290 



NA TURE 



{Jidy 28, 1 88 1 



use it, both boys and masters, are alike pleased. The 

 schoolrooms are the best in the College as regards light 

 and accommodation for teachers and taught, and offer a 

 striking contrast to the dark and uncomfortable rooms 

 which were built a few years ago for the Mathematical 

 Masters. 



Besides providing a home for the science-teaching, the 

 Governing Body have also placed a grant of money at 

 the disposal of the teachers for the purchase of micro- 

 scopes, diagrams, maps, &c., so that a boy who is really 

 anxious to learn has plenty of opportunities for so doing. 

 The number is not very large at present, as so many 

 other interests have to be considered, such as the classical 

 work and the games. Those, however, who are really 

 taking up science with a view to University honours, find 

 their tutors less e.xacting about their classical studies ; 

 and that the time spent in the laboratory need not inter- 

 fere with athletics is shown by the fact that the two boys 

 who last year divided the Governing Body's prize for 

 Biology are both distinguished football players. One of 

 them was a prominent member of the school football 

 eleven during the past winter, and has this year rowed for 

 the fourth time in the Eton crew at Henley Regatta. His 

 numerous official duties as "captain of the boats" 

 during the last two years have not prevented his acquir- 

 ing sufficient knowledge to gain him an entrance exhibi- 

 tion for Natural Science at O.xford, an honour which has 

 only once before been gained by an Etonian. 



In addition to the Chemical and Biological Laboratories 

 Eton possesses a well-organised School of Practical Me- 

 chanics, consisting of a drawing-room, smithy, and shops 

 for carpentry and metal-working, the whole being under 

 the superintendence of a specially-qualified instructor. 

 Much work is done here out of school-hours, oars, book- 

 cases, cupboards, lathes, and a small steam-engine being 

 some of the practical results of this institution, which is 

 now completing the second year of its existence. 



NOTES 

 The death, on Sunday, is announced of Prof. Bruhns, the 

 Director of Leipzig Obseivatory. 



The greatest activity prevails in the Palais de I'ludubtrie, 

 preparing for the Exhibition of Electricity, but it is feared that, 

 in spite of all efforts, the day of the formal opening will have 

 to be postponed. 



The Municipal Council of Paris has finally granted to 

 Siemens Brothers the authorisation to place rails in the streets 

 for their electrical railway from the Place de la Concorde to the 

 Exhibition. But no viaduct will be constructed, as formerly 

 contemplated, and the rails will be merely laid flat on the 

 pavement. 



Mr. Mundella stated in the House of Commons the other 

 day that Mr. Samuelson, M.P. for Banbuiy, and Mr. Slagg, 

 M.P. for Manchester, had consented to investigate the whole 

 question of technical education on the Contiuent at their own 

 expense. Mr. Mundella was in communication with two other 

 gentlemen, who, he hoped, would join the two mentioned. 



A PUBLIC meeting will be held on August 8 at the Society of 

 Arts for the purpose of re-organising the Trades Guild of 

 Learning on a larger basis. Among the supporters of the 

 movement is Sir John Lubbock. 



A meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon at Grosvenor 

 House, Park Lane, to receive and consider a report from the 

 Smoke Abatement Committee on the subject of an exhibition 

 and trials of improved heating and smoke-preventing appliances, 

 to be opened at South Kensington in October next. There was 

 a numerous attendance. The exhibition in question will be held 

 n the East and West Arcades and in buildings adjoining the 



Koyal Albert Hall ; and gold, silver, and bronze medals, together 

 with certificates of merit, will be awarded upon the report of a 

 special committee. It will be opened on October 24 and closed 

 on November 26. Dr. Siemens moved the first resolution, 

 declaring that the present smoky condition of the atmosphere of 

 London injuriously affects the health and happiness of the com- 

 munity, besides destroying public buildings, deteriorating perish- 

 able fabrics, and entailing in various ways unnecessary expendi- 

 ture. The speech of Dr. Siemens was a powerful argument in 

 support of the principles thus enunciated, and was warmly 

 cheered. Sir Henry Thompson, in seconding the motion, 

 pointed out that the admixture of unburnt fuel in the shape of 

 smoke with the atmosphere must of necessity be prejudicial to 

 those who had the misfortune to breathe it. He alsp showed 

 by illustration how highly desirable it was on all grounds of 

 health that the air should be perfectly free from smoke. Dr. 

 Quain, Mr. Spencer Wells, and Mr. G. J. Romanes supported 

 the proposition, which was carried unanimously. Other resolu- 

 tions were carried, and it was resolved by the meeting to sup- 

 port the efforts now being made to reduce the evil arising from 

 coal-smoke, and to assist in raising the funds necessary for con- 

 structing and carrying out, on a practical scale, the competitive 

 te-ting of the various appliances to be shown, and for providing 

 suitable prizes, medals, &c. 



The new building of the "Deutsche Seenarte" at Hamburg 

 will be inaugurated on September 14. The Emperor William 

 will be present, and will at the same time open a Marine 

 Exhibition connected with the building. 



The annual meeting of the British Medical Association has 

 been delayed a week beyond its usual time in consequence of the 

 Medical Congress meeting in London, It will extend from the 

 9th till the I2th of August, and is to be held at Ryde, Isle of 

 Wight. The address on medicine will be delivered by Dr. J. S. 

 Bristowe of St. Thomas's Hospital, that on surgery by Mr. 

 Jonathan Hutchinson of the London Hospital, and that on 

 obstetric medicine by Dr. J. Sinclair Coghill, visiting physician 

 to the National Hospital for Consumption at Ventnor. 



The Harvard Geological Museum has lately received from the 

 Smithsonian Institution a series of the types of the fossil plants 

 described by Prof. Lesquereux in connection with his various 

 Government publications. Prof. Lesquereux is also engaged in 

 identifying a large collection of fossil plants made by Mr. 

 Sternberg fjr the museum. The collection contains nearly all 

 the species thus far described from the Cretacejus beds of 

 Western Kansas. 



An exhibition and congress in connection with the culture of 

 vines is appointed to take place in Milan in September next. 

 The congress, which will be composed of experts from various 

 countries, will be charged with the duty of inquiring into the 

 subject of the disease which has of late years rendered the wine 

 crop so uncertain. The exhibition will consist mainly of appli- 

 ances for the application to vegetation of insect-destroying 

 agencies, of machines and instruments for grafting, of photo- 

 graphs, plates, and printed publications relative to the vine 

 disease, specimens of vine parasites, and numerous other objects 

 serving similar purposes. 



According to the Mineral Statistics of Victoria for 1S80 the 

 quantity of gold raised in the Colony for the past year was 

 829,121 oz. 5 dvvt., being upwards of 70,173 oz. more than in 

 1879. While there has been a decided increase in the quantity 

 raised in alluvial mines, the main increase has been in the quartz 

 mines, which have 5 ielded 529, 195 oz. The increase in alluvial 

 mines is partly due to the opening-up of new gold-producing 

 areas, and partly to the operations of the diamond drills recently 

 imported. 



