August 7, 1S84J 



NA TURE 



349 



which there can be no doubt, we get the following velocities, 

 taking the shortest lines between Krakatao and the various 

 stations : — 



To Colombo 2000 miles, 67 miles per hour 



,, Madras 2240 ., T3 ,, .. 



,, Bellary 2450 ,, 79 



Lat. io° 4' N., long. 64° 12' E. 3100 ,, 9'S 

 These required velocities increase with the distance, and, 

 taking along with them the rate of forty miles an hour demanded 

 by the Japan observations, it is difficult to believe that dust 

 could have travelled in these various directions with such 

 different velocities. 



There is also the negative evidence that rain-water collected 

 in Madras during the period of the green sun contained no vol- 

 canic dust, as far as a careful microscopic examination of the 

 residue could determine it. On the dust hypothesis, too, it is 

 difficult to understand the cessation and reappearance of the 

 phenomenon. 



There is some definite evidence on which to base the argument 

 for the water-vapour theory. The observations detailed at the 

 beginning of this paper show that the spectrum of the green sun 

 had the absorption-lines of water-vapour very well marked, and 

 that there was also a general absorption in the red. This absorp- 

 tion might indeed be accounted for by supposing a number of dust 

 particles of a certain size to be suspended in the air ; but a pre- 

 cisely similar absorption has been observed when the sunlight 

 traversed the very thick clouds of a violent thunderstorm. The 

 fact that water-vapour may make the sun appear green is proved 

 by the numerous observatii ins of a green sun through the escaping 

 vapour from the funnel of a steamer, and through mist. The 

 abundance of water-vapour in suspension was proved by the very 

 heavy monsoonal rains which followed the appearance of the 

 green sun. In Madias the rainfall was 19-17 inches above the 

 average. 



The green sun, although uncommon, is by no means so rare a 

 phenomenon as is generally supposed. Since my attention has 

 been directed to it, I have observed it several times, very con- 

 spicuously on May 13 and 14. But there is a reason why it 

 should not appear much more frequently, and that is that, sup- 

 posing the absorption producing it to be brought about by an 

 abnormal amount of water-vapour, that vapour must be in sus- 

 pension, while in fact it generally partly precipitates, forming 

 clouds that conceal the sun as its hour of setting approaches. 

 An interesting question arises as to whether the clearness of the 

 atmosphere, when a large amount of aqueous vapour was in sits 

 pension during the appearance of the green sun, might not be 

 due to an abnormal electrical state. The numerous and intense 

 thunderstorms that occurred during the period showed that all 

 the clouds were highly electrified, and the elecrometer observa- 

 tions already referred' to also indicated an unusually electrified 

 atmosphere ; but I am not prepared to lay much stress on the 

 electrometer readings until I have made a more extended series 

 of observations in ordinary weather. 



The presence of abundance of aqueous vapour at the time 

 of the appearance of the green sun may be explained naturally 

 enough by the setting in of the moist monsoon currents in the 

 upper parts of the atmosphere, or at least by the conflict between 

 the north-east and south-west monsoons, which had commenced 

 by that time. 



It is imt at all improbable thai the Krakatao eruption had 

 some influence on the direction of these currents. The ejection 

 of a large volume of heated vapour would produce a centre of 

 low pressure and set up a cyclonic influx of air from other places. 

 It is possible that the peculiarities observed in the Indian baro- 

 metric curves for some time after the eruptions were due to this 

 cause. The eruption, too, might have something to do with the 

 electrical conditions ; for it is known from Prof. Palmieri's 

 observations that electricity is generated by the eruptions of 

 Vesuvius. 



I was once inclined to view with favour the theory of the 

 appearances being produced by cosmic dust, supposing the dust 

 to act either by its mere presence or by forming nuclei for 

 absorption ; but considerations of the amount of solar radiation 

 during the greenness have shaken my faith in this explanation. 



