March 23, 1882] 
NATURE 
493 
WE have received part 4 of vol. ii. of ‘* Appalachia,” the 
organ of the “Appalachian Mountain Club.” This Club is 
attempting to do in the United States what the Alpine Clubs 
are doing in Europe, and during the few years of its existence, 
has accomplished much iu stimulating a love of science and 
mountain beauty in the community, also in making the moun- 
tains more accessible, and the more interesting parts better 
known. The part before us contains several interesting papers, 
mainly on the picturesque and historical aspects of the Appa- 
lachians, but includes a paper giving useful elementary instruction 
in geodesy. The Club includes many names well known in 
science in its list, and from the present and previous numbers of 
its journal, we judge that it is doing good work. 
IN some experiments with flashing signals by the electric light, 
conducted on the evening of the 8th, at Woolwich, the clouds 
were lit up at intervals as far as the zenith over Chislehurst 
Common, a distance of between five and six miles. The sky 
Was everywhere overcast ; but the clouds were not hanging low 
at the time. 
At the Paris Academy of Sciences, on Monday, M. Blavier, 
mining engineer, called attention to the disappearance of the 
sardine from the coast of Brittany, where it used to bring in the 
fishermen 15,000,000 fr.a year He attributed this to a change in 
the direction of the Gulf Stream, which also accounted for the 
mild winter and early spring. On the suggestion of M. Faye, 
the question was referred to a committee composed of MM, 
Faye, Janssen, Daubrée, and Admiral Jurien. 
THE grand soirée given by Admiral Mouchez at the Observa- 
tory of Paris, on Monday, March 13, was very successful. 
Electricity formed a prominent feature of the entertainment. 
The illumination of the Salon du Nord by Faure accumu- 
lators lasted from 10 p.m. till 7 in the morning without the 
slightest interruption. Twenty-five Swan lamps were fed by a 
weight of 2500 kilograms in the accumulators. On the following 
day at 6 o’clock an experiment was made before Admiral 
Mouchez to show that-about half of the electricity contained in 
the apparatus had not been used. The total force so accu- 
mulated is valued at 40 horse-power, which agrees with the 
determination given by Sir William Thomson and other experi- 
menters. 
THE Vienna apiculturists will hol 1 an International Exhibition 
of live bees, honey, wax, hives, and all other objects relating to 
bee-culture, on April 8-15 next. Most European as well as 
Trans-oceanic countries will be represented. This is the first 
exhibition of the kind in Vienna. 
NEAR St. Etienne (France) a new geyser has been discovered. 
Ata depth of 1500 metres a vein of hot water was tapped, and 
the result is an intermittent fountain which sends its water to a 
height of 26 metres. The geyser ejects carbonic acid as well as 
hot water. 
AT the monthly meeting of the Council of the Royal Histori- 
eal Society, held March 17, Lord Aberdare in the chair, Mr. 
P. Edward Dove, of Lincoln’s Inn, was unanimously elected 
Secretary to the Society. 
THE Emperor of Russia has allotted to the St. Petersburg 
Geographical Society a sum of 20,000 roubles as a subsidy 
towards the erection of a second Russian polar station in Nova 
Zembla. It is expected that Lieut. Andrieff will be appointed 
chief of this new station. 
ACCORDING to the London and China Telegraph a railway 
has been constructed in connection with the Kaiping collieries in 
North China, and permission to run a locomotive has been 
granted by the authorities. Six miles of line have already been 
laid down. The locomotive was constructed on the spot by 
native workmen, and is said to be very creditably done. This 
is the first railway ever constructed on Chinese soil for the 
Chinese themselves, and with the consent of the authorities. 
