64 NATURE. 
Navy of Japan was likewise laid by the products of 
this remarkable scheme. . It is only natural, therefore, 
to inquire what are the fundamental characteristics of 
a system that has achieved such a unique success. 
The details are described in the pamphlet already 
mentioned; but it may be stated that the underlying 
principles consist in the adoption of a military. form 
of organisation dependent almost exclusively upon in- 
dividual merit, and a method of admission to its ranks 
as broad as democracy itself. Apprentices enter the 
Royal Dockyards as the result of a competitive exam- 
ination, and they are compelled to continue their edu- , 
cation by attending the Dockyard schools for twelve 
hours a week (two afternoons and three evenings), of 
which seven and a half hours are given by the Admir- 
alty. Apprentices pay no fees for attending the 
schools, are provided with text-books and stationery 
free of cost, and are paid their usual wages for the 
afternoons on which they are at school. Perhaps the 
most astonishing feature of the whole system lies in 
the fact that this remarkably democratic scheme was 
quietly inaugurated in the least expected of our 
national institutions, and in a time when practically 
every other form of high professional training in the 
country was a class privilege. In a crisis like the 
present, therefore, when the whole of the virtues of a 
nation are powerless without outstanding leadership 
and genius, the moral is plain. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, September 4.—M. Camille Jordan 
in the chair.—G,. Bigourdan; The conference of longi- 
tudes of 1634. A historical account of Morin’s pro- 
posals.—P. Zeeman; Direct measurement of the axial 
velocity of water in Fizeau’s experiment. The axial 
velocity was formerly determined by measuring the 
whole of the water passing through the tube, giving 
the mean velocity, and using the coefficient 0-34 to 
determine the axial velocity. As this coefficient is liable 
to uncertainty, a new alternative method is described, 
based on the introduction of very small air bubbles 
into the flow, and observing their trajectory by means 
of a rotating mirror. This has led to an unexpected 
result: the axial velocity varies in a complicated 
manner along the tube, so that there is no one axial 
velocity. The extreme variation is more than 1o per 
cent. Finally, a standardised Pitot tube was used to 
measure the velocities at a large number of points, 
with satisfactory results.—J. Bougault: The prepara- 
tion of acylsemicarbazides, starting from the semicarb- 
azones of a-lketonic acids. The oxidation of semicarb- 
azones by iodine and sodium carbonate, by a quite 
unexpected reaction, gave a semicarbazide according 
to the equation, R.C(CO,H):N.NH.CO.NH,+0O = 
CO,+R.CO.NH.NH.CO.NH,. The reaction is com- 
pleted at the ordinary temperature, and its generality 
is shown by the exz imples given, in which R is 
(C.H;.CH:), (C,H;.CH,.CH,). (C,H;), and ((CH,);.C). 
Of the four semicarbazides. thus prepared, three are 
new.—M. Luizet: Shooting star with a_ persistent 
luminous track. This meteor left a line of light which, 
after taking a wavy form, broke up into several frag- 
ments. Some of these combined together, taking the 
shape of an elongated bulb. This disappeared four 
minutes after the first disr uption of the meteor.—J]. L. 
Dantan: Observations on the larva of Ostrea edulis. — 
, M. Ranjard.: The first hundred cases of. deafness treated 
by Marage’s method at the Centre de rééducation 
auditive of the 8th district. The treatment of deafness 
by the method of Marage has been nroved. to be useful 
from the military, financial, and social points of view. 
Only 16 per cent. of the cases gave negative results 
NO. 2447, VOL. 98] 
~ ‘(fy = 
a 3 i 
[SEPTEMBER 21, a 
| under the treatment.—]. Danysz: The causes of the. 
disturbances observed after the injection of products 
af the arsenobenzene group, and anaphylactic crises. | 
A study of the conditions producing a precipitate in 
the veins after injection of arsenobenzene derivatives. 
—L. Camus: The preparation, properties, and be 
tages of a heey vaccine. ; 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
The Punjab, North-west Frontier Province, and 
Kashmir. By Sir J. Douie. Pp. xiv+373. (Cam- 
bridge : At the University Press.) 6s. net. 
Le Principe de Relativité. By E. M. Lémeray. 
Pp. 150. (Paris: Gauthier-Villars et Cie.) 3.75 franes. 
Cours d’Hydraulique. By Prof. J. Grialou. Pp. vi 
+536. (Paris: Gauthier-Villars et Cie.) 20 francs. 
The Influence of Joy. By G. Van Ness Dearborn. 
Pp. xviiit223. (London: W. Heinemann.) 5s. net.. 
Wratten Light Filters. Third edition. Pp. 72. 
(London; Kodak, Ltd.) 1s. 
The Photography. of Coloured Objects. Second 
edition. Pp. 118. (London: Kodak, Ltd.) 1s. 
The Birds of Shakespeare. By Sir A. Geikie. 
Pp. x+121. (Glasgow: J. Maclehose and Sons.) 
3s. 6d. net 
Rev. William Hall’s Visible Rep onomical Compass. 
(London: J. D. Potter.) 1s. net. 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
InDEX NUMBER. 
Calculations for Flying Machines. ry taht Hi Be 
Paleolithic Man. By A.S.W. . og 
The Natural History of Hawaii. ........, @ 
Colloid-Chemistry .... |S 
Our Bookshelf ; | ee 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Life Assurance Tables —Prof. W. W. Campbell . 48 
Pre-Columbian Use of the Money-Cowrie in America, ._ 
—J. Wilfrid Jackson , 48 
Notice of Possible Suspension of the Rules of Nomen- : 
clature in the Cases of Holothurta, 1758, vs. Physalia, 
1801, and Aohkadsrhia, 1833, vs. Holothuri2z, 1791. 
—Dr. Cc. W. Sules 4 - 49 
Scientific and Industrial Resear By J. A. F. 2 4g 
The Art of the Cave. (///ustrated.) By Dr. William 
Wright . 5r 
gctenislogicall Reucaseh in ‘Bombay. ByJ.s w. Ww. 's. 52 
Notes. Se SRO 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
The Variable Nebula in Corona Australis . 7 ees 
Proper Motions by the Blink- i +e >) ae 
The Period of U'Cephei . G0RRayen - . . = > aman 
Mr, John Angell Bre 56 
Aurora and Magnetic Disturbances of August 27, i 
1916. » 57 
The Sakura-jima Eruption of January, 1914, By Dr. , 
C. Davison Dae 
The British Association at Newcastle :— 
Section E.—Geography. ~~ een he (Abn 
by Edward A. Reeves, F. F.R. GiGi 
President of the Section. yun. Diagram Me Et. 
Forthcoming Books of Science . . , . 60° 
University and Educational Intelligence... . . 63 
Societies and Academies ..... eis. o/s 
Books Received . ot Ress . «eee 
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