JuLy 27, 1899| 
NATURE 
297 
It is that which has been followed in the double 
capacity of geometer and physicist by Sir George Stokes, 
to whom we are about to pay so touching and deserved 
ahomage. All his beautiful researches, both in hydro- 
dynamics as well as in theoretical and practical optics, 
relate precisely to those transformations which various 
media impose on waves which traverse them. 
In the many phenomena which he has discovered or 
analysed, movements of fluids, diffraction, interference, 
fluorescence, Réntgen rays, the dominant idea which I 
pointed out to you is always visible; it is that which 
makes the harmonious unity of the scientific life of Sir 
George Stokes. 
The University of Cambridge may be proud of the 
Lucasian Chair of Mathematical Physics, because from 
Sir Isaac Newton up to Sir George Stokes it has con- 
tributed a glorious part towards the progress of Natural 
Philosophy ! A. CORNU. 
NOTES. 
WE are glad to be able to publish this week a translation of 
the Rede Lecture delivered at Cambridge by Prof. Alfred 
Cornu, professor of experimental physics in the Ecole polytech- 
nique, Paris, and a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, on 
the occasion of the recent celebration of the jubilee of Sir 
George Stokes as Lucasian professor of mathematical physics. 
Prof. Cornu delivered the lecture in French, and we are indebted 
to him for the translation of his brilliant discourse, which 
immediately precedes this Note. 
AN interesting gathering took place at the Star and Garter 
Hotel, Richmond, on Thursday last, when a number of friends 
joined with the members of the Physiological Society in giving 
a congratulatory dinner to Sir John Burdon-Sanderson, Bart., 
F.R.S., and Prof. Michael Foster, K.C.B., Sec. R.S., in honour 
of Her Majesty’s recent recognition of the great services they 
have rendered to science. The chair was taken by Prof. 
Schafer, F.R.S., and the friends who assembled to support him 
in doing honour to the distinguished guests numbered consider- 
ably over a hundred. The principal speeches of the evening 
were made by the chairman, by Sir John Burdon-Sanderson, 
and by Prof. Michael Foster, all of whom were able to give 
interesting reminiscences of the early days of physiology in 
England, and of the great difficulties which used to be thrown 
in the way of those who wished to study the subject. Owing 
to the exigencies of the various examinations now in progress, 
many physiologists were unable to be present in the earlier part 
of the evening, but the great interest taken in the proceedings 
was shown by the long journeys undertaken by several in order 
that they might take part at the dinner. 
THE special number of the 4/72, containing the report of the 
anniversary meeting of the Reale Accademia dei Lincei, 
announces the annual awards of prizes. The Royal prize for 
astronomy for 1896 remains unawarded. The Royal prize for 
philology and languages is divided equally between Prof. Pio 
Rajna, for his critical edition of Dante’s ‘De Vulgari 
Eloquentia,” and Prof. Claudio Giacomino, for his studies on the 
Basque language. The prize for history and geography is 
unawarded, and the same is true of a prize offered for 1898 for 
perfecting the theory of motion of a rigid body. The 
Ministerial prize of 3400 lire for history for 1898 is divided, 
a prize of 1700 lire being awarded to Prof. Gaetano Salvemini, 
and smaller awards being made to Profs. Alberto Pirro, Niccolé 
Rodolico, and Michele Rosi. Of the Ministerial prize of 3400 
lire for mathematics for 1898, a prize of 2000 lire is awarded to 
Prof. Ettore Bortolotti, and awards of 700 lire each are made 
to Profs. Federico Amodeo and Francesco Palatini. The 
adjudicators state that the works of Prof. Pirondini would have 
NO. 1552, VOL. 60] 
gained an award had not some of them received recognition on 
a previous occasion. The adjudicators of the Ministerial prize 
for philosophical and social sciences for 1897 award 500 lire 
each to Profs. Albino Nagy, Luigi Ambrosi, and Tarozzi. The 
Mantellini prize is unawarded, Of the Santoro prize for 
electro-technics one half is awarded to Signor R. Arno, for his 
share in the joint invention with the late Prof. G. Ferraris of a 
new transformer. The Santoro prize for chemistry as applied 
to agriculture is unawarded, and from the Carpi prize for 
mathematical physics for 1897-8 a sum of 500 lire is awarded 
to Signor C. Canovetti, for his papers on the direction of 
aerostats and on the resistance of the air. 
IN connection with the preparation of argon, a good deal of 
attention has been paid to the absorption of nitrogen by metals. 
Prof. Ramsay, it will be remembered, used magnesium. Later, 
lithium was proposed by Ouvrard, and a mixture of lime and 
magnesium by Maquenne. The subject has recently been 
systematically investigated by Dr. Hempel, who finds that a 
mixture of calcium magnesium and sodium is very much more 
effective than the agents just named. The mixture is obtained 
by using 1 gramme of finely divided magnesium, 5 grammes 
coarsely powdered lime, and 0°25 grammes sodium. In a com- 
parative time experiment the rates of absorption of nitrogen by 
magnesium, lithium, lime-magnesium, and lime-magnesium- 
sodium were in the ratio 1, 5, 8 and 20. 
To commemorate the completion of the twenty-five years of 
active work as a teacher of physiology of Prof. Purser, of Trinity 
College, Dublin, a movement is on foot among the professor’s 
former pupils to raise funds for the bestowment annually of a 
“Purser Medal” to the candidate who, in the half M.B. 
examination, shows the highest proficiency in physiology and 
histology. Subscriptions, which are not to exceed a guinea, 
should be forwarded to the honorary treasurer, Dr. W. J. 
Houghton, 30 Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin. 
Dr. MaxweELt T. MasTERs, F.R.S., has been made an officer 
of the Order of Leopold by the King of the Belgians. 
THE Neill Prize for 1895-98 has been awarded to Prof. 
J. Cossar Ewart, F.R.S., by the Royal Society, Edinburgh, for 
his experiments and investigations bearing on the theory of 
heredity. 
THE King of Sweden has conferred upon Mr. E. P. Martin, 
past-President of the Iron and Steel Institute, a Knight-com- 
mandership of the Royal Order of Wasa, and upon Mr. 
Bennett H. Brough, present Secretary of the Institute, a 
Knighthood of the same Order. 
A DEPUTATION from the Iron and Steel Institute, consisting 
of Sir W. C. Roberts-Austen, K.C.B., F.R.S., President, 
Sir Lowthian Bell, Bart., F.R.S., Mr. E. P. Martin, past- 
Presidents, and Mr. Bennett H. Brough, Secretary, waited upon 
the Queen last week for the purpose of presenting to Her 
Majesty an illuminated address and the Bessemer Gold Medal, 
in commemoration of the great progress made in the iron and 
steel trade during the Queen’s reign. 
Tue Meteorological Council have appointed Captain Campbelt 
M. Hepworth, R.N.R., to fill the post of Marine Superintendent 
in succession to the late Mr. Baillie. Captain Hepworth has 
been an observer for the Meteorological Office for twenty-three 
years, and almost all of his logs haye been classed “‘ excellent.” 
A MEETING of the Aeronautical Society will be held at the 
Society of Arts to-morrow (July 28) at eight p.m. 
THE summer meeting of the Institution of Mechanical 
Engineers was opened at Plymouth on Tuesday. In connection 
