326 
NATURE 
| AucusT 3, 1899 
The First Lord and the Chancellor of the Exchequer recall 
the attention of the Board to the question of the future housing 
of the University of London in the present Imperial Institute 
buildings, and they refer to the Board’s Minute of February 16 
last. 
In pursuance of that Minute, conferences have been held 
between representatives of the University, of the Institute and 
of Her Majesty's Government, which have resulted in definite 
arrangements, subject only to adjustment on points of detail. 
The report of the Government representatives is now before the 
Board together with correspondence and memoranda connected 
with the subject. 
Before proceeding to state the conclusions as affecting the 
University, the First Lord and Chancellor of the Exchequer 
desire to refer in general terms to the arrangements which have 
been made by Her Majesty’s Government with the governing 
body of the Institute respecting the whole group of buildings 
now in their possession. 
They are as follows :— 
(1) The lease under which the buildings are held from the 
Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 will be transferred to 
the Commissioners of Works as representing the Crown, and 
the latter Commission will thereupon become responsible for 
maintenance, rates, custody and protection of the buildings. 
The Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 have assented to 
this arrangement. 
(2) An agreed portion of the buildings will be assigned for 
the use of the Institute, free of rent, but with the responsibility 
for internal maintenance and repairs of that portion. 
(3) The cost of removing the Institute from the portions of 
the buildings which they will surrender, including the necessary 
structural alterations, will be paid by Government. 
(4) In consideration of the transfer of the lease, Government 
will provide funds sufficient to pay off the existing mortgage of 
40,000/. on the building, and also to discharge a floating debt 
of the Institute, not to exceed in all 15, 000/. 
These arrangements will enable Her Majesty’s Government 
to offer to the London University accommodation in the build- 
ing which may roughly be described as follows :— 
The eastern and central portions of the main block, including 
the principal entrance, vestibule and staircase, and the Great 
Hall ; subject to occasional use by the Institute of certain por- 
tions of the central block when not required by the University, 
under regulations approved by the Chancellor of the University, 
and subject also to certain reservations in favour of the Govern- 
ment of India. 
Also a portion of the upper floor of the inner block of build- 
ing running east and west ; and the temporary structure now 
standing in the South-Eastern Court. 
This offer, which provides much more space than the present 
‘building in Burlington Gardens, has been accepted by the 
Senate of the University. 
The principal structural alterations and adaptations required 
are— 
(a) For the University—the provision of suitable lavatories 
and refreshment accommodation for candidates, and, if desired, 
the construction of a separate staircase giving access for candi- 
dates to examination rooms on the upper floors : 
(6) For the Institute—the construction of a new entrance at 
the western end of the main block, the provision of new library 
and dining accommodation for Fellows, and the redecoration of 
rooms to which some of the services (Colonial and Indian) now 
provided in the eastern portion of the building will be trans- 
ferred. 
The University will occupy its new quarters under conditions 
substantially the same as those under which it now occupies the 
building in Burlington Gardens. 
As regards accommodation for the practical examinations of 
the University in physics and chemistry, it has been agreed that 
this shall be provided in the new buildings about to be erected 
for the Royal College of Science, subject to arrangement be- 
tween the two bodies as to dates of user. ‘The Science and Art 
Department will take charge of, and keep in order, the instru- 
ments and appliances for the examinations. 
The formal transfer of the lease will be carried into effect by 
the Solicitor to this Board; and the First Commissioner of 
Works should report at once as to the cost of the necessary 
works, as to arrangements for custody of the building, and as to 
the terms upon which the Institute should become tenants of the 
part of the building to be assigned to them. 
NO. 1553, VOL. 69} 
The formal concurrence of the University and of the Institute, 
subject to settlement of details, has been obtained, 
My Lords concur. They take note of the statements of the 
First Lord and Chancellor of the Exchequer, and desire that 
the necessary steps may be taken for carrying them into effect. 
NOTES. 
THE seventy-first meeting of German Naturalists and 
Physicians will be held at Munich on September 17-23. Ac- 
cording to the final programme of arrangements, the two 
general meetings will be held in the Konigliche Hoftheater. 
At the opening meeting, on Monday, September 18, the follow- 
ing lectures will be delivered :—Dr. Nansen, on his journey 
towards the North Pole, and its results; Prof. v. Bergmann, 
Berlin, on the use of radiography tosurgery ; and Prof. Forster, 
Berlin, on the progress of astronomical thought during the past 
hundred years. At the second general meeting, on Friday, 
September 22, Prof. Birch-Hirschfeld, Leipzig, will lecture on 
science in relation to medicine; Prof. Boltzmann, Vienna, on 
the development of the methods of theoretical physics in 
modern times; and Prof. Klemperer, Berlin, on Liebig and 
medicine. There will be thirty-seven sections for scientific 
papers, seventeen being devoted to purely scientific subjects, 
and twenty to medicine. In a general meeting of the scientific 
sections Prof. Chun, Leipzig, will give an account of the 
results of the German Deep Sea expedition. A report will be 
presented by Prof. Bauschinger (Berlin), Prof. Mehmke (Stutt- 
gart), and Prof. Schiilke (Osterode) on the question of the 
decimal division of time and angle—a subject which will also 
be dealt with in a congress to be held in connection with the 
Paris Exposition next year. In a general meeting of the 
medical sections, Prof. Marchand (Marburg) and Prof. Rabl 
(Prague) will report upon the relation of pathological anatomy 
and general pathology to embryology, with special reference to 
the cell theory. 
HITHERTO the overhead system of conveying electrical energy 
for driving tramcars has been the one most commonly adopted. 
The London County Council has, however, just decided to test 
underground systems of electric traction upon one of their lines. 
The recommendation of the Highways Committee, adopted on 
Tuesday, is as follows:—‘* That the estimate submitted by the 
Finance Committee for 10,0007. be approved ; and that the 
Council do authorise the expenditure by the Highways Com- 
mittee of that sum for the preparation of plans, specifications, 
and estimates, and other preliminary expenses, in connection 
with the reconstruction, for the experimental use of underground 
systems of electrical traction, of that part of the London County 
Council tramways between Westminster Bridge and Tooting ; 
and that the committee be authorised to make all necessary 
arrangements for the purpose above referred to.” 
THE Duke of Bedford has been elected by the Council 
President of the Zoological Society of London, to fill the 
vacancy caused by the death of the late Sir William Flower, 
Upon the recommendation of the Governor-General of India 
in Council, Her Majesty’s Government has conferred upon 
Surgeon-General Sir J. Fayrer, Bart., K.C.S.I., Indian Medical 
Service, as areward for distinguished and meritorious service, a 
good service pension of roo/. per annum. 
THE Welby Prize of 507, offered for an essay on ‘* The 
causes of the present obscurity and confusion in psychological 
and philosophical terminology, and the directions in which we 
may hope for efficient practical remedy,” has been gained by 
Dr. Ferdinand Tonnies, whose essay, translated by Mrs. B. 
Bosanquet, appears in the current number of J/zzd. 
