Oct. II, 1877] 



NATURE 



513 



Forster rightly believes that science affords at least as good a 

 mental discipline as the study of languages as the latter is carried 

 on at our schools and universities ; and indeed, there need be no 

 dispute on the matter as there now exists abundance of material 

 for comparing the mental power of the scientific man with that 

 of the pure literary man. We need scarcely repeat the argument 

 that to omit science from education either in the school or uni- 

 versity, is to leave at least one half of the mind untrained, and that 

 too in more respects than one, the most important half. In the 

 issue of the Times that contains the leader referred to, it is re- 

 ported that the School Board for London is to move Government 

 to establish one or more secondary schools in each School Board 

 district, to which such children may be transferred us prove an 

 aptitude for carrying their studies further. Thus so experienced 

 a body as the London School Board are driven to the conclusion 

 that elementary education as at present conducted is an inadequate 

 provision for the wants of our youth. It is simply a question of 

 time, and a very short time too, the introduction of science into 

 Echools of all grades. The old universities have been driven to 

 it, and even Mr. Forster is struck with their modern liberality. 



The French Geological Society has appointed a large com- 

 mittee of organisation in connection with the International 

 Geological Congress to be held in Paris in 1S7S, the plan 

 of which we described in vol. xv. p. S7. The president 

 of the committee is Prof. Ed. Hebert, and the secretary 

 Dr. Jannettaz. We trust that English geology will be well 

 represented at this congress. At the recent meeting of the 

 American Association Prof. Sterry Hunt presented the report of 

 the general committee of the proposed congress. A circular in 

 English, French, and German, had been sent by the secretary to 

 the principal scientific societies and academies, as well as to the 

 workers in geology throughout the world. The response to thts 

 invitation has been most gratifying. The Geological Society of 

 Fiance has formally recognised the great importance of the 

 objects proposed, and promised its hearty co-operation. .Spanish 

 and Italian geologists have translated and published the circular 

 in their respective languages, and have communicated to the 

 secretary their strong approval of the plan. The Geological 

 Society of London and the Geological Survey of Great Britain 

 have also formally signified their approval of the objects, and 

 the co-operation of Norway, Sweden, Russia, and Austro- 

 Hungary is promised. It is to be regretted that Germany has 

 declined to take a part in the International Exhibition of 1S78, 

 but it is hoped that this will not prevent her geologists from 

 joining in the proposed congress. The director of the Geological 

 Survey of Japan promises to take a part in the work, and the 

 same assurance comes from Brazil, where the circular has been 

 translated into Portuguese. Chili and Mexico have also re- 

 sponded, and promise an ample representation of their geology 

 at Paris next year ; while Canada, both through her Geological 

 Survey and in the person of Dr. Dawson, will probably be 

 represented. The Government of the United States has as yet 

 failed to accept the invitation of France to take part in the 

 Exhibition of 1S78, so that American geologists are not certain 

 that they will be able to participate in the International 

 Geological Exhibition. In any event it is probable that several 

 members of the American committee will be present at the pro- 

 posed Geological Congress. It is recommended by the Standing 

 Committee of the Association that in addition to the names of 

 Prof. J. P. Ltsley, of Philadelphia, and Prof. A. C. Ramsey, 

 Director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, already 

 added to the International Committee, the presidents for the 

 time being of the Geological Societies of France, of London, 

 Edinburgh, and Dublin, of Berlin, of Belgium, Italy, Spain, 

 and Portugal, and of the Imperial Geological Institute of Vienna, 

 be invited to form part of the committee. 



The subscription list for the Liebig Memorials is now closed. 



For that at Munich, 5.750/. has been subscribed, and for that 

 at Giessen, 1,200/. 



Dr. Hermann Karsten, Professor of Mathematics and 

 Mineralogy in the University of Rostock, died on August 26. 



It may interest mathematical readers to know that the lecture 

 given by Prof. Voss, of Darmstadt, on the occasion of the Gauss 

 centenary, has been published by Bergstraesser of Darmstadt. 



Dr. Werner Siemens has contributed to the National 

 ZdliDigsome very interesting notes on the history of the torpedo. 

 Dr. Siemens maintains that the first idea of protecting navigable 

 waters by means of sinking mines is due to C. Ilemly, Professor 

 of Chemistry at Kiel, along with whom he laid the first sub- 

 marine mines in Kiel Bay, during the Schleswig-Holstein war. 

 The service of Prof. Jacobi, of St. Petersburg, who was not 

 aware of the earlier works at Kiel, consisted in the introduction 

 of contact-torpedoes, and the application of the name torpedo to 

 submarine mines. 



M. Faye, who is a candidate for the post vacant by the death 

 of M. Leverrier, is a Government candidate at the present 

 election. 



Preparations are being actively made for Prof. Nordens- 

 kjold's voyage along the north coast of Europe and Asia, and out 

 by Behring's Straits, which even^in summer are by no means free 

 ol drift ice. Already a steamer, the I'e^n, has been purchased 

 for the expedition. The greater part of the cost of the under- 

 taking will be defrayed by Mr. Dickson of Gothenburg, King 

 Oscar of Sweden being also a contributor to a considerable 

 amount. 



A Paris telegram states that Capt. Wiggins's vessel, the 

 Thames, after wintering at Jenissei, grounded at the mouth of 

 the river on starting, and has not yet been floated, though its 

 cargo was thrown overboard, including, it is feared, the collec- 

 tion of Mr. Seebohm, the English naturalist, who was a 

 passenger. 



It is stated that it is the intention of Sir Allen Young to have 

 the Patuiora refitted, with a view to another start for the Arctic 

 regions next spring. Sir Allen will most probably try the Spitz- 

 bergen route in preference to Smith's Sound. Should Sir Allen 

 decide on carrying out his views, the Pandora will be fitted with 

 a hurricane deck over her spar deck, and undergo a variety of 

 alterations which the great experience of her owner has shown 

 to be necessary. 



Mr. Barclay, a naval officer recently arrived in South 

 Australia, has been engaged to take charge of a party about to 

 explore the country from Alice Springs, on the telegraph line, 

 towards Queensland. 



On October 2nd, the Annual Conversazione of the Chester 

 Society of Natural Science was held in the Town Hall of that 

 city. The objects exhibited were of great interest, illustrating 

 the work of the members in examining the natural history, 

 geology, and botany of the Society's district, and were well 

 appreciated by a very numerous gathering. During the evening 

 a bust, executed by Mr. Belt, of the late Canon Kingsley, was 

 unveiled by the Dean, who announced the conditions under 

 which a "Kingsley Memorial" prize and medal are offered 

 annually to residents in the Society's district for research into the 

 botany, geology, and natural history of the area in question, 

 these subjects being taken in rotation. There can be no doubt 

 a stimulus will be given by these prizes to original and local 

 research, which will be the means of not only increasing the 

 taste for natural science in the district, but of yielding results of 

 real scientific value. 



The observatory on the Pic du Midi, France, has been con- 

 nected with Bagneres by an electric telegraph, and Gen. 



