Fune 1, 1871] 
By this process many of Mr. Nasmyth’s lunar pictures 
have been copied, and while on the premises I saw some 
work then being executed for Mr. Ruskin, and others 
known in the world of art and science. Bones, and 
some descriptions of anatomical specimens, are very 
easily photographed and printed by this process, which is 
also well adapted for landscapes and architectural subjects. 
If it be desired, a glaze is given to the finished prints in 
a very simple way. A little powdered magnesia is 
sprinkled over the surface of the print, and it is then 
placed on a smooth board and rubbed with a pad of 
flannel. Magnesia belongs to the soapstone family, and 
when used in this way it very readily gives a surface 
polish to paper. 
WILLIAM H, HARRISON 

PARIS NEWS 
F OR some time past the Académie des Inscriptions et 
Belles Lettres has held no regular sitting, almost all 
the members being refugees in Versailles or elsewhere. 
A special commission has been given to M. Rénan, one 
of its most distinguished members, to inspect the ruins 
of the Parisian monuments which have been destroyed by 
the Communists. M. Rénan, before publishing his last 
books on religious matters, had been sent to Mesopotamia 
to do the same workas Mr. Layard. Private letters received 
from the distinguished commissioner have been read before 
a group of members of different academical bodies at Ver- 
sailles, sitting almost in an official capacity as the Academy 
for Inscriptions and Belles Lettres. It was stated that 
the Louvre buildings had escaped, and the bulk of artistic 
works will be saved from the conflagration. But the 
private Imperial Library in the old building of the 
Ministry of State has been destroyed. The value of this 
collection was chiefly historical, a number of the volumes 
being of special value from the fact of their having been 
presented to the several Kings and Emperors of France 
during the last three centuries. There were also some 
manuscripts of value, and collections of drawings for 
the study of art in the Museum. It was intended to 
open it shortly as a special art library for the use 
of students at the Louvre. The National Library, 
formed by Richelieu, was not burned down as has been 
rumoured; the building has entirely escaped. But it 
appears that steps had been taken by the insurgents to de- 
stroy it like the Serapion was at Alexandria when Omar took 
possession of the city, The Luxembourg buildings and Mu- 
seum were saved only bythe prompt exertions of the troops, 
when the insurgents were actually setting fire to them. 
The Luxembourg holds within its precincts a valuable 
library, where have been collected parliamentary documents 
from every nation and of every period. It was said to be 
the most valuable in the world in this respect. The 
collection of pictures is the richest in the world for works 
of living painters belonging to the French school. Courbet, 
the member of the Commune, had not been admitted to 
this, esteemed the highest honour by French artists. The 
Sorbonne is almost entirely saved, the walls only having 
been pierced by gun-shot or shells. The collections are 
most valuable, and very serviceable for students. We 
have no special news from Sainte Genevitve, a library 
largely used for law purposes on the Place du Panthéon ; 
but it is supposed that the library is safe, as the insurgents 
were prevented from exploding it, though an immense 
quantity of powder had been deposited in the cellars, and 
it was used as an arsenal during the whole of both sieges. 
The Institute is safe, although it appears steps had been 
taken for its destruction. The Mazarine Library close to it 
is most valuable for works of the 17th and 18th century, as 
well as the library of the Arsenal. But according to every 
probability this last establishment will be entirely lost, 
Owing to the vicinity of the Gréxier d’abondance, a place 
NATURE 


87 

where an immense number of goods were collected, and 
which was ignited. A commission of the Academy of 
Sciences will be issued to study the different processcs 
used by the insurgents for burning the Tuileries, Palais 
Royal, &c. Hay, soaked with petroleum, appears to have 
been very often resorted to, as well as canisters full of the 
same substance. In some instances petroleum had been 
poured from outside into the cellars, and an ignited match 
thrown into the impregnated air. The stories of firemen 
throwing petroleum from fire-engines are, we are happy 
to say, unfounded. ‘ 

DREDGING OF THE GULF STREAM 
WE are much gratified to learn from Harfer's 
Weekly that preparations are now being made, 
under the direction of the Superintendent of the Coast 
Survey, for a very complete and thorough investigation of 
the deep-sea bottom, and especially of the channel of the 
Gulf Stream off the eastern coast of America, with an 
examination also of the Straits of Magellan and of a 
part of the Pacific Ocean. A steamer is now being built, 
which will shortly be launched, with the special object of 
continuing the deep-sea dredgings which, under the di- 
rection of Count Pourtalés, have given the Survey so much 
reputation. 
It is expected that the arrangements will be completed 
by the end of August, and that the whole matter will be 
specially in charge of Prof. Agassiz, assisted by Count 
Pourtalés, whose experience eminently qualifies him for 
the post. 
The plan of operations is, first, to run a line of dredging 
across the Gulf Stream between New York and Bermuda, 
and, if necessary, far enough eastward to completely 
cross the Gulf Stream current. The course will be thence 
to Trinidad, where a careful examination will be entered 
into to ascertain whether there is any difference in the 
deep-sea fauna of the adjacent waters and that of the 
coast of Florida. The expedition will then probably 
proceed to San Paulo for the purpose of examining the 
deepest known portion of the Atlantic, reaching to, at 
least, five thousand fathoms. From San Paulo it will 
again cut across the Brazilian current, and after possibly 
spending some time on the coast between Buenos Ayres 
and the Straits of Magellan will proceed by a zigzag 
course to the Falkland Islands, in the neighbourhood of 
which the expedition will remain for some time, for the 
purpose of solving certain important problems relating to 
both the deep-sea fauna and to that of the coast. It is 
next proposed to spend, at least, a month in the Straits of 
Magellan during the summer season of that portion of 
the globe. The work at the Straits being completed, the 
party expect to pass up along the western coast of Chili, 
next to the island of Juan Fernandez, and thence across 
to Callao. From this point the course will be to the 
Gallapagos, and thence across the Chilian current tosome 
point on the west coast of Mexico—possibly to Mazatlan. 
The Revillagigedo Islands will next be visited, whence the 
party will proceed to San Francisco. 
The entire exploration will probably occupy ten months, 
and bids fair to be the most important attempt ever made 
at determining the character of the fauna of the deep 
seas. The experience gained in all the former American 
and foreign expeditions of this kind will be freely used on 
this occasion ; and no pains will be spared in the way of 
outfit to render the whole undertaking an entire success. 
The fact that this expedition is under the direction of 
the Coast Survey is sufficient guarantee that nothing will 
be neglected to secure satisfactory results in the way of 
investigations upon the physics of the ocean, as well as 
its natural history, as it is intended to make use of the 
most approved apparatus for the determination of depths, 
temperatures, specific gravity, and chemical composition 
of the waters, &c, 
