3 2 



NA TURE 



[November 9, 1905 



BURSARIES AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF 

 SCIENCE. 



SCIENCE scholars selected from the whole of Great 

 Britain for their ability and promise, maintaining 

 themselves on 17s. gd. per week, were this year 

 saved from much privation by secret gifts of small 

 bursaries see the subjoined audited account. I have 

 no righl to ask for help from the generous men who 

 helped me last year, but I have all the sturdiness ol 

 a chartered beggar — I ask in a good cause. 



h was originally intended that these bursaries 

 should be given only to such National Scholars as 

 required assistance, bui some of the subscribers have 

 given me power to assist other students of the college. 

 Also one of the two City Companies has given me 

 power lo grant an occasional bursary of more than 

 ten pounds. It is understood that every student is 

 moralh bound to repay this money to the fund at 

 some future time. John Perry. 



Octobei . 



Royal College of Science. 



i;i RSARIES IC104-1905. 



BALANCE SHEET. 



Moneys Received <m</ Paid by Prof. Perry. 

 Received Pa 10 



Brlince from last year £24 20 Dec. 16 to Feb. 28. 

 August, 1904. ; 25 sludents re- 



Dr. Sprague 20 o o ceived half bur- 



R. Kaye Gray, Esq.. 10 o o saries, £$ each ...,£125 o o 

 September, 1904. Januarys, 1905. 



IV f. J. Perry (slide 1 sludent received 



rules) I 6 o a half bursary of 



November, 1904. £7 loj 7 10 o 



P' turned half bur=ary 5 February 15. 

 Sir Andrew Noble... 10 o o 1 siudent received 

 December, 1904. • the second half of 



The Drapers' Co. ... 100 o o his bursary 500 



Prof. J. Perry (slide March 2$toJunel$. 



rules) 2 19 o 22 sludents re- 



fanuary, 1905. ceived second 



J. Drinkwater, Esq. I I o halves, £$ each... 110 00 

 The Goldsmiths' Co. 100 o o June 5. 

 April, 1905. I student received 



Prof. J. Perry (slide 1 second half ... 7 10 o 



rules) .. 3 11 o 2 students refused 



their second halves 

 Balance in hand 22 19 



Total ^277 19 oj Total ^277 19 o 



Twenty-three students received 10/. each, two received 



5'. each, and ■ received 15/. 



Audited and Signed by John YV. Judd. 

 Dated June -'J, 1905. 



DR. • /■' 1/./'// COPELAND. 

 ASTRONOMERS will have learned with profound 

 ■**■ regret that Dr. Ralph Copeland, Astronomer 

 Royal for Scotland, died on October 27 at the Edin- 

 burgh Observatory in the sixty-eighth year of his 

 age. Dr. Copeland enjoyed a more varied life than 

 generally falls to the lot of astronomers. Tie love 

 of travel and adventure seemed with him to be only 

 second to his desire to advance the interests ol astro- 

 nomy. 



Born in Lancashire, he early went to Australia,' 

 whi n on the somewhat uncongenial soil of a sheep- 

 run, he acquired his first telescope and diligently 

 used it. Then he was for a short time attracted by 

 the excitement of the gold diggings, but he forsook 

 these to return to England, having determined to 

 devote himself to astronomy. He matriculated at the 

 University ol Gottingen, and enjoyed the advantages 

 of instruction from Prof. Klinkerfuss. For a while 

 lie took part in the routine work of the Gottingen 

 itory, but the low of adventure still pi 

 NO. l88o, VOL. J2>) 



him, and we find him in 1S07 taking part in an ex- 

 pedition to explore the east coast of Greenland, climb- 

 ing mountains and otherwise distinguishing himself, 

 so that on his return he was awarded the Order of the 

 Red Eagle by the German Emperor. Shortly after 

 his return to Europe he came to England, and though 

 he was connected with both the observatory of Lord 

 Rosse at Birr Castle and with that at Dunsink, he 

 is better known for his work in connection with both 

 expeditions of 1S74 and 1882 to observe the transit of 

 Venus. In the first he was a member of Lord 

 Lindsay's (now Earl of Crawford) unsuccessful ex- 

 pedition to Mauritius, but on the occasion of the 

 second transit he was more fortunate at Jamaica. 

 Before returning to England he spent some time in 

 the Andes ol Peru and Bolivia, at altitudes varying 

 from 10,000 leel 10 15,000 feet above sea-level, where 

 he carried out a series of researches on the trans- 

 parency of the atmosphere, the spectra of planetary 

 nebula? and of certain classes ol stars. 



In 1889, when the Earl of Crawford presented his 

 instrumental equipment to the Edinburgh University, 

 Dr. Copeland became regius professor ol astronomy 

 and Astronomer Royal for Scotland. Here his great 

 work consisted in the re-construction of the National 

 Observatory at Blackford Hill, the full development 

 of the capacity of which was denied him by reason of 

 his failing health. But he still enjoyed opportunities 

 for foreign travel. Norway, India, Spain, wire all 

 visited in turn lor the observation of solar eclipses. 

 His favourite instrument on these expeditions was a 

 telescope of long focal length. 



Dr. Copeland's acquaintance with astronomical 

 literature was wide and intimate, and his collection 

 of works having reference to some departments, such 

 as cometary astronomy, was probably unique for its 

 completeness. In lonielary observation he was par- 

 ticularly interested, and it will be recalled that for 

 many years he gave valuable assistance to observers 

 il comets 1>\ calculating and circulating ephemerides 

 which he printed at a small press of his own. For 

 some time he gave further encouragement to the 

 science by editing, in conjunction with Dr. Dreyer, 

 the pen,, die, i| Copernicus, devoted to the publication 

 ol high-class papers. In fact, Dr. Copeland's activi- 

 ties were by no means limited to what may be called 

 his official duties. He had the gift to interest by 

 his varied knowledge and experience, and used it 

 liberally. lie was held in estimation by a large circle 

 of friends and pupils for the picturesqueness with 

 which he imparted his information and his readiness 

 to assist and encourage. The writer is among those 

 who will gratefully acknowledge the charm of his 

 manner and the kindnesses received al his bands. 



W. E. P. 



CAPTAIN F. IP. HUTTON, F.R.S. 



NATURAL Science has sustained a heavy loss in 

 the death of Captain F. W. Hutton, curator of 

 tic Canterbury Museum, president of the New 

 Zealand Institute, and formerly professor of biology 

 and geology in Canterbury College, University of 

 New Zealand, 'file second son ol the R. v. H. F. 

 Mutton, Rector of Spridlington, in Lincolnshire, 

 Frederick Wollaston Hutton was born at Gate Barton 

 in that county on November 16, [836. He was 

 educated at the grammar school at Southwell, and 

 afterwards at the Naval Academy at Gosport. After 

 serving for three years in tin- India mercantile marine 

 he entered the Army, becoming ensign in the 23rd 

 Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1855. He served in the 

 Crimea (1855-6), and saw further active service during 

 the Indian Mutiny, being present at the capture- and 

 rebel of Lucknow. He was made lieutenant in 1857. 