We must, therefore. I think, give up any theory involving the 

 presence of sufficient dust to render the sun green. Whether or 

 not the following sunset glows were due to dust I cannot discuss 

 here ; but I would point out that an amount of dust sufficient to 

 produce these effects would probably not materially affect the 

 transparency of the atmosphere. 



EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND ART 



T 



HE Select Committee of the House of Commons appointed 

 to consider how the Ministerial responsibility under which 

 the votes for Education, Science, and Art are administered may 

 be best secured, have agreed to the following report : — 



Your Committee have examined the present and several former 

 Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Council, Secretaries to the 

 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, permanent heads of the Education 

 Department in London, the present Resident Commissioner of 

 National Education in Ireland, and also other gentlemen con- 

 versant with the matters referred to your Committee. They have 

 also considered the evidence taken before the Select Committee 

 appointed in 1865 and 1866 to inquire into the constitution of the 

 Committee of Council on Education. 



The first question considered by your Committee was whether 

 primary education in Great Britain and in Ireland should be 

 placed under one supervising Minister. Your Committee are 

 satisfied that under present circumstances it would be undesirable 

 to disturb the exisiing arrangements as to the Ministerial respon- 

 sibility for primary education in Ireland. 



They a e also of opinion that primary education in England 

 and Scotland should be under the control of the same Minister. 



The Lord President of the Council, almost always a peer, is 

 nominally the head of the Education Department for Great 

 Britain. 



The Vice-President represents the department in the House of 

 Commons, and really transacts almost all the business requiring 

 authority above that of the permanent officials. 



Your Committee are of opinion that this arrangement is neither 

 logical nor convenient. They see no sufficient reason why there 

 should be any more real connection between the Education 

 Department and the Privy Council than betwe -nthe Board of 

 Trade and the Privy Council ; but as it may be convenient that 

 the Mini ter for Education should have occasionally the assist- 

 ance, whether a- to English or Scotch Education, of other Privy 

 Councillors specially summoned for consultation with him, they 

 recommend that a board of (or Committee of Ci uncil for) Educa- 

 tion should be constituted under a President, win should be the 

 real as well as nominal Minister, in this respect holding a posi- 

 tion like that of the President of the Board of Trade. Hitherto 

 there has been a separate Scotch Department of the Privy 

 Council, and your Committee consider that it would lie well to 

 have a distinct permanent secretary appointed for Scotland, 

 responsible to the Minister of Education. 



Whether the Minister of Education should always be a 

 member of the Cabinet or of the House of Commons, and what 

 should be his salary, are questions upon which it is hardly within 

 the province of your Committee to make absolute recommenda- 

 tions. They think, however, that the duties of this Minister 

 should be recognised as not less important than those of some of 

 the Secretaries of State. 



The Minister of Education should have the assistance of a 

 Parliamentary Secretary, able to sit in either House of Parlia-. 

 ment. 



While on the whole preferring the plan they have suggested, 

 your Committee do not deny that there are objections to the 

 constitution of an administrative department in the form of a 

 board which has no real existence. The permanent secretary 

 and his assistants bind by their signature, nominally the board, 

 really, the political chief. 



This system, it must be admitted, tends to lessen the direct 

 control and responsibility to Parliament and the public which is 

 apparent in the office of a Secretary of State. 



The second question discussed by your Committee was 

 whether, and if so what, authority should be exercised by the 

 Minister of Education over endowed schools Your Committee 

 recommend that when schemes for endowed schools, whether in 

 England or in Scotland, have come into operation, the Minister 

 of Education should have full authority to call on the governing 

 bodies to furnish him with such reports and information as he 

 may require, and to direct any inquiries or inspection to be made 

 which he may deem necessary. 



\s to public schools, your Committee recommend that the 

 Minister of Education should be authorised to call for such 

 reports and information as he may require from the governing 

 bodies, but they are not of opinion that his powers should 

 extend to directing inspection. 



With respect to the Universities in Great Britain receiving 

 grants charged on the votes of Parliament or on the Consolidate^ 



