NOVEMBER 20, 1913] 
NATURE 
~INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE | 
SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA. 
‘TRE International Conference on the Safety of 
Life at Sea was opened by the President of the 
Board of Trade on November 12, at the Foreign 
Office, in the presence of delegates from Germany, 
the United States of America, Australia, Austria- 
Hungary, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, 
France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, 
Russia, Sweden, and New Zealand.’ 
After offering a warm welcome to the delegates on 
behalf of the British Government, and an expression 
of their gratification at the cordial manner their invi- 
tation to the conference had been accepted, Mr. Bux- 
ton alluded to the importance of the task before them, 
and ventured on the opinion that few international 
conferences had had a greater and nobler work 
entrusted to them. 
With regard to the questions to be discussed, he 
considered that they could be divided broadly into 
five heads. These may be summarised as follow :— 
(1) Is it possible to eliminate the liability to founder 
by constructional arrangements? (2) In the event of 
collision, fire, and other accidents, what life apparatus 
are required to minimise disaster 
and to save life? (3) What organ- 
isations are best to ensure the effec- 
tive and expeditious handling of life- 
saving appliances on board the ship 
herself and the rescuing ship? (4) 
How can assistance from another 
ship or from shore be most quickly 
and effectively invoked and _ ob- 
tained? (5) What measures can be 
taken on behalf of the ships to avert 
or diminish the risk of accident, 
under which head come the observa- 
tion and reporting of ice and dere- 
licts, storm and fog signals, and 
warnings, &c.? 
The President of the Board of 
Trade then read a message of cor- 
dial welcome to the delegates from 
the King, in which his Majesty re- 
ferred to his personal experience as © 
a sailor of many of the matters that 
would be considered by the confer- 
ence, and to the special interest he 
took in the questions they were 
about to consider, affecting as they did the lives of 
so vast a number of his subjects. ~ 
An interesting speech from Dr. von Koerner, the 
chief German delegate, followed. 
Lord Mersey, who was unanimously elected presi- 
dent, after thanking the delegates for the honour 
they had conferred upon him, pointed out that while 
means have to be taken to secure comparative im- 
Munity from risk, the practical requirements of 
business must be borne in mind. ‘“*Perfection,’’ he 
said, ‘can sometimes be reached at too great a cost. 
But while remembering these two considerations, I 
would suggest that where doubt exists, the tendency 
should always lean towards the line of safety rather 
than towards. the line of economy.” Lord Mersey 
Went on to say that increased cost incurred in the 
interest of safety will be cheerfully met by the public, 
' who, after all, are those who have to pay. 
After luncheon at the Foreign Office, Sir Edward 
Grey and M. Guernier, the chief French delegate, 
were the principal speakers. The former remarked 
that, though international, the conference caused no 
anxiety diplomatically, because, unlike some which 
arouse the rivalry of nations, it sprang from one of 
those human tragedies in history which only cause 
sympathy among the nations. ; 
NO. 2299, VOL. 92] 
| 
AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY IN THE 
UNIVERSITY -OF MANCHESTER. 
HE new laboratory for research work in agricul- 
tural entomology in the University of Manchester 
is situated at the top of the north-east corner of the 
University buildings in Oxford Road. Its position 
gives easy access to the general zoological labora- 
tories on the floor below and to the collections of the 
Manchester Museum in the same building. It is a 
lofty room, 58 ft. in length by 28 ft. wide, with 
accommodation for five or six persons engaged in 
original investigations. The windows under which 
the working benches are placed face due north, and 
two large skylights in the sloping roof give illumina- 
tion on the south side of the room. Leading out of 
the main laboratory there is a private room for the 
reader in agricultural entomology, 17 ft. by 17 ft., 
with a staircase leading to a working place raised 
above the floor level. 
At a distance of about a mile from the University 
and on the main tram route, there is an experimental 
field with glass houses and a small laboratory, where 
the insectaria can be erected, trees planted, and other 
arrangements made for breeding and observing insect 
[Photo C. Treland, Manchester. 
Laboratory for Agricultural Entomology in the University of Manchester. 
life. The University, moreover, is working in coopera- 
tion with the Cheshire County Council, and facilities 
will be offered for entomological work on the farm 
lands connected with the Agricultural College at 
Holmes Chapel. - The scheme of work has been 
approved by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 
and the expenses will be met by a grant of one-third 
of the total amount by the council of the University 
and two-thirds from the Development Fund. 
The University has appointed Dr. A. D. Imms, 
formerly forest entomologist to the Government of 
India, to be the first reader in agricultural ento- 
mology, and he will conduct researches and super- 
intend the work of research students in the laboratory. 
The reader in agricultural entomology will give 
occasional lectures in the University on the subject of 
the researches conducted in the department, and may 
give advice or assistance to students reading for the 
honours school of zoology who are taking the Insecta 
as a special subject; but the department will not be 
concerned in the ordinary course with instruction 
given to students for the degree examinations of the 
University. It is anticipated, however, that a certain 
number of post-graduate students will be offered 
facilities for the conduct of original research in the 
University, and such students will be eligible to apply 