The abortive Shanghai-Woosung line was built by foreign 
engineers with foreign capital, against the wish of the Chinese 
Government, 
THE additions to the Zoolog cal Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include two Martinique Water-hens (Poxphyrio mar- 
tinicus), captured at sea, presented by Lieut. A. H. Oliver, 
R.N.; a Macaque Monkey (Afacacus eynomolgus) from India, 
presented by Mrs. Hill; a Blotched Genet (Gevet/a tigriva) from 
South Africa, deposited; two Ruffs (Machetes pugnax), two 
Redshanks (Zo¢anus caédidris), British, purchased ; two Common 
Badgers (J£/es ¢axus), born in the Gardens. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE APPROACHING TRANSIT OF VENuS.—In reply to a 
question in the House of Commons on Monday, the Secretary 
of the Treasury stated that in connection with the proposed 
observation of this phenomenon, 275/. had already been voted 
on a supplementary estimate for 1881-2, 14,680/. is provided in 
the Civil Service estimates for the coming financial year, and it 
is anticipated that about 1ooo/, will be required in the year 
1883-4, for the reduction of the observations. A ship of war 
would convey a party to and from Madagascar. We believe it 
is proposed to occupy a station on the west coast of this island, 
the meteorological conditions being more favourable than on the 
eastern coast, though there is understood to be a disadvantage 
(any inconvenience from which the presence of a vessel of war 
may obyiate), that the west coast is not directly under the control 
of the central government of the island. 
It is known that the necessary arrangements are being made, 
with the assistance of a committee of the Royal Society, who 
have named Mr. E. J. Stone, the Radcliffe observer, to be 
directing astronomer. If success attends the British expedi- 
tions, much will be due to the energy and discrimination which 
Mr. Stone is exercising in that rather laborious position, as 
shown by his report to the International Committee on the 
Transit, held at Paris last October. We understand it is pro- 
posed to drill the intending observers, as far as can be done, in 
preparation for the special features to be noted, under the 
immediate direction of Mr. Stone, at the Radcliffe Observatory, 
Oxford. 
THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE PLANET Mars.—Prof. Schiapa- 
relli has published a second important memoir, entitled ‘* Osser- 
vazioni Astronomiche e Fisiche sull’ Asse di Rotazione e sulla 
Topografia del Pianeta Marte . . .” (Reale Accademia dei Lincet, 
anno cclxxviii, 1880-81), to which we shall refer more particu- 
larly in an early column. By c»mbining his observations at the 
opposition 1879-80 with those made at the favourable opposi- 
tion of 1877, he finds the position of the equator of Mars 
referred to the eurth’s equator as follows :—Ascending node 
(1880), in 48° 7’°8, inclination 36° 22’-9g—figures differing little 
frem those provisionally adopted by Mr. Marth. 
CERASKI’Ss VARIABLE STAR, U CEpHEI.—Mr. G. Knott, 
writing from Cuckfield on March 20, remarks that a conve- 
niently observable series of minima of Ceraski’s variable, U 
Cephei (DM. 81°, 25), has come round again. He obtained a 
good set of observations on March 18, from which the date of 
minimum (middle of phase) comes out March 18d. 12h. 21m. 
G.M.T., or about 21m. later than the time deduced from carry- 
ing on Schmidt’s ephemeris (Astron. Mach. 2382), using his 
period, 2°4927703d. The magnitude of the star at minimum 
was 9°5, which, Mr. Knott observes, confirms an impression 
that had presented itself to him from an examination of the 
light-curve, that a¢ alternate minima the star touches a somewhat 
lower magnitude asa rule. The difference is not great, about 
two or three tenths of a magnitude, but he believes it has a real 
existence : an interesting result, if it should be confirmed. 
Prof. Pickering, in his ‘* Photometric Measures of the Variable 
Stars B Persei and D.M. 81°, 25,” has the renwark: ‘‘ The star 
D.M. 81°, 18is either variable, or its light in grades is erroneously 
given by Glasenapp.” Mr. Knott finds that the star is certainly 
variable to the extent of about six-tenths of a magnitude, but is 
not yet able to say anything as to its period. It is a decidedly 
ruddy-coloured star. Place for 1855°0,in R.A. oh. 38m, 28s., 
