724 
of certain oximes of the aromatic series. In the 
January issue of the Chemical Society’s Journal, Dr. 
W. H. Mills and Miss Bain describe an extension of 
these experiments, in which they have succeeded in 
isolating active salts of the semicarbazone, 
>C=N.NH-CO:.NH:, 
and benzoylphenylhydrazone, 
>C—N-_N(C,H,)-CO.C.H,, 
of the same ketone. The resolution of the former 
compound was effected by means of morphine, that of 
the latter by means of quinine. The rotatory powers 
were transient, but of large magnitude, [M], 30 to 40° 
for the semicarbazone, and as high as [M], 238° for 
the hydrazone. The experiments strongly support the 
hypothesis that ‘tthe three valencies of the doubly- 
linked nitrogen atom do not lie in one plane, but are 
directed along the three edges of a trihedral angle.” 
Tue control system of the Panama Canal locks is 
described in Engineering for February 20. The con- 
trol houses contain horizontal control boards—the 
board at Gatun is 64 ft. long—on which are arranged 
all the control handles and indicators, the board 
taking the form of a miniature representation of the 
locks. Indicators are provided showing the opening 
of the various valves, the height of water in the locks, 
&c. Small model leaves show each gate in plan, and 
working models of the chain fenders are also provided 
at the proper places. All the indicators and models 
follow and reproduce the conditions in the full-size 
lock exactly, except in certain cases, when an ‘“‘ open” 
or ‘‘closed”’ indication suffices. The form of indica- 
tion system adopted is of interest. Step movements 
such as are obtainable with ratchets, &c., were ruled 
out as inadequate, and an electrical system involving 
the use of 732 small indicator motors has been de- 
veloped. A complete synchronous indicator set con- 
sists of a transmitter, located at, and driven by, the 
operating machine, whether in the case of the sluice- 
valves or other gear, and a receiver and indicator 
worked thereby in the control house. 
Directors of education and others responsible for 
the erection and fitting of new science laboratories 
would do well to study the new, excellently illustrated 
catalogue entitled ‘‘ Laboratory Fittings and Furni- 
ture,” published by Messrs. Reynolds and Branson, 
Ltd., of Leeds. The plans and photographs of recent 
laboratories, for the fitting and equipment of which 
this firm has been responsible, which are included in 
the catalogue, will prove useful guides for persons 
planning new laboratories, and the other particulars 
will be found arranged in a manner which makes 
reference very easy. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES FOR MaArcH :— 
March 2. 11th. om. Saturn at quadrature to the 
Sun. 
3. 2th. 36m. Jupiter in conjunction with 
Uranus (Jupiter 0° 9! N.). 
4. 14h. 39m. Saturn in conjunction with the 
: Moon (Saturn 6° 47' S.). 
6. 14h. 44m. Mars in conjunction with the 
Moon (Mars 1° 49’ S.). 
NO. 2313, VOL. 92| 
NATURE 
[FEBRUARY 26, 1914 
7. 20h, 6m. Neptune in conjunction with the — 
Moon (Neptune 4° 35’ S.). “ft 
ro. 4h. om. Mercury in inferior conjunction 
with the Sun. » ; 
11. 16h. 13m. Moon eclipsed, partly visible at 
Greenwich. : 
20. 23h. 11m. Sun enters sign of Aries; 
spring commences. : 
21. igh. 58m. Uranus in conjunction with 
the Moon (Uranus 2° 32’ N.). © | 
», 20h. 39m. Jupiter in conjunction with the — 
Moon (Jupiter 2° 26’ N.). i 
22. 6h. om. Mars at greatest heliocentric 
latitude N. + (a 
» 13h. om, Mercury stationary. : 
24. 4h. 16m. Mercury in conjunction with the — 
Moon (Mercury 1° 8’ N.). ra 
27. gh. 55m. Venus in conjunction with the 
Moon (Venus 4° 16’ S.). 
A Fatnr CoMpPANION TO CAaAPELLA.—An_ interesting 
discovery has been made by Dr. R. Furuhjelm (Astro- 
nomische Nachrichten, No. 4715), who has found that — 
Capella, a spectroscopic double star, is accompanied _ 
by a faint companion (phot. mag. 10-6) at a very great — 
distance. The absolute positions of the stars, accord- — 
ing to the Helsingfors Catalogue plates are as fol- 
lows :— 
; a 1900’ 5 19900 Epoch 
Capella ee 5 9 18°09 +45 53 40° . 
The faint star 5 to 1°26 +45 44 23°9 1895°42 
The companion is distant from Capella by 12' 3-3", 
and the position angle is 141° 20’. The discovery was 
made by comparing the proper motions of the stars 
in the neighbourhood of Capella determined from 
photographs of the region taken at two different 
epochs at Helsingfors. Dr. Furuhjelm’s proper motion — 
for the faint star gave the values 0-422” in the direction 
170:9°, while the values for Capella as determined by 
Boss were 0-438" in the direction 168-7°. Other stars 
in the vicinity have no such physical relationship. 
Tue Soiar SystEM.—The following neat empirical 
formula connecting certain elements of the known 
planetary satellites is given by M. F. Ollive in a 
modest little note communicated to the French 
Academy of Sciences (Comptes rendus, vol. clvii., 
No. 26, p. 1501). Let R’ represent the mean distance 
of the satellite from the planet around which it gravi- 
tates, v’ its orbital velocity, R the mean distance of 
the planet from the sun, and r its mean radius, then, 
M. Ollive states, 7?=kRR’v’?. In c.g.s, units the 
constant k=4-313 x 107%. 
The data for the twenty-six known satellites in the 
solar system necessary for calculating the planetary 
radii are tabulated, together with the deduced ratio of — 
the radius of the planet to that of the earth compared — 
with the measured values. The formula gives the — 
radius of the earth with great accuracy, the ratio de- 
duced/measured being 1-o001, according to our caleula- — 
tion; for Mars also the deduced radii are almost iden-— 
tical inter se, and with the measured value. For 
Jupiter and Saturn, whilst the deduced values are — 
highly consistent among themselves, except that given — 
by Saturn’s ninth and most distant satellite, they are 
slightly in excess (approx..6 per cent. and 2 per cent. — 
respectively) of the measured radii. For Uranus and ~ 
Neptune the formula gives results roughly 50 per cent. 
and roo per cent. too high respectively. 
PERIODICITIES IN PROMINENCES AND SUN-SPOTS CoM- | 
PARED.—In this column in November last (vol. xcii., — 
No. 2297, p. 302) reference was made to Mr. T. — 
Royds’s investigation on prominence periodicities by 
the periodogram method. In a recent Kodaikanal » 
Observatory Bulletin (No. 34) he undertakes the task © 
