310 
NATURE 
[DECEMBER 21, 1916 
If it be admitted that the Hudson Bay Company 
traded cowries, it must have been due to having seen 
such already in use by the Indians, for without this 
appreciation of the special mystical value of the 
cowrie there would have been no demand for them, 
On the west coast of Africa the cult of the cowrie was 
certainly not first introduced there by the white traders 
of the fifteenth century; they found the blacks already 
in possession of these white shells, the custom of 
using them and the superstitious reverence attached 
to such shells having filtered through Central Africa 
ages prior to the advent of the whites. It is only 
natural that full advantage should have been taken by 
traders, and thus an enormous trade in these shells 
sprang up. So far as I am aware there is no evidence 
that the Hudson Bay Company traded in the money- 
cowrie, 
Mr. Wardle’s arguments do not explain the remark- 
able identity in the association of the money-cowrie 
with medicine ceremonies in places so far apart as 
Africa and America. In both these continents the 
cowrie is regarded as the ‘‘symbol of life’"—a dis- 
tinction which no other shell enjoys. 
In a magazine article he has previously expounded 
the procedure of Columbus in introducing the cowrie, 
C. moneta, into the New World. But in his account, 
the gist of which appears in his foregoing letter, he 
omits the most wonderful episode of his ‘ wonder- 
tale,’ as he himself calls it—I refer to the fact that 
after all the imaginary wanderings and episodes on sea 
and land, the cowries should eventually have come to 
rest in the heart of the American continent, and, ‘ of 
course purely by accident,” have become linked up with 
the identical beliefs and fantastic practices with which 
they are associated in Africa, India, and eastern Asia. 
To such lengths does the American ethnologist go 
rather than admit the patent fact that these shells, 
along with the associated beliefs and practices, were 
taken from eastern Asia to America long before the 
time of Columbus. J. Witrrip Jackson, 
Manchester Museum, 
Field Glasses for Army Use. 
Soon after the outbreak of the war, my father, 
Lord Roberts, asked the public to lend their glasses 
for the use of the Army. After two years I. think 
your readers may be glad to have some particulars of 
the result of his request. 
Upwards of 26,000 glasses have been received, with- 
out reckoning those which, in pursuance of my father’s 
suggestion, have been collected in Australia, the Malay 
States, and elsewhere, and issued forthwith to the 
local forces on their way to the seat of war. The 
instruments sent comprise every type, and have been 
classified and issued according to the needs of different 
units. Particularly useful have been the fine prismatic 
glasses sent, which have been allocated to artillery and 
machine-gun units, according to their power; large 
mounted telescopes for batteries, deer-stalking telescopes 
for gunners and snipers, and good old-fashioned non- 
prismatic racing glasses for detection of the nationality 
of aircraft, locating snipers, signalling by disc, collect- 
ing wounded, and musketry instruction. 
I am indeed grateful for the way in which my 
father’s appeal has been met. British people all over 
the world have given their best, recognising that, in 
spite of the fact that their glasses are on loan and 
that the organisation for their return has been ar- 
ranged, the chances of loss are many, and that they 
may never get them hack. ¢ 
When I think of the enormous numbers of good 
glasses sent, it may seem ungracious to ask for more, 
but the demand is still great. Iam told that at watering- 
NO. 2460, VoL. 98] 
places and on racecourses and elsewhere large num- 
bers of glasses are still to be seen in private hands, 
and to the owners of these I would once more appeal. 
I should add that we have been entrusted by the Minis- 
try of Munitions with the purchase of individuab 
glasses from those who cannot afford to lend them, 
and that the address for sending glasses for either pur- 
pose is the same. Every good glass (except opera- 
glasses) and every telescope (except toys) is wanted for — 
the service of the country. 
December 18. RopseErts. 
Address for sending:—The Manager of Lady 
Roberts’s Field Glass Fund, National Service League, 
72 Victoria Street, S.W. 
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA. 
— HE second report of the Executive Committee of 
the Advisory Council of Science and Industry 
for the Commonwealth of Australia shows that 
energetic steps are being taken to provide and 
set in motion the necessary machinery for the 
promotion of industrial research in the Common- 
wealth. Strong committees have been formed in 
all the States with the exception of Tasmania, 
and it is hoped that this State will soon take 
action and complete the scheme recommended by 
the Advisory Council. 
The Executive Committee has commenced its. 
work in a methodical manner by making inquiries 
with the view of compiling information regarding 
Australian industries, problems arising in connec- 
tion with them, the laboratories and personnel now 
available for research, and the facilities for the 
education of future investigators. 
We look forward with considerable interest to 
further reports to learn what conclusions are 
arrived at as to the education of the research 
workers of the future. The leaders in this re- 
search movement in Australia are, of course, 
familiar with all our educational systems in the Old 
Country, and, indeed, many of them are graduates 
of British universities. With the special problem’ 
before them of training research workers, it will 
be interesting to see to what extent they will go 
along the old lines, or whether they will recom- 
mend new methods, having fewer Education Acts 
and educational interests to take into account. 
The Executive Committee, since its first: 
report a few weeks previously, has been able’ 
not only to complete the machinery of the scheme, 
but also. to consider many suggested researches. 
The broad character of these shows that the com- 
mittee intends that its functions should include. 
all types of industries that can be benefited by 
research. Problems relating to engineering, 
chemistry, gold-mining, diseases of cattle, agri- 
culture, bread-making, and other matters appear 
in the list. 
We notice that a special committee has been 
appointed to deal with the standardisation of. 
physical apparatus for the teaching of science in 
the technical and other schools and colleges of 
Australia. The object is to enable the apparatus 
to be made in Australia, as it is inconvenient to 
depend on supplies imported from a great distance. 
