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278 
NATURE 
TuouGH the damage done in Salonica by the earthquake 
which occurred there on the afternoon of July 5 (see p. 254) 
was not great, some of the surrounding villages suffered con- 
siderably. At Guvezno 150 houses were wrecked and at 
Karajere fifty houses were destroyed. A new spring burst out 
at the mineral baths of Langaza. The shock was recorded at 
the observatory of Laibach, which is about 560 miles north-west 
of Salonica, and also in Birmingham, about 1440 miles in the 
same direction. 
THEcurrent number of the Bulletin de la Société d' Encourage- 
ment pour Industrie Nationale contains the programme of 
prizes proposed by the Society for the present year. Among 
these may be noticed a prize of 2000 francs for the invention of 
acement capable of agglomerating diamond dust for mechanical 
purposes, another of 3000 francs for a steamsuperheater fulfilling 
certain conditions, and one of 2000 francs for any important 
progress in the mechanical transmission of work. In chemistry a 
prize of 1000 francs is offered for the utilisation of a bye-product, 
and medals for publications useful to chemical industry or metal- 
lurgy. A prize of 2000 francs is offered for an apparatus suit- 
able for domestic use capable of sterilising drinking water by 
boiling, one of 2000 francs for a study of the alcoholic ferments 
and diastases, and one of 1000 francs for freeing the vine from 
an insect parasite. In political economy, a prize of 3000 francs 
is offered for a study of the effects of trusts and industrial 
syndicates generally upon production and sale. 
SEVERAL eruptions of Mont Pelée occurred last week. On 
July 9 a disturbance began at 7.30 p.m. and continued until mid- 
night. From the 7zmes we learn that a column of black smoke 
streaked with lightning was first observed, and that this was ap- 
parently followed by flame, which set fire to the ruins of St. Pierre. 
Stones and ashes fell for 25 minutes on Morne Rouge and Fonds 
St. Denis. Drs. Anderson and Fledd were thought to have 
been overwhelmed by the ejected matter, but they arrived safely 
at Fort de France on July 11. They were on board a sloop 
which was lying off St. Pierre when the eruption occurred. A 
message from St. Thomas states that three loud detonations were 
heard from the Soufriére, St. Vincent, between 8 p.m, and 
9 p.m. on July 9. Advices from Barbados state that loud 
detonations were also heard there on the night of July 9, 
in a westerly direction. A telegram from Fort de France 
states that about midnight on July 12 there was a third violent 
eruption of Mont Pelée. Large quantities of stones and ash 
fell on Morne Rouge, Macouba and Ajouba Bouillon. The 
French scientific mission, which arrived the day before from 
Guadeloupe, whence it had been recalled by the Governor, left 
on July 13 for St. Pierre. 
M. F. A. Foret describes, in the Journal Suisse of July 10, 
some brilliant sky effects observed by him at Morges on July 5 
directly after sunset. A brilliant disc of light of a whitish- 
yellow colour appeared thirty degrees above the sunset point a 
quarter of an hour after the sun had set, and lasted for a 
quarter of an hour. Ten minutes later a purple circle sixty 
degrees in diameter appeared, and sunk lower and lower as the 
sun increased its distance below the horizon. While this circle 
was visible the sky was brightened by an after-glow. The 
red sunset effects observed at Jamaica on May 25, Madeira on 
June 10, and Bombay about June 25 had not been seen at 
Morges on July 8. 
In the July number of the Bulletin de la Société Astronomique 
de France, M. Flammarion gives the first instalment of a history 
of the West Indian volcanoes, with special reference to Mont 
Pelée and the recent eruptions. The article is illustrated by 
photographs and charts, and contains letters of pathetic interest 
written a day or two before the great eruption, which show 
NO. 1707, VOL. 66] 
[JuLy 17, 1902 
that at least some of the inhabitants of St. Pierre, including 
several members of the Société Astronomique, feared the 
possibility of a disaster several days before the final catastrophe 
occurred, 
Mr. PreReONT MORGAN has bought and presented to the 
Paris Museum of Natural History the collection of precious 
stones formed by Mr. Kunz, of New York, for the Buffalo 
Exhibition of last year. He has also sent to the American 
Museum of Natural History in New York a large star sapphire 
and a beautiful yellow sapphire. These gems will be added to 
the collection of precious stones previously presented by Mr. 
Pierpont Morgan to the Museum. 
THE expedition to the Malay Peninsula undertaken by Mr. 
N. Annandale and Mr. H. C. Robinson with the aid of grants 
from the Government Grant Fund and Edinburgh University, 
has now concluded its field work, and it is hoped that a pre- 
liminary notice of its more important results may be presented 
to the British Association at Belfast. A complete series of an- 
thropometrical measurements, representing more than 300, indi- 
viduals of the various races ‘‘ wild” and “‘ civilised”’ inhabiting 
the Siamese Malay States and Perak, has been obtained, with 
numerous photographs and about thirty authenticated skeletons 
and skulls, nearly two-thirds of which belong to the primitive 
peoples known as ‘‘ Sakais,” ‘‘Semangs,” and ‘‘ Orang Laut ” 
respectively. Studies have been made of the religions, burial 
customs, and sociology of these races, and collections of their 
clothing, weapons, utensils, and magical and musical implements 
made. The zoological results comprise extensive notes on 
mimicry and kindred phenomena and a series of photographs of 
insects and other animals in their natural surroundings as well 
as general collections from both high and low levels. 
Ir was recently reported that Dr. Doberck was retiring from 
the directorship of the Hong Kong Observatory ; but we under- 
stand this is not the case and that he is merely home on sick 
leave. 
A TELEGRAM from the Viceroy of India, dated July 12, re- 
ports :—‘‘ Good rain has fallen over the greater part of India, 
but fall light in Burma, in Southern India, Southern Punjab, in 
parts of Rajputana and Sind.” 
A BririsH and Colonial Industrial Exhibition will be held at 
Cape Town for a period of four months from November 1903. 
All the necessary funds have been guaranteed, and a site 
adjoining the Botanic Gardens has been chosen. It is important 
that British manufacturers should participate in a scheme which 
offers a good opportunity of bringing their products and wares 
before the South African public, especially in view of the 
inroads made by foreign competitors in the South African 
market. When the exhibition is open the industries of farm- 
ing, dairying, and wine growing will be busy in schemes for a 
fresh start. The exhibition of the latest and most up-to-date 
appliances, tools, mechanism and machinery should, therefore, 
lead to very extensive business, and the opening of new and 
permanent trade outlets for Imperial manufactures. 
THE preliminary programme of the nineteenth congress of 
the Sanitary Institute, to be held in Manchester on September 
9-13, has now been issued. The president of the congress 
is Earl Egerton of Tatton. Dr. W. N. Shaw, F.R.S., will 
deliver the lecture to the congress and Sir W. J. Collins will 
deliver the popular address. The three sections and _ their 
presidents will be :—(1) Sanitary science and _ preventive 
medicine, Sir James Crichton-Browne, F.R.S. ; (2) engineer- 
ing and architecture, Sir Alexander Binnie; (3) physics, 
chemistry and biology, Prof. A. Sheridan Delépine. There 
will be eight special conferences of municipal representatives, 
