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April 27, 1882] 
NATURE 
613 
l:llipsoids,” and ‘‘On the Equilibrium of Rotating Liquid 
Masses,” have been re-written, with the addition of some results 
of fresh investigations in the last-mentioned parts. 
THER is also now in the press, very nearly ready for publica- 
tion, a volume of Mathematical and Physical Papers, by Sir 
William Thomson. Generally the papers are arranged according 
to the date of first publication, but in some cases this rule is 
departed from and the articles on one particular line of research 
brought together, Amongst the more important papers included 
in this volume may be noticed the series of papers ‘‘ On the 
Dynamical Theory of Heat,” published from 1851 to 1878, with 
the addition of one on ‘‘ Thermodynamic Motivity,” published 
in 1879. Also the joint papers by Dr. Joule and Sir Willian 
Thomson on a long series of researches on ‘‘ The Thermal 
Effects of Fluids in Motion,” which they carried out together 
during the years 1853 to 1862. The volume includes also papérs 
**On the Thermodynamics of Electrolysis” and ‘‘ On the Theory 
of Electrodynamic Machines,” which has acquired so much of 
general interest through the extensive practical applications 
which have been made of it for electric lighting and the electrical 
transmission of power within the last ten years. Additions and 
annotations have been made in many parts of the volume, but 
the original papers are given without even verbal change. Cor- 
rections, where errors have been found, have been distinctly 
marked in every case, and in most cases dated. This first 
volume includes all of Sir William Thomson’s papers published 
between 1841 and 1853, except those which appeared ten years 
ago in his volume of collected papers on ‘‘ Electrostatics and 
Magnetism.” It will be followed as speedily as possible by 
other volumes completing the series to the present date. 
THE second volume of the ‘‘ Mathematical and Physical 
Papers” of Prof. G. G. Stokes, is now nearly complete, and 
will shortly be published. A third volume is in preparation, 
and it is intended to complete the series as soon as possible. 
JUDGING from newspaper reports and private letters which we 
have received, much dissatisfaction has been created in Sydney 
by the recent appointment of two professors to fill the chairs of 
natural history and of anatomy and physiology in the Univer- 
sity ; and we think there can be no question that this dissatis- 
faction is of only too reasonable a kind. It seems, that instead 
of advertising the chairs as vacant, the Senate, at an unusually 
small meeting, hurried through the nomination and election of 
the two candidates who have been chosen, with the result of 
obtaining for the chairs of anatomy and physiology, a gentle- 
man who, since he left college fifteen years ago, has had no 
connection with anatomical or physiological work; and for the 
chair of natural history, an elderly gentleman who has been all 
his life a master of a grammar school. As the emoluments 
attaching to these chairs are sufficient to attract men of the 
highest standing from any part of the world, it is difficult to 
speak in strong enough terms of the conduct ofsthe meeting of 
Senate at which the appointments were made ; and we sincerely 
hope, for the sake of science as well as for that of the Univer 
sity, that public opinion in Sydney may prove strong enough to 
prevent the recurrence of any such—to use the mildest term— 
mi-guided policy. 
© THE South-Eastern Railway Company have withdrawn their 
Opposition to the underground electric railway, which it is pro- 
posed to construct from Charing Cross, at a point near the north- 
west end of Northumberland Avenue, passing under the River 
Thames, and terminating at Vine Street, under the loop-line 
station of the Waterloo terminus of the London and South- 
Western Railway. The Parliamentary Committee have passed 
the bill. 
THE French Government is making preparations to send out 
an Antarctic expedition to Cape Horn. M. Mascart, the head 
of the Bureau Central, has been communicated with, for the 
appointment of meteorological and magnetical observers. The 
expedition will be fitted out for a period of eighteen months, 
and 24 million francs have been voted for it. 
By authorisation of the Russian Minister of Public Instruction, 
the Imperial University of St. Petersburg is about tu found an 
astronomical observatory, which will be of small size conform- 
ably to its principal object, which is to facilitate the studies of 
those who are engaged in the University curriculum, The 
principal pieces forming the »a¢ériel will be two refractors, with 
Merz object-glasses, one 6 inches aperture, the other 4 inches, 
parallactic mounting and clockwork motion, several transport- 
able astronomical instruments, and an astronomical clock with 
some other secondary instruments. 
WE take the following from the Photographic News :—‘‘ They 
are going to try a strange experiment in Paris. The idea is to 
combine amusement with scientific instruction, by producing at 
one of the theatres a series of scientific dramas. The Folies 
Dramatiques is the theatre chosen for the purpose, and the ex- 
periment is to commence during the summer months. Already 
three plays have been provided for this bold scheme, and their 
titles indicate plainly in what direction the audience is to be 
instructed. The first drama is called ‘Denis Pepin, or the 
Invention of Steam’ ; the second is entitled ‘ Kepler, or Astro- 
nomy and the Astrologer’ ; and the third is ‘ Giitenberg, or the 
Invention of Printing.’ We would suggest yet another title: 
‘The Triumvirate—Niepce, Daguere, Talbot—or the Invention 
of Photography.’ ”’ 
AT a recent meeting of the Seismological Society of Japan, 
Prof. Milne read a paper on the “ Distribution of Seismic 
Activity in Japan.” This paper was to a great extent founded 
on communications received from almost all parts of Japan in 
answer to inquiries respecting the occurrence of earthquakes in 
various districts. As the result of these inquiries during the past 
two years, Mr. Milne had received, in addition to general 
Opinions respecting the seismic activity of various districts, a 
very large numbei of actual records. Commencing in the north 
and proceeding to the south, notes and catalogues of earthquake 
intensity for the whole country were given. Thus for Hakcdate, 
in Yezo, from 1876 to 18$0a catalogue of forty-two earthquakes 
was given. By comparing this catalogue with that of Sapporo, 
in the same island, it was seen that ten at least of the Hakodate 
shocks had been felt at Sapporo, eighty miles to the north-east ; 
and similarly it was shown that seven of the shocks were felt at 
Tokio, five hundred miles to the south. From the times at 
which a shock was felt in different localities, its intensity and 
the like, origins for certain shocks were roughly computed. The 
district around Tokio is of course that which is being most 
thoroughly investigated ; and as it was only possible to obtain 
accurate observations as to the time at which shocks were felt at 
one or two localities, and farther, as it was shown that the 
direction in which the earth moved at any given point as indi- 
cated by a seismometer did not necessarily indicate the direction 
from which the earth waves were advancing, Mr. Milne has 
adopted the following simple method as an assistance in tracing 
earthquakes to their origins. All important towns within a 
radius of one hundred miles from Tokio have been furnished 
with bundles of post-cards, one of which is posted every week 
stating whether earthquakes have or have not beenfelt. In this 
way, at the end of last year, Mr. Milne found that the greater 
number of the earthquakes which were felt in Tokio had only 
been felt in the towns to the north of that city, and a short dis- 
tance to the south. This fact being established the barrier of 
post-cards was continued about two hundred miles still farther 
north, with the result of inclosing, so to speak, the origin of 
several shocks, and tracing others to the sea-shore. The latter 
could no longer be pursued by means of post-cards, and instru- 
