632 
NAO E 
[OcroBER 26, 1899 
(9) A circulatory apparatus for experimental observations on 
marine organisms.—The work has been carried out by Mr. 
F. W. Gamble at the Piel Sea-Fish Hatchery on the Lanca- 
shire coast ; and the observations chiefly dealt with the changes 
in colour, and the mechanism of ‘colour physiology in the 
Crustacean Hippolyte varians. 
On one of the afternoons Mr. J. W. Woodall took a small 
party of zoologists to sea in his yacht Vad/ota, to witness the 
trial of Mr. Garstang’s new tow net, which can be opened and 
closed in any depth of water. In addition to the actual pro- 
ceedings in Section D, it may be noted that there was a good 
deal in several of the other Sections that was of zoological 
interest. 
CHE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL GEO- 
GRAPHICAL CONGRESS. 
AT 
the close of the Sixth International Geographical Con- 
gress in London in 1895 it was decided that the next 
meeting should be held in Berlin in 1899, under the auspices of 
the Berlin Geographical Society. This meeting, with its at- 
tendant festivities, has just been concluded, Although the actual 
sittings of the Congress extended only from September 28 to 
October 4, the proceedings began a week earlier and were con- 
tinued more than a week later, by a series of geographical 
excursions to different parts of the German Empire. Taken as 
a whole the Congress must be pronounced not only successful, 
but brilliantly so; it presents a sort of climax in respect of 
grandeur to the preceding meetings, and suggests that the time 
has now come for reconsidering the general plan of such 
gatherings, and starting afresh on lines of plainer living, if not 
of higher thinking. Here, however, we have only to sketch 
the work of the Congress just over, not to suggest the plan of 
its successor. 
The Council of the Berlin Geographical Society had the 
entire charge of the organisation, and by the usage of previous 
meetings the President of the Society, Baron Ferdinand von 
Richthofen, professor of Geography in the University of 
Berlin, was President of the Congress. The personal efforts 
of Baron Richthofen were unceasing before and during the 
meeting, and as no German geographer is better known or 
more widely respected at home and abroad, the accident of his 
presidency of the Society was singularly fortunate for the success 
and éc/at of the Congress. He was supported as secretary by 
Hauptmann Georg Kollm, and a number of younger geographers 
who formed a staff of efficient assistant secretaries, but whose 
names were not brought before the members. Similarly, the 
various honorary officials—vice-presidents, members of com- 
mittees, &c., whose names had appeared in circulars sent out 
some months before the meeting—remained unknown to most of 
the members, who had left their early circulars at home. There 
were general programmes, printed in German, English and 
French, detailing the work for each day, and a supplementary 
programme of entertainments in German only, with additions 
and alterations to the list of papers; but there was no daily 
journal giving a clear view of the work of each day, with the 
names of presiding officers and a summary of the work of the 
day before, as at the London Congress. German also was the 
one Janguage used in the general business, all announcements 
were made in German only, almost all the nocices exhibited were 
in German and sometimes even in the German script, which can 
scarcely be looked on as an international character. In London 
the three languages were used for every written or printed notice 
and every important verbal announcement. The abstracts of 
papers, which were circulated daily, were printed in the 
language of the author only. The foreigner, unversed in the 
German language and unused to German customs, was some- 
what at a disadvantage throughout, both in scientific meetings 
and at social functions. 
These minor matters apart, the organisation left nothing to 
desire. The grand building of the Prussian Chamber of 
Deputies, generously lent to the Congress by the Prussian 
Government, formed a perfect home for the member. A 
‘* depositorium,” bearing the number of his ticket, received all 
communications intended for him, an admirably-conducted cloak- 
room relieved him of hat and coat, and restored them with a 
swiftness and certainty that seemed magical to the frequenter 
of British scientific gatherings ; a vast refreshment room could 
serve breakfast, lunch and supper to the whole Congress simul- 
NO. 1565, VOL. 60] 
taneously ; picture post-cards (more essential than food to the 
German visitor) were on sale in every room, even in the Great 
Hall while papers were being read ; desks were provided for 
issuing tickets, badges and the many offerings of books, maps, 
&c., presented by institutions and firms ; while the Juxurious 
reading- and writing-rooms of the Prussian Deputies were 
thrown open absolutely without reserve. As an example of 
international hospitality, the installation of the Congress was 
memorable and unique. Perhaps the best managed of all the 
hospitable arrangements was the Ladies’ Committee, specially 
charged with the care of the lady associates of the Congress, 
which carried out its work with most satisfactory diligence and 
completeness. 
