March 30, 1882] 
in a cast-iron socket, which is flanzed vertically to give 
great strength combined with lightness. The cast-iron 
socket has a small, flat base plate, which enters the 
ground, but the lateral resistance of the pole is chiefly 
due to the radial position of the vertical flanges, which 
press upon an ever-increasing section of the surrounding 
soil. Messrs. Latimer, Clark, Muirhead, and Co. exhibit 
a great variety of telegraphic apparatus, part made by 
themselves, and part by the Western Eiectric Manufac- 
turing Company of Chicago. Certain of the American 
sounders are models of neat workmanship and compact 
device. While upon the subject of sounders, which are 
the most promising of telegraphic receivers at present, we 
may mention the bell-sounder of Sir Charles Bright, ex- 
hibited on the stall of Mr. E. B. Bright, C.E. The 
hammer of this ingenious little instrument strikes upon 
two musical brass tubes of different pitch. and so gives 
out a much pleasanter sound than the tapping of the 
ordinary sounder. A 
The number of wire and cable manufacturers who 
exhibit at the Crystal Palace is considerable, and there 
are signs of great activity in this department, especially 
for telephonic and electric lighting purposes. We have 
only to deal with land lines at present, and may mention 
the excellent specimen of galvanised iron telegraph wire 
exhibited by Messrs. Johnson and nephew, and Mr. 
Walter T. Glover, of Manchester, and others. The chief 
novelty in land wires is the use of phosphor bronze for 
telephonic lines. This alloy is very strong and conduc- 
tive, so that much smaller wires are required than when 
iron is used. Moreover, it withstands the chemical action 
of atmosphere better, and is less exposed to storms. Its 
use, however, has not become at all general; and this is 
partly due to its great elasticity, rendering it difficult to 
put up. Specimens of this wire are shown by the 
Phosphor Bronze Company, of Sumner Street, London. 
In insulators the pattern exhibited by Messrs. Johnson 
and Phillips is deserving of notice. As illustrated in the 
figure, it consists of a porcelain bell A, curved inwards to 
form an oil-well S, which is filled with a fluid insulator, 
such as paraffin. P is the bolt of the insulator, which 
supports it from the bracket of the pole. As a film of 
dew or rain cannot form on the surface of the insulating 
oil, the insulation resistance of this insulator is said to be 
many hundred times higher than that given by the ordi- 
Mary insu'ators in use, and what is perhaps of more 
consequence, it is far more constant. 
The tendency of the time is for overhead telegraph 
wires to give place to underground ones, as they have in 
Germany. Underground wires are less subject to accident 
from violence or storms, and hence are easily maintained 
in good condition. Trunk subterranean lines are about 
to be laid in England by the Post Office, and there are 
signs that the existing telephone lines will ere long have 
to be superseded by wires laid under the streets. For 
this purpose the box curb of Mr. W. Reddall, exhibited 
in the Western Gallery, may be useful. The idea is to 
make the curb of the pavement in the form of an iron 
box in proper lengths, and lay the wires in it; the lid 
being removable at will for inspection. The strong 
earthenware jointed pipes made by Messrs. Doulton and 
Co., of Lambeth, for holding subterranean wires, are also 
worthy of remark. 
NOTES 
Pror, E. Ray LANKEsYreEr, F.R.S., has been appointed to 
the Chair of Natural History in the University of Euinburgh, in 
succession to the late Sir C. Wyvyille Thomson. 
THE Senatus Academicus of Edinburgh Univer-ity have re- 
solved to offer the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws to Mr. 
John Simon, F.R_S., late medical adviser to the Privy Council ; 
Dr, Angus Smith, F.R.S.; and Mr. Joseph Anders »n, secretary 
NATURE 
j delays in important cases. 
SUZ 
to the Society of Antiquaries, Edinburgh. The degrees will be 
conferred with the ordinary examination dezrees in arts, sciences, 
and divinity at the graduation ceremonial to be held on April 21. 
THE President of the Linnean Society, Sir John Lubbock, 
held a reception at the Society’s rooms at Burlington House on 
Tuesday last. The guests began to arrive at nine o'clock, and 
were received in the Library by the president and officers. Pro- 
minent amongst the objects exhibited was a striking portrait of 
Mr. Charles Darwin, painted for the Society by Mr. John Collier, 
and allowed by all to be the best portrait extant of our great natu- 
ralist. Carnivorous plants were strongly represented amongst the 
large contributions of plants from the Royal Gardens, Kew, and the - 
leading nurserymen ; in addition there were many fine specimens 
shown for their ornamental qualities. In the glass cases of the 
Library there were exhibited manuscripts of Linnus, and 
medals struck in his honour ; Wedgwood medallions of scien- 
tific men (lent by Sir Joseph Hooker) ; a series of caddis-flies, 
shown by Mr. R. MacLachlin ; dredging apparatus, &c., by Mr. 
H. C. Sorby; new drugs by Mr, Thomas Christy ; and Sikkim 
Rhododendrons, by Mr. J. H. Mangles. In the galleries was 
placed a series of cases of crustacea and insects, exhibited by 
Mr. J. T. Carrington; and in the Council Room a set of draw- 
ings of pollen, made by Mr. Charles White. The rooms were 
well filled during the evening, and among the visitors were many 
men distinguished in various departments of science. 
THE following are the lecture arrangements of the Royal 
Instituiion after Easter :—Mr, E. B. Tylor, four lectures on the 
History of Customs and Beliefs, on Tuesdays, April 18 to May 
9; Prof. A. Gamgee, four lectures on Digestion, on Tuesdays, 
May 16 to June 6; Prof, Dewar, eight lectures on the Chemical 
and Physical Properties of the Metals, on Thursdays, April 20 
to June §; Mr. F. Pollock, four lectures on the History of the 
Science of Politics, on Saturdays, April 22 to May 13; and 
Prof. I. Masson, on Poetry and its Literary Forms, on Satur- 
days, May 30 to June ro. The Friday evening meetings will be 
resumed on April 21, when Prof. Dewar will give a discourse 
on the Experimental Researches of Henri Ste Claire Deville. 
Tue following are among the papers announced to be read at 
the meeting of the Institution of Naval Architects to-day and 
to-morrow :—The revision of the tonnage laws, by W. H. White; 
on tonnage measurement and moulded depth in relation to free- 
board, by W. W. Kundell ; on the basis for fixing suitable load 
lines for mercantile steamers and sailing vessels, by B. Martell ; 
on launching velocities, by W. Denny, F.R.S.E. ; on the trans- 
verse strains of iron merchant vessels, by Messrs. P. Jenkins and 
T. C. Read; on progressive speed trials, by J. H. Biles ; on 
curves of stability of some mail steamers, by J. H. Biles ; 
approximate formule for the calculation of trim, by M. J. A. 
Normand ; on the reduction of transverse and longitudinal meta- 
centric curves to ratio curves, by W. Denny, F.R.S.E. 
ON Tuesday evening, at the Royal College of Physicians, a 
large representative meeting of both branches of the medical 
professicn was hell, with a view, in face of organised apposition 
to the progress of :cientific research, of takins steps to ‘‘ bring 
the legitimate influence of the medical profession more effec- 
tively to bear on the promotion of those exact researches in 
physiology, pathology, and therapeutics which are essential to 
sound progress in the healing art.” Sir William Jenner pre- 
sided. The chairman pointed to the fact that at the present 
time there was no society to guide and protect research, and 
stated that it was intended to found the proposed society on a 
broad basis. He declared that it was not proposed to attempt 
to abrogate the existing law cn research ; but it was intended 
to watch the operation of the law, and to see that there were no 
He referred, as an instance of the 
