dt 
Oct. 5, 1871] 
NATURE 
453 

courses on applied mechanics, steam and the steam-engines, 
acoustics, light and heat, magnetism and electricity, inorganic 
chemistry, and practical chemistry, held in the evening, and fully 
illustrated by experiments, diagrams, and models. The fees 
for members of the institution are, with the exception of the 
class of Practical Chemistry, one shilling per session, 
WE regret to hear from German advices, of the death of 
Prof. Schweigger-Seidel, of Leipzig, assistant Professor in Histo- 
logy to Prof. Ludwig. Prof. Schweigger-Seidel was well known 
for his careful and accurate researches on several difficult points 
of histology, especially connected with nerve-endings in the 
salivary glands, the lymphatic system, and the cornea. 
THE Geological Magazine records the death, at the age of thirty, 
of Dr. Georg Justin Carl Urbar. Schloenbach, Professor of Geology 
of the Polytechnic Institute of Prague. Previously to receiving 
this appointment, Dr. Schloenbach had resided in Vienna, where 
he was an active and energetic member of the k. k. Geol. Reich- 
sanstalt. It was whilst engaged for this Institute, travelling in 
Servia, that his constitution broke down, under the tremendous 
fatigue which geologists in these parts have sometimes to undergo. 
Camping out in what is by no means a tropical latitude brought 
on rheumatism, and shortly afterwards congestion of the lungs 
ended his life, after a painful but short illness. 
Goop progress is reported from the Hartley Institute, 
Southampton, both the day and evening classes being in a very 
flourishing condition. During the past year as many as 420 
students attended these classes. As Science forms a large pro- 
portion of the instruction given, there can be but little doubt 
that the value of the technical knowledge so disseminated will 
be very great. 
THE next Actonian Prize or prizes offered by the Royal Insti- 
tution, will be awarded in the year 1872 to an essay or essays 
illustrative of the wisdom and beneficence of the Almighty. The 
subject is ‘*The Theory of the Evolution of Living Things.” 
The prize fund is two hundred guineas, and it will be awarded 
as a single prize, or in sums of not less than one hundred guineas 
each, or withheld altogether, as the managers in their judgment 
shall think proper. Competitors for the prize are requested to 
send their essays to the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, on 
or before June 30, 1872, addressed to the secretary, and the 
adjudication will be made by the managers in December 1872. 
THE First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings an- 
nounces that he intends again to distribute this autumn, among 
the working classes and the poor inhabitants of London, the 
surplus bedding-out plants in Battersea, Hyde, the Regent’s, and 
Victoria Parks, and in the Royal Gardens, Kew. If the clergy, 
school committees, and others interested, will make application 
to the superintendents of the parks nearest to their respective 
parishes, or to the director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, in the 
cases of persons residing in that neighbourhood, they will re- 
ceive early intimation of the number of plants that can be 
allotted to each applicant, and of the time and manner of their 
distribution. 
A RoyaL Commission has been appointed at Melbourne for 
Foreign Industries and Forests, the members being the Hon. S. 
H. Bindon, Chairman ; the Hon. G, W. Cole, M.1..C.; the Hon. 
R. Hope, M.D., M.L.C.; Mr. R. Ramsay, M.P.; Mr. J. F. 
Levien, M.P.; Mr. W. Witt, M.P.; Mr. T. M.B. Phillips, M.P.; 
Mr. F, Von Mueller, C.M.G., F.R.S; Mr, Thos. Black, Presi- 
dent of the Acclimatisation Society, M.D.; the Rev. J. I. Bleas- 
dale, D.D.; Mr. Paul de Castella; Mr. C. Hodgkinson; Mr. 
R. Brough Smith, F.G.S.; Mr. John Hood, The objects of 
the Commission are to consider and report how far it may be 
practicable to introduce into that country branches of industry 
which are known to be common and profitable among the farm- 


ing population of Continental Europe’; to specify which of such 
industries are most suitable to the soil, climate, and circum- 
stances ; to report on the best means of promoting their intro- 
duction into Victoria; to report how far the labour of persons at 
the disposal of the State may be advantageously used for that 
purpose ; to further consider and report on the best means of 
promoting the culture, extension, and preservation of State 
forests in Victoria ; and to report on the introduction of such 
foreign trees as may be suitable to the climate and useful for in- 
dustrial purposes. 
THE Government of India have resolved to organise a statis- 
tical department for the purpose of ascertaining and conserving 
the internal resources of India, Dr. Hunter will be the first 
Director-General of this new department. 
Ir seems hardly credible that no public monument exists in 
this country to the discoverer of the circulation of the blood 
This defect is now likely to be remedied, and preliminary steps 
have been taken at Folkestone, Harvey’s birthplace, to mark the 
tercentenary of his birth by the erection of a suitable public 
monument. Ata meeting convened by influential requisition— 
the Mayor of Folkestone in the chair—Mr. George Eastes, M.B., 
with whom the movement originates, read an interesting sketch 
of his life, labour, and character. Dr. Bateman, Dr. Bowles, 
and other local gentlemen, moyed resolutions appointing a 
numerous committee, nominating Dr. Bence Jones, F.R.S., 
treasurer, the Town Clerk of Folkestone and Mr. George Eastes, 
M.B., London, as honorary secretaries, 
AT the last sitting of the French Academy, an important paper 
was read on the results of M. Pasteur’s long and patient researches 
into the causes and the best mode of extirpating that terrible 
disease of the silkworm, the Jé/77e. His efforts appear to have 
been eminently successful in checking the epidemic, by the simple 
means of destroying the eggs from all moths which can by any. 
possibility have become tainted. The yield of healthy eggs is 
now again increasing rapidly in the south of France; and 
in a few years the disease will probably be all but exterminated. 
It is hoped that when the National Assembly again meets, some 
public recognition will be made of M. Pasteur’s eminent services, 
THE Observer comments with great justice on the dispropor- 
tion between the emoluments for divinity, and for legal, mathe- 
matical, and classical instruction at Oxford—‘‘ While the salaries 
of five legal professors, in the aggregate, reach 2,000/., those of 
the Latin and Greek professors reach 1,100/.; those of three 
professors of metaphysics, &c., reach 1,100/,; and those of three 
mathematical professors reach 1,400/,—showing an average of 
about 480/. for each professor ; the six professors of divinity enjoy 
the munificent income of upwards of 1, 000/, a yeareach, with houses 
into the bargain.” It adds, ‘‘ That Oxford should pay 6,300/. a 
year for doctrinal divinity, and only 5oo/. a year for Greek, is a 
quaint anomaly, to say the least.” If, however, our contem- 
porary had included statistics of the remuneration for science, it 
would have strengthened its case considerably. 
THE Fournal of Botany states that a great desideratum in 
botanical literature is shortly to be supplied. Considerable pro- 
gress has been made in printing a second edition of Pritzel’s 
‘*Thesaurus Literaturze Botanic,” a catalogue of all works ever 
published in all departments of botanical literature, now twenty 
years old. 
WE have received from Mr, Marshall Hall a history of the cruise 
of the Vora, giving in a pleasant chatty form the main results of 
the expedition as they would interest the public at large. The 
more important zoological details will be found in another 
column, 
WE are glad to observe that the conductors of the Scottish 
