I12 = 
Sir H. Thompson, Lord Aberdare, and many men of scieace 
and others interested in the movement. The following 
awards will be made :—A prize of 100 guineas, given by Dr. 
Siemens ; two prizes, together of about 100 guineas, given by 
ladies interested in the National Health and Kyrle Societies, for 
the best domestic fire-grate ; the Society of Arts medals; a prize 
of 50/., given by the Manchester Association for the Prevention 
of Noxious Vapours, and certificates to be awarded by the 
Council. 
TuHE Annual Meeting of the Royal Society was held yesterday. 
The usual business was transacted. Part of the Presideut’s 
interesting address will be found in another column. 
Mr. H. N. Mosetey, F.R.S., has been elected to the Linacre 
Chair of Physiology in the University of Oxford, vacant by the 
death of Prof. Rolleston. We heartily congratulate Prof. 
Moseley and the University of Oxford, whose appointment must 
be regarded with genuine satisfaction. 
BARON NORDENSKJOLD was in town for a few days last week, 
leaving again on Sunday, much to the disappointment of many 
who wished to make up for the poor reception he met with when 
he called here on his way home round Europe and Asia. It will 
be remembered that he reached London on a Good Friday, when 
no one expected him, and when we were in the throes of an 
exciting parliamentary election. His present visit was therefore 
looked forward to as affording an opportunity of showing worthily 
England’s appreciation of his great work. Unfortunately, how- 
ever, he was compelled to leave before anything could be done. 
Baron Nordenskjéld’s narrative of h’s great voyage will be pub- 
lished in a very few days, and will, we believe, besides describing 
the incidents and discoveries of his own voyage, contain a narra- 
tive of research on the northern shores of Europe and Asia from 
the earliest times down to the present day. Its scientific value 
is likely to be very great. 
IN consequence of an appeal from Mr, Leigh Smith’s relations 
and friends, the Council of the Geographical Society on Monday 
last resolved to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty to receive a 
deputation from their body, accompanied by experienced Arct’c 
navigators, who will urge upon him the necessity for taking im- 
mediate steps for the relief of the Zzva. It is considered by 
Mr. Smith’s friends that a well-equipped and commanded 
steamer alone can meet the requirements of the case, as it is 
not impossible that the Z7va may have met with some serious 
disaster, and that it would certainly be necessary to visit without 
delay Eira Harbour and other points on the south coast of 
Franz-Josef Land, Perhaps a more modest request that two or | 
three gunboats should at once be ordered to cruise up and down 
the ice-limit during the winter, and keep a bright look in all 
directions, might receive more attention, and would in the end 
probably prove as effective, and certainly less dangerous than 
the other plan. The Zira left Peterhead in the middle of June, 
and appears to have been only once spoken, viz. by the Norwe- 
gian vessel Proven. She first met the Azva on June 30, steer- 
ing for the Matyushin Shar, and eight days later met her again 
steering a northerly course. It may fairly be assumed, therefore, 
that in the mean time Mr, Leigh Smith had made an ineftectual 
attempt to pass through the strait. 
In his report for the present year General W, B. Hazen, 
Chief Signal Officer of the United States, makes some useful 
remarks on International Polar research, From the progress made 
by the Siznal Corps in the study of meteorology in late years, it 
has become clear that, owing to the very mobile nature of the 
atmosphere, the changes taking place in one portion of the 
globe—especially the Arctic zone—quickly affect very distant 
regions. The study of the weather cannot be properly carried 
on without a daily map of the whole of the northern hemisphere, 
and the great blank space of the Arctic region has long been a 
NATURE 
: (Dec. 1, 1881 
source of regret. General Hazen was, therefore, glad to co- 
operate in the work of the International Committee on Polar Re- 
search in their project for forming Arctic and Antarctic Stations. 
Their general object will be to accomplish by observations made 
in concert at numerous points such additions to our knowledge as 
cannot be acquired by isolated or desultory travelling parties. 
No special attempt will, he says, be made at geographical 
exploration, nor will there be any endeavour to reach the North 
Pole. The U.S. Signal Service undertook to organise two of 
these expeditions this year, one of which, as we know, was safely 
established under Lieut. Greely, in August last, at Discovery 
Harbour, Lady Franklin Bay, and we are glad to be able to 
announce that the other, under Lieut. Ray, was left in safety at 
Point Barrow on September 17 by the Golden Fleece, in which 
ve-sel it had been conveyed from San Francisco. The position 
of the former station, we may add, is in N. lat. 81° 40’, W. 
long. 64° 30’. 
On Monday last an unusually interesting paper was read before 
the Geographical Society by Mr. E. C. Hore of Ujjji, on his 
experiences in East Central Africa, and more particularly on ~ 
Lake Tanganyika, His knowledge of Lake Tanganyika is un- 
rivalled, as he has examined it carefully along its whole coast-line 
of some 900 miles, and he has crossed it in various parts. His 
description of the River Lofu, at the southern end, was very 
effective, and the sime remark applies to the scenery of various 
parts of the lake-shore. - Mr. Hore says that there are ten tribes 
living along its coast region, and he referred to their industries, 
including peculiar modes of fishing, and the species of co-opera- 
tion among them which raised them far above the level of the 
natives on the sea-coast. He mentioned a number of the pro- 
ducts of the country, among which are various kinds of timber 
used for making canoes, spear-heads, &c. Two species of 
crocodile are found ii the lake, and Mr. Hore created some 
amusement by saying that Stanley's water-hyzenas, on investiga- 
tion, turned out to be otters, Owing to the singular formation of 
the lake, its depth isa matter of some interest ; but all Mr. Hore 
can say is that he could obtain no bottom with about 170 fathoms of 
line. Among the other matters dealt with were visits to the 
Lukuza outlet of the lake, the current of which has lately got 
much slacker, and the Malagarasi, one of the largest rivers 
emptying into the lake. At Mr. Hore’s first visit the latter was 
500 feet broad, with a swift current and rapids five and a half 
miles from its mouth. On subsequent visits the channel was 
found comparatively empty, a result largely brouzht about by the 
lowering of the lake level. 
Mr, E. C. Hore has presented to the Geographical Society 
the map of Lake Tanganyika which he constructed from careful 
surveys and observations made during his various explora- 
tions, the results of which he described in his paper above 
referred to. 
M. PLATEAU describes as “‘ un petit amusement” the fol. 
lowing experiment :—A flower like a lily, with six petals each 
about an inch long, was constructed in outline in thin iron wire ; 
the wire being first slightly peroxidised by dipping for an instant 
into nitricacid. This wire frame was then dipped into a glyceric- 
soap-solution, which, when it was withdrawn, left soap-films over 
the petals. The stalk was then set upright in a support, andit was 
covered by a bell-glass to protect it from air-currents. In a few 
moments the most beautiful colours made their appearance. If 
the solution is in good condition the films will last for hours, 
| givin a perpetual play of colour over the flower. 
THE stories which we have from time to time heard respecting 
an alleged discovery of relics and journals of the long-lost ex- 
plorer, Dr, Ludwig Leichhardt, and upon which discredit has 
lately been thrown, would appear to have some foundation after 
all, for by the last Australian mail news has been received that 
