcalf’s comet as calculated by Herr 
A. Kobold, and published in Astronomische Nachrich- 
ten, No. 4686 :— 
12h. M.T. Berlin. 
Ce (true) Dec. (true) Mag. 
eet tiBe a i i 
Ock 30° ~ ..+_ 20 4058s cera 25°8 
31 46 31 3 139 
Nov. 1 a6 Ui 300i mere O21 
2 AG SS ty, eee 2:0, 9:7 
3 AS 47; ODS 
“3 45°39 12) ede) 
5 AS: 35) ieee ste OL 
6 45 30 + 2 4I4 99 
This faint comet is now just moving into the con- 
stellation of Aquarius, and is only a suitable object for 
telescopes of large aperture. 
Comet WESTPHAL (1913d).—Comet Westphal is 
becoming a faint object, being now a little fainter 
than 8-5 magnitude. The following is a portion of 
NO. 2296, VOL. 92] 
NATURE 
[OcTOBER 30, 1913 
the ephemeris published by Hermann Kobold in 
Astronomische Nachrichten, No, 4687 :— 
12h, M.T. Berlin. 
(true) Dec. (true) Mag. 
- m Ss 5 1 
Oct. 30 20 40 35 «.- +23 168 
eT ass 39 38 23a 
Novant |... 38 46 24 30:4 | «0 Se 
37 56 25 65 
Be ome 27500 25 42-3 
ARM ics 36 30 20 17-7 
ee 35 eT 26 528 ... 86 
6 39 2%, 27 27°5 ; 
The comet is moving in the constellation of Vul- 
pecula, and is in a good position for observation. 
ELEMENTS AND NuMBERS OF MINOR PLANETS.—The 
growth in the number of the minor planets discovered 
is clearly brought out in the two interesting com- 
munications by Dr. Cohn in Astronomische Nachrich- 
ten, No. 4688. In the first paper he refers to the 
elements and numbering of these bodies, and points 
out that in the interval, July 1, 1912, to June 30, 1913, 
sixty-seven objects have been given provisionary num-— 
bers. Five of these have been identified as old mem- 
bers of the group. Of the sixty-two remaining, nine- 
teen hail from Heidelberg, seven from Johannesburg, 
nine from Neuchatel, eleven from Simeis, three from 
Vienna, and thirteen from Winchester. Of this num- 
ber twenty-one have had their elliptical orbits checked 
and numbers assigned to them. 
In the second communication Dr. Cohn points out 
the unsatisfactory state, and possibility of mistakes, in 
the present system of lettering the planets, owing to 
their great number, and suggests, with the help of 
other astronomers, a set of names for the planets 
from No. 570 to 727. As an example, it may be 
stated that 697 has been named “‘ Galileo,” as it was 
discovered on the day of the three hundredth anni- 
versary of the discovery of Jupiter’s satellites. 727 is 
termed ‘‘Nipponia,’” as the planet was discovered 
twice by Herr Hirayama in Tokio. 
THEORETICAL ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH.—A circular 
regarding a plan for an institute for theoretical astro- 
nomical research has reached us from Lund, Sweden. 
It is a timely plea for financial support for a 
neglected part of astronomy. The work suggested 
as specially suitable to be undertaken by the institute 
is in the first place the investigations of the orbits 
of the asteroids, work which it is confidently antici- 
pated will lead to the solution of ‘tthe problem of three 
bodies,’ and perhaps also solve the enigma of the 
evolution of the heavenly bodies. This work would 
be undertaken by three of a proposed staff of eight 
“theoretical astronomers.’ Two more would work 
at the problem of three bodies; to another couple 
would be assigned various cosmological problems, 
such as the figure of the heavenly bodies, tides, and’ 
related problems. The remaining astronomer would 
be required to deal with stellar statistics. These men 
would be of the standing of university professors, and 
have rather better pay. Each astronomer would have 
one algebraical computer and two numerical com- 
puters at his personal disposal, and should the neces- 
sity arise additional computers would be available. 
The project is conceived in a princely manner, the 
proposed yearly budget being 200,000 marks (German) 
(10,0001.), and the complete scheme requires a capital 
sum of 5,600,000 marks (280,000l.). Calculating 
machines, worked by lady computers, would be em- 
ployed for the numerical calculations, and no fewer 
than 100,000 marks (5oool.) is proposed to be spent on 
machines. 
