s 
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‘ NATURE 
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‘[ Feb. 2, 
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pale. This ship, according to the statement of the inventor, can 
be guided for twelve hours completely under water, the depth of 
immersion varying between too and 300 feet at the option of the 
commander. Upon the surface the ship can be managed like 
any other vessel, its rate of speed, however, being less than that 
of ordinary steamers. The diving is done by means of screws, 
vertically, and can be accomplished suddenly or gradually, In 
_ the same manner the ship can be made to emerge from the water. 
When the vessel is under water, enough light is supplied to 
enable those on board to see any obstacle 130 feet ahead, and to 
regulate the ship’s motion accordingly. The air supplied to the 
vessel is said to suffice for the whole crew for about twelve to 
fourteen-hours. In case of need the air reservoir can be filled 
again, even under water, by means of telescopic tubes sent up 
to the surface. The progress of the vessel, as well as the diving, 
are said to be absolutely noiseless. We give all these details 
from the inventor’s statement with due reserve, but should they 
prove true, the invention would be likely to prove a highly valu- 
able one even for peaceable objects, apart from its great utility 
in naval warfare. 
Ir is announced that, at the instance of the Marquis of Lorne, 
the initiatory steps have been taken for the establishment of an 
academy of eminent literary and scientific men in Canada, after 
the plan of the Assembly of the Immortals in France. The 
proposed body is to be composed of six sections, representing 
English and French letters, history and archzology, and the 
mathematical, physical, geological, and biological sciences. It 
is probable that there will be ten or twelve members in each 
section. Dr. Dawson is spoken of as the first president. 
THE Boston Society of Natural History have published in a 
separate form various papers on the Palzolithic implements of 
the valley of the Delaware. 
Pror, KrRcHHOFF, of Hallé-a-S., announced at the last 
meeting of the Saxo-Thuringian ‘‘ Verein fiir Erdkunde” that 
the second German Geographical Congress will take place at 
Halle during the current year. A committee has been formed. 
ON the day following his resignation as Minister M. Paul Bert 
was nominated president of the Société de Biology, filling 
the room which had been vacated by the death of Claude 
Bernard. 
A SLIGHT shock of earthquake was noticed at Agram on 
January 9 at 2.29 a.m. 
WITH regard to the Yeannette expedition the latest news 
received at St. Petersburg, January 28, from Irkutsk, states 
that Mr. Melville has started for the mouth of the River 
Lena to resume the search for Lieut. De Long. The search 
will be carried on with the utmost vigour with the aid of 
the natives. The supply of provisions is plentiful, so that if 
necessary the search may be prolonged until far into the summer. 
Mr. Melville will be accompanied on his expedition by the 
captain of the steamer Zena. 
AT the meeting of the Geographical Society on February 13 
Sir Richard Temple, Bart., G.C.S.1., formerly Governor of 
Bombay, will deliver a lecture on the Geography of the Birth- 
place and Cradle of the Mahratta power in Western India, The 
lecture will be illustrated by the author’s own sketches, which 
have been enlarged for the occasion by his brother, Lieut G. T, 
Temple, R.N. 
From the Compte Rendu des Séances, just issued by the 
French Geographical Society, we learn that at their next meeting 
on February 3, some interesting letters will be read, including 
one from Dr, Crevaux, who is about to explore the sources of 
the Pilcomayo in the Bolivian Andes, and afterwards descend 
the river to its mouth. A paper will also be read by Col. 
Veniukoff on the unexplored parts of Asia. 
THE Moscow Society of Naturalists have appointed a special 
Commission to inquire into the influence of the decrease of 
forests on rivers and streams. This Society intend to cele- 
brate, on May 14 next, the fiftieth anniversary of the doc- 
torate of their vice-president, M. Charles Renard, who has for 
forty-two years rendered eminent service to the Society as well 
as to science. 
AN important meeting of the Executive Committee of the 
Parkes Museum was held on Friday, Prof. Berkeley Hill in the 
chair. The Curator, Mr, Mark H. Judge, as Secretary of the 
recent International Medical and Sanitary Exhibition, presented 
the final report of the Exhibition Committee, which, after 
giving a detailed account of the origin and success of the under- 
taking, concluded as follows:—‘‘The work for which the 
Exhibition Committee were appointed having now come to an 
end, they have the satisfaction of handing over to the Executive 
Committee of the Museum the sum of 933/. 11s., together with 
furniture and fittings to the value of 100/., while contributions 
to the Guarantee Fund to the amount of 86/, 19s. have been 
transferred to the Parkes Museum Building Fund, making the 
financial result of their labours a profit to the Parkes Museum 
of 1,120/.” The Honorary Secretary, Dr. G. V. Poore, read a 
communication from the Council of University College, in which 
that body agreed, with some modifications, to proposals which 
had been made in behalf of the Museum to the Council of the 
College in reference to the erection of a building for the 
Museum, After along discus-ion the modifications sugge-ted 
by the Council of University College were accepted, and it was 
resolved that steps should be taken to obtain the funds necessary 
for carrying out the scheme, which embraces (1) the building of 
an addition to the north wing of the College for the purposes of 
the Museum; (2) an endowment for the maintenance and 
management of the Museum; (3) the Museum to be opened 
free to the public and to be placed on a somewhat similar 
footing to the North London Hospital, 7.e, to be autonomous, 
with due representation of the Council of University College on 
the Executive Committee of the Museum, It is estimated that 
30,0007. is the sum that will be required thus permanently to 
establish the Museum as a national institution. Towards this 
Mr. Thomas Twining of Twickenham, had written to say that 
he would subscribe the sum of roo/. if one hundred promises of 
a similar amount were obtained. Promises of subscriptions may 
be sent to the Curator at the Parkes Museum, University 
College, Gower Street. Subscriptions may be paid to the 
account of the Parkes Museum at the Union Bank, Argyl 
Place, Regent Street. 
THE additicns to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Toque Monkey (Ma-acus pileatus §) from 
Ceylon, presented by Mrs. Evans ; an Azara’s Fox (Canis azare) 
from South America, presented by Mr. Owen E. Grant ; an 
Indian Vulture (GyAs, dengalensis) from India, presented by Capt. 
Th, Leportier ; a Chimpanzee (Anthropopithecus troglodytes & ) 
from West Africa, deposited. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE OBSERVATORY OF HARVARD COLLEGE, U.S.—The 
Annual Report of the proceedings of this Observatory, presented 
to the visiting Committee in November last by the present zealous 
director, Prof. Pickering, has been issued. Aided by the sub- 
scription raised in 1878 for the support of the Observatory for 
five years, the director has been enabled to keep the establish- 
ment in great activity, and his Report will be a gratifying proof 
that the funds placed so liberally by subscribers at his disposal 
are being dispensed in a manner that must prove of great ad- 
vantage to the progress of astronomical research. ‘Three 
instruments the equatorial of 15-inches aperture, the meridian 
circle, and the meridian photometer, have been kept in active 
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