November 24, 1898 J 



NA TURE 



79 



ever, owing to the weather, may take comfort in the re- 

 flection that they lost very little. Of course, further 

 observations may come to hand from distant places where 

 the stars shone and meteors fell. If so, we may possibly 

 have to modify our present ideas ; but from the materials 

 now before us, we can only draw the following con- 

 clusions : — 



(i) The state of the atmosphere generally was very un- 

 favourable for the observation of meteors. 



(2) The number of meteors which appeared was small, 

 and never at any time formed a display of special 

 richness. 



(3) The earth was too far in advance of the cometary 

 nucleus to encounter the denser region of the meteoric 

 stream. 



But the observations obtained this year, if of a nega- 

 tive character, and very discouraging from an observ- 

 ational point of view, will yet be important as affording 

 ■evidence of the tenuity of that section forming the van- 

 guard of the stream. 



The meteoric observer, disappointed as he has been in 

 1897 and 189S, may yet look forward with every con- 

 fidence to the brilliant displays which will mark the years 

 1899, 1900 and 1901. W. F. DENNING. 



NOTES. 



It has already been announced that in connection with the 

 Royal Society the Colonial Office has instituted a Commission 

 to investigate the subject of tropical malaria. We are now in- 

 formed that the medical officers selected for the work in Africa 

 are Dr. D. Daniels, of the Colonial Office Medical Service, Dr. 

 Stevens, and Dr. Christopher. Dr. Daniels has sailed for India 

 in order to make himself acquainted with the recent observations 

 of Surgeon-Major Ronald Ross, of the Indian Medical Service, 

 •connecting the spread of malarial disease with certain species of 

 mosquitoes. The two other gentlemen referred to will go direct 

 "to Nyasaland, in British Central Africa, to study malarial disease 

 in that locality ; and will eventually be joined by Dr. Daniels. 

 With the knowledge acquired in a comparatively temperate 

 climate, where, however, fever has of late years been peculiarly 

 fatal, the three medical officers will, at a later date, visit West 

 Africa, possibly on the Niger. The Royal Society proposes to 

 contribute towards the expense of the investigation, the British 

 Government, through the Foreign and Colonial Offices, finding 

 the remainder. It is estimated that the investigations will 

 •occupy about two years, and reports will be submitted from time 

 ito time to a Committee nominated jointly by the Royal Society 

 and the Secretary of State. 



It will be remembered that the late Mr. Alfred Nobel left 

 almost the whole of his fortune to be converted into an inter- 

 national fund for the advancement of scientific research (see 

 Nature, vol. Iv. p. 232). The bequest gave rise to a dispute, 

 which we are glad to learn has been settled by a compromise 

 between the contesting parties. The relatives of the de- 

 ceased will receive 3,800,000 Swedish kronor, or about 

 211,000/., so that there still remains for the prizes the sum of 

 25,000,000 kronor, or nearly 1,400,000/. The income, com- 

 puted at the rate of 3 per cent., will make the five prizes 

 worth 150,000 kronor, or 8300/. each. It is expected that the 

 compound interest during the time, which will necessarily be 

 ■long, that will elapse before the prizes can be awarded, will in- 

 crease the capital so as to cover the cost of managing the funds 

 and the work entailed in properly distributing the prizes. It 

 will be remembered that these prizes are to be awarded annually 

 'to persons making the most important discoveries in physics, 

 ■chemistry, physiology or medicine. There is also to be a prize 

 •for the best literary contribution upon the subject of physiology 

 NO. 1.5 1 7, VOL. 59] 



or medicine, and also one for any person who has achieved the 

 most or done the best things looking towards the promotion of 

 the cause of peace throughout the world. 



M. A. Michel Levy has been elected a corresponding 

 member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences. 



We regret to see the announcement of the death of Dr. James 

 I. Peck, assistant professor of biology in Williams College, and 

 assistant director of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods 

 Holl. 



The first competition offered by the Nansen Fund, which was 

 e.stablished soon after the return of the Fram in 1896, has just 

 been advertised. The subject is a thorough work in embryology 

 based on original investigation, and the amount of the prize is 

 1500 kroner (about 80/.) The result will be announced at the 

 annual meeting of the Christiania Academy of Science, May 3, 

 1900. 



The Christmas Course of Lectures, specially adapted to young 

 people, at the Royal Institution, will be delivered this year by 

 Sir Robert Stawell Ball, F.R.S. The subject will be 

 "Astronomy," and the lectures (which will be illustrated by 

 models and the optical lantern) will deal with the sun, the 

 moon, the inner planets, the great planets, shooting-stars, and 

 new methods. The first lecture will be delivered on Tuesday, 

 December 27, at three o'clock, and the remaining lectures on 

 December 29 and 31, and on January 3, 5 and 7, 1899. 



The death is announced at Paris, at the age of seventy-four, 

 of M. J. N. Raffard, distinguished for his inventions and papers 

 on science and technology, flis inventions include governors 

 for engines, several ingenious dynamometers, and many other 

 appliances ; he was the first to construct in Paris an electric 

 tram-car worked by accumulators. He was a member of the 

 Committee of Mechanical Arts of the Paris Societe d'Encourage- 

 ment, and also of the Editorial Committee of the Revue de 

 Mccajiique. 



Sir George Baden-Powell, K.C.M.G., whose death, at 

 the comparatively early age of fifty-one, we regretfully announce, 

 took an active interest in scientific affairs, and in many ways 

 assisted the advancement of natural knowledge. He was the 

 son of the Rev. Prof. Baden-Powell, the Oxford geometrician 

 and geologist. In 1896, he rendered a most valuable service to 

 astronomy by conveying a small party of observers to Novaya 

 Zemlya to make observations of the total eclipse of the sun. It 

 will be remembered that on account of unfavourable weather 

 the eclipse was not observed in Norway, where most of the 

 British observers were situated ; but, fortunately, better con- 

 ditions prevailed at Novaya Zemlya, and excellent photographs 

 were obtained of eclipse phenomena. The total failure of the 

 British expeditions was thus saved by Sir George Baden-Powell's 

 timely aid. His death will be mourned by many friends in the 

 scientific world. 



Sir John Fowi.er, K.C.M.G., Bart., the distinguished 

 engineer, died on Sunday, at the age of eighty-one. His name 

 is associated with some of the greatest engineering triumphs of 

 this century. He was responsible for the design and construction 

 uf the Underground (Metropolitan) Railway, and carried out the 

 scheme successfully in the face of gigantic difficulties and great 

 opposition. He was engineer-inchief of the Forth Bridge, 

 which he designed in association with Sir Benjamin Baker, and 

 he planned and commenced in 1S75 'he Sudan Railway to 

 IChartum, now on the point of completion. It was in consider- 

 ation of his work for the benefit of Egypt that in 1 885 the Queen 

 conferred upon him a Knight Commandership of St. Michael 

 and St. George. For his services in connection with the Forth 



