NATURE 
[Aug. 4, 1870 
Charlotte Carlisle, formerly Ffennell, wife of Captain Thomas 
Carlisle, jointly, and to the survivors or survivor of them, 30/. ; 
Miss Margaret Catherine Ffennell, 1o/. ; Miss Elizabeth Mark 
Ffennell, 10/.*; Mrs. Charlotte Carlisle, 10/., in recognition of 
the labours of their father in connection with the salmon fish- 
eries of the United Kingdom ; Mrs. Jane Dargan, 100/., in re- 
cognition of the services of her late husband, Mr. William 
Dargan, in connection with the Dublin Exhibition of 1853, and 
other works of public importance in Ireland ; Mrs. Charlotte 
Christiana Sturt, 80/., in consideration of the services rendered 
by her late husband, Captain Charles Sturt, by his geographical 
researckes in Australia; William Henry Emmanuel Bleek, 
Doctor of Philosophy, 150/., in recognition of his literary ser- 
vices, and in aid of his labours in the department of philology, 
especially in the study of the South African languages. 
THE Radcliffe Observer, the Rev. R. Main, has recently pre- 
sented his annual report to the Board of Trustees. It concludes 
as follows :—‘‘An unusually large number of meridional observa- 
tions have been made, and their reductions kept up to their 
usual stage ; a Second Radcliffe Catalogue of Stars (a work of 
very considerable labour in its compilation) has been printed and 
published, in addition to a new ordinary annual volume of the 
Radcliffe Observations ; and, notwithstanding the amount of 
work of an unusual character which has been performed, none 
of the ordinary details, either of scientific or of clerk-like work, 
have in any sensible degree fallen behind or been neglected. 
I confess that Iam well satisfied with what has been accom- 
plished (all of it, in my judgment, being of great utility), and 
altogether it affords a good specimen of what can be accom- 
plished by a small staff of astronomers well skilled in the making 
and reducing of observations, and devoting themselves steadily 
and without intermission to the carrying out of a certain number 
of definite aims on a plan well prepared and studied beforehand.” 
Mr. JoHN HiLron, F.R.S., late President of the Royal 
College of Surgeons, who for twenty years has filled the office 
of surgeon to the above institution, has just been unanimously 
elected by the governors Consulting Surgeon—an honour which, 
adds the JZedical Times, has not been bestowed on any member 
of the surgical staff since Sir Astley Cooper. 
A COMMITTEE has begun operations at the Society of Arts 
for inquiring into the relations of inventors with the Government 
departments, and the treatment by these latter of scientific in- 
ventions. Considerable zeal is shown on the subject, and the 
whole question of scientific tribunals will be made matter of 
discussion. Printed forms for collecting the opinions of those 
interested will be extensively circulated. 
THE Statistical Society has entered on a new epoch of 
activity. Formerly its presidents were statesmen, but it de- 
termined lately, like other learned Societies, to select its pre- 
sident from among its own working members, by choosing 
Mr. Newmarch, F.R.S. This has been attended with more 
vigorous action of the Council, and corresponding interest 
among the Fellows. For the first time the Society, the re- 
sources of which have always been limited, gives a premium, 
having received a donation of fifty guineas from Mr. Wm. 
Taylor, a Fellow. The Taylor premium is to be devoted to an 
essay on the subject of Taxation in England, and it appears 
likely that it will be the means of bringing out many new points 
on an old and trite subject. 
IN order to encourage science our authorities have accorded 
to graduates of the Lahore University the envied privilege of 
being seated in Durbar and on other state occasions. 
THE first of the Quarterly Weather Reports of the Meteoro- 
logical Office, with pressure and temperature tables for the year 
1869, and notes on Easterly Storms, issued by the Meteoro- 
logical Committee, embodies the results of observations made 
at the observatories of Kew, Stonyhurst, Glasgow, Aberdeen, 
Armagh, Falmouth, and Valencia, during the first three months 
of last year. The succeeding quarterly numbers for the year will 
follow as quickly as possible,and the journal will in future appear 
regularly at intervals of three months. The first number contains 
complete tables for pressure and temperature, &c., for the year 
1869, and the plates exhibiting the continuous registration of 
these observations for the quarter are arranged to show at one 
view the instrumental curves at each of the stations for five days, 
one plate comprising pressure and temperature, while another 
shows the direction and velocity of the wind, scales of measure- 
ment being given at the sides both on the British and French 
systems. We shall return to this report. 
THE Lyvginecr states that the new dye known as soluble gar- 
net seems to be coming more largely into use on the Continent, 
and as the colours produced with it are exceedingly brilliant, 
similar to those obtained with archil, but much more stable when 
exposed to light and air, the garnet dye is likely to become a 
great favourite. The dye was first prepared by Casthelaz of 
Paris, and is the ammonia salt of isopurpuric acid, which is 
formed by the action of a metallic cyanide upon picric acid. It 
is not prepared from the pure crystallised, but from an inferior 
kind of picric acid, and is probably destined to replace the archil 
in many cases, in imparting to wool all shades from garnet to 
chestnut brown. It may be readily combined with other pig- 
ments, so that a number of different colours may be obtained. 
According to Casthelaz, the dyeing of wool and of silk is effected 
by the addition of an organic acid to the bath, for instance, 
acetic or tartaricacid, mineral acids being excluded. The dye 
bath for silk should be cold or tepid in the beginning. Different 
shades in red and brown are thus obtained that are dependent 
upon the concentration of the bath, the nature of the mordant, 
and the time of the operation. 
In the attempts now being made further to utilise the hill 
regions of India for English residence, the Observatory at 
Nynee Tal, itself a hill town, is to be removed to Raneekhet, 
which is said to be chosen by some of its patrons as the future 
hill capital of India. 
A HORTICULTURAL establishment has been opened at Guate- 
mala for the export of the seeds, flowers, and young plants of 
the country. 
Tue Peruvian Government is endeavouring to develop the 
saltpetre district of Tarapaca. 
A ricu silver mine has been discovered by Messrs. Lepiani 
and Steffani near Huamantanga, in Peru, and measures are taken 
for working it. 
THE field of the new silver mines near Cobija, in Bolivia, 
the discovery of which was reported by us, is stated to be 3,000 
to 5,000 mares per cajou, or from 700/. to 1,200/. of silver per 
ton of ore. 
On the 16th June an earthquake was felt all over the state of 
Nicaragua. At Granada, alarming noises were heard from 
Momotombo, an extinct volcano in the neighbourhood. 
ON the 26th May there was a tremendous earthquake at 
Lima, the first for a long time. It was also felt at Callao. 
AMONG the sums voted last week by the House of Commons 
in Committee of Supply were the following :—64,721/. for 
Public Education in Great Britain; 164,836/ to complete the 
vote for the Department of Science and Art (being an increase of 
11,883/. on the vote of last year); 51,255. to complete the 
vote for the Museum ; 6,827/. for the University of London; 
8,220/. for the salaries and expenses of the Endowed Schools 
Commission ; 12,8947. for the Scottish Universities ; 2,1497. for 
