Nov. 9, 1882] 
Tue death is announced, at the early age of thirty-two years, 
of Prof. Marino Palmieri, Professor of Physics at Naples Uni- 
versity, and so well known for his seismological researches. We 
hope to refer to Palmieri’s work in an early number. 
We also regret to announce the death of Prof. J. Th. Rein- 
hardt, Professor of Zoology at Copenhagen University and 
Tuspector of the Natural History Museum of that city, an orni- 
thologist of great merit ; he died at Copenhagen on October 23, 
aged sixty-six. The death is also announced of Dr, F. H. 
Troschel, Professor of Zoology at Bonn, and of Dr. Julius 
Vriedlander, the head of the well-known Berlin publishing 
house and scientific agency of that name. 
Pror. Vircuow has had a serious attack of illness, but we 
are glad to learn from the latest intelligence that he is slightly 
better. 
WE see from Zhe Gazette of Montreal that the meeting held 
in that city on October 26, in connection with the proposed 
visit of the Lritish Association to Canada in 1884, was large 
and influential. Much enthusiasm was displayed at the prospect 
of the Association’s visit, and several resolutions were passed 
guaranteeing a hearty welcome and every provision for the 
success of the meeting, and the comfort and entertainment of 
the visitors. A large committee was appointed to carry out 
arrangements, and at the close of the meeting a considerable 
sum was subscribed as a guarantee fund, Dr. Sterry Hunt 
stated that in 1884 the American Association would probably 
meet at Newhaven, at such a time as to admit of the English 
visitors attending both meetings. 
On October 9 was unveiled, at the University town of Wiirz- 
burg, a memorial to Von Siebold, the celebrated Oriental savant. 
For some years past the Horticultural Society of Vienna has 
collected subscriptions for this purpose, and it is interesting to 
note that a considerable sum was subscribed amongst the 
Japanese, although they have already erected a colossal stone to 
his memory at Nagasaki. Siebold was the greatest of all the 
students of Japan during what may be called the Dutch period, 
that is, from about 1620, when all Europeans except the Dutch 
were expelled from Japan, down to 1854, when Perry succeeded 
in making the first of the recent treaties with that country. 
During this time the facilities for the foreign student were few. 
The members of the Dutch factory were confined to the settle- 
mient at Deshima, which was about the size of a small London 
square ; all egress, except on certain rare occasions, was denied 
to them, and this intercourse with the people was confined to 
the few interpreters and officials employed to watch their 
movements, Oncea year the head of the factory, with a small 
suite, journeyed overland to Yedo with presents to the Shogun ; 
but while on the road the foreigners were as closely guarded as 
prisoners, and all opportunity of conversation or intercourse 
with the people was denied them, Notwithstanding these 
unpromising circumstances, however, Kaempfer, Titsingh, Thun- 
berg, and especially Siebold, succeeded in obtaining the materials 
for works which will for years to come retain their position as 
the very best works in the country. About 1820 Siebold was 
appointed surgeon tothe Dutch forces in Java, and in 1826 made 
his first voyage to Japan, where he became physician to the 
factory at Deshima. He seems first to have acquired a sound 
knowledge of the language, and then, through the native 
employés, to have procured books as he required them. For 
eizbt or ten years he remained quietly in Japan, accumu- 
lating vast stores of information for subsequent use, and 
journeying occasionally with the annual mi-sion to Yedo. 
On his return to Europe he proceeded to publish his 
great works, ‘‘ Fauna Japonica,” and ‘‘Flora Japonica,” 
the expenses of which were defrayed, we believe, by the 
King of the Netherlands. We again returned to Japan, and 
NATURE 
41 
was there during the signing of the American and other treaties, 
and was even in this early time constantly employed by the 
Japanese Government in advising them how to thread their way 
through the difficulties of their new position. On one of his pre- 
vivus journeys to Yedo he had received permission to reside there 
for a period, provided he taught western medicine to a number of 
Japanese students. He got into serious danger through having 
in his possession a complete native map of Japan, which one of 
his pupils had succeeded in conveying to him. ‘The latter is said 
to have lost his life, and Siebold returned to Deshima. On his 
second return to Europe with his large collection of Japanese 
books, maps, specimens of the artistic productions of the country, 
of the fauna, flora, &c., he was received with honour by the 
Emperor of Russia and other European potentates. He then 
commenced the publication in parts of his Magnum opus Nippon, 
which he never lived to complete. This work might with much 
justice be styled the Encyclopadia Japonica. Besides native 
works, every book published in the East in European language 
was consulted. Whatever the labours of subsequent students, 
large sections of this book, such as the history of European dis- 
coveries in the Eastern seas, will always retain their value. 
After his death his vast collections were distributed among 
various museums on the Continent. The larger share, as was 
only natural, went to Leyden; but the British Museum suc- 
ceeded in obtaining his splendid library of Japanese books and 
maps. 
Tue August nunber of the AZittheilungen der deutschen Gesell- 
schaft of Yokohama contains several papers of much interest. 
The numerous and curious New Year's customs of Japan are 
described by Mr. Sataro Hirose, a native medical student, while 
Mr. Schiilt gives a topographical sketch of Mount Fugi and its 
neighbourhood. Dr. Scheube contributes a long paper on the 
food of the Japanese. He wus enabled, in the college with 
which he is connected, to examine the food of various classes, 
and from his statistics, meat appears to play but a small part in 
the nourishment of the people. Rice occupies about 50 per 
cent. of their total diet. Dr. Baelz describes the various 
infectious diseases of Japan, and Mr. Leysner furnishes statistics 
for the past ten years of the climate of Niigata, the principal 
town on the West Coast. The number and value of the contri- 
butions of this small society—it numbers only forty-nine resident 
members—would be little short of astounding, did we not recol- 
lect that most of the Germans employed by the Japanese Go- 
vernment are mea of scientific attainments, and devote much 
study to the country in which they live. 
We have received from M. Georges Dary, of Paris, a note 
commenting on Prof. S. Thompson’s article upon Electric 
Navigation. M. Dary informs us that the source of power upon 
which M. Trouvé has fallen back is a bichromate (primary) 
battery weighing only 120 kilogrammes, or less than one-tenth 
of the accumulators used by Mr. Volckmar in the iron launch 
Electricity. Vhis battery, M. Dary states, has an electromotive 
force of 96 volts—equal to that of the 45 accumulators—but he 
does not state what strength of current it will furnish, nor for how 
many hours. M. Dary adds that 500 similar apparatuses—he 
does not say whether this means 500 boats, or 500 batteries, or 
500 motors—like that used by M. Trouvé in navigating the Seine 
in his skiff, have already been exported from Paris. This 
bichromate battery, it appears, has enabled M, Trouvé to under- 
take journeys which with little exaggeration may be called long 
voyayes, as, for example, from Havre to Rouen ; and there are 
numerous owners of electrical boats who run every day between 
places twelve or fourteen miles apart, using two sets of cells for 
the run, We are glad to be able to do to so ingenious an 
inventor as M. Trouvé the justice of making more widely known 
the real progress which he has made in this matter. 