The Congress commenced informally in true German style by 
the members dropping in as they arrived on the evening of 
Wednesday, September 27, to the restaurant of the House of 
Deputies, where they sat at supper or wandered through the 
various halls, greeting old friends and forming new acquaint- 
ances. Next morning at ten o’clock the formal opening took 
place with much dignity, the gentlemen appearing in evening 
dress or uniform with a profuse display of orders. Prince 
Albrecht of Prussia welcomed the Congress in the name of the 
Emperor ; Prince Hohenlohe, the Imperial Chancellor, wel- 
comed it in the name of the Empire; Herr Studt, the new 
Prussian Minister of Education, in the name of the kingdom 
of Prussia, the speeches of these great personages being received 
in solemn silence. The Burgermeister of Berlin then welcomed 
the members in the name of the city, and applause, which was 
not stinted to subsequent speakers, then began. The welcome 
was responded to by a few of the most distinguished foreigners. 
Baron Richthofen read his presidential address, on the pro- 
gress of geography in the nineteenth century ; Sir Clements 
Markham, as president of the sixth Congress, gave a short ad- 
dress, resigning his office and presenting the report of the 
London Congress. Vice-presidents and chairmen of the 
different sections were nominated, and the formalities were 
over. 
It is unnecessary to detail the social accompaniments of the 
Congress. The Imperial Chancellor gave a small dinner and a 
large reception to the foreigners and the more prominent 
German members. The city of Berlin gave an admirably 
conducted dinner to the whole Congress in the Zoological 
Gardens. The Berlin Geographical Society also entertained 
all the members to a reception and supper, and there was a 
special performance in the Opera House. 
It is impossible to pass without remark the magnificent hospi- 
tality of Hamburg, where over 500 members of the Congress 
were received by the local Geographical Society, and carried 
through two days of uninterrupted festivity. The Senate opened 
the State rooms of the new Town Hall, probably the finest 
municipal building in the world, for the first time in honour of 
the visitors, and an even more impressive view of the vast wealth 
and activity of the greatest continental seaport was afforded bya 
cruise through the harbour and a visit to the floating docks and 
ship-building works. The Hamburg-America Line entertained 
a thousand guests to lunch in the ‘‘’tween-decks” of the 
Pretoria, said to be the largest cargo steamer afloat, and this 
on the day before she sailed for New York with a full cargo and 
complement of passengers. No less hearty and no less interest- 
ing were the receptions accorded to the members of the various 
excursions to the Baltic shores, the Rhine and Central Germany 
by the local authorities and geographical societies. 
The serious business of the Congress was divided into a 
general meeting in the forenoon from ten to one, and three 
simultaneous meetings in the afternoon, commencing at two 
o'clock, and sitting until five or even six. A time-limit for 
speakers was formally announced, but rarely, if ever, enforced ; 
and the system of allowing one speaker to address the meeting 
as often as he liked on the same subject led to the degeneration 
of some of the debates into long-winded dialogues. 
The programme with its additions bore the titles of no less 
than 150 papers, many of which were intended to be introductory 
to discussions. This number might have been reduced with 
great advantage. A few were the work of ‘‘ cranks,” a good 
many were old or of no international interest ; but the great 
majority were new and valuable and deserving of far more 
complete discussion than their number made it possible for them 
to receive. 
The departments of Geography which received most attention 
at the Congress were, perhaps, Antarctic Exploration, Oceano- 
