320 
experimental philosopher he ought to rejoice at the possibility 
of having two rival systems put to the test in two neighbouring 
counties. Prof. Smithells’s reference to the momentum acquired 
by the Victoria University is not a happy one, as he ought to 
know that if amoving body separates under the action of internal 
forces, momentum is conserved, while kinetic energy is increased. 
As regards the concluding sentence of his letter, it seems to 
me that while advocating public inquiry by Royal Commission 
he deplores public discussion before the only tribunal which is 
competent to deal with this question. It is to men who have 
had practical experience of university teaching, or who by 
helping to advance knowledge have acquired :a right to speak 
with authority on the organisation of a teaching university, that 
I addressed myself in writing to you on the subject. 
ARTHUR SCHUSTER, 
Science and the London Matricuiation Examination, 
THE late June matriculation examination of the University 
of London being the last general examination for all candidates 
under the old regulations, it may be worth while to note one or 
two things revealed by it. 
(1) Out of just under 3000 candidates, fifteen only gained a 
place in the honours division, but none of these were from 
what we should recognise (in the accepted parlance) as ‘‘ public 
schools,” and no female name appears in that division. 
(2) The great public schools are represented only by Harrow, 
Westminster and Shrewsbury (with five names between them) ; 
and if we extend the connotation of the term ‘‘ public school ” 
to include such schools as the great day-schools of the metropolis, 
such semi-day-schools as Dulwich and Highgate and such 
public schools of the second rank as Felsted, Repton and Epsom, 
we can only (with a liberal interpretation of the term) accredit 
them with somewhat less than sixty names in the whole list. 
More exactly, the number one counts is fifty-seven, of whom 
only four represent an “‘ optional sctence,” the remaining 
fifty-three having offered an ‘‘ optional language.” 
These facts seem to represent a poor return for all the ¢a/k 
we have heard of late in connection with scientific education. 
The fair inferences from them seem to be, (1) that the teaching 
of languages is immensely stronger in this country than the 
teaching of science ; (2) that the University of London as yet 
scarcely touches the education of the country as represented by 
the great public schools of England; (3) that, so far as the 
public schools generally are concerned, science is regarded still 
as a mapepyoy (with the exception of Epsom, and to a less 
extent the City of London School, St. Paul’s School and Clifton 
College). In some cases, perhaps, it may be inefficiently taught, 
but in many more it is handicapped by the biassed autocracy of 
the classical headmaster. Gentlemen of that type even with 
the best intentions lack real sympathy; and the responsi- 
bility for the results (little short of disastrous) must ultimately 
rest with the governing bodies of the great schools of the country. 
While this condition of things remains, can we wonder at the 
dearth of brain-power exhibited by our officers as a body in the 
late war, or at that development of mere loquacity which so often 
characterises the utterances of our public men and puts the 
thinker entirely into the shade? One is inclined to ask the 
question whether present attempts at educational legislation are 
likely to prove other than abortive when our legislators for 
the most part need to be educated to a true appreciation of 
science, its nature, its aims and its methods. A. IRVING. 
Bishop’s Stortford, July 21. 
The Recent Fireball. 
THE very brilliant meteor which made its appearance at 
about Ioh. 30m. on Sunday night, July 13, is on record, so far 
as is known at present (July 26), as having been seen from 106 
places. A large proportion of these are in the counties of 
Middlesex, Surrey, Kent and Essex, while isolated accounts 
come from‘as far away as Devon, Wales, Lancashire, Lincoln- 
shire and Norfolk. Many reports of the phenomenon give no 
details whatever ; very few give trustworthy data concerning its 
path in the heavens. The meteor was fortunately seen by Mr. 
Denning at Bristol, and from descriptions by him and a few 
other observers who carefully noted the position of the meteor 
its approximate real path in the air has been computed. At 
its first appearance the object seems to have been at an eleva- 
tion of 864 miles, the place of its final extinction being 524 
miles over the Straits of Dover. The course of 45 miles was 
over a line 11 miles to the west of one joining St. Omer and 
NO. 1709, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
[JuLy 31, 1902 
Cape Gris Nez. The fireball must have presented a splendid 
sight to the inhabitants of the district of France over which it 
passed, and it is greatly to be hoped that some descriptions will 
be available from there in order that the above result may be 
confirmed or corrected. 
The radiant-point was probably at 316°+ 30°, which, though 
a well-known shower-centre in July, does not seem to have 
provided such a similarly brilliant member during recent years. 
The features of the fireball may be gathered from an inspec- 
tion of some of the descriptions. The brightness was at least 
as great as that of the moon, this great light being due to the 
bursting of the meteor, which then gradually faded. A serpen- 
tine streak was afterwards visible, fading away in turn. Some 
portions of this were traced by some observers for a few 
minutes afterwards. The duration of flight was variously 
estimated. If an average of two seconds be taken, as seems 
permissible, the speed would be 224 miles per second. 
WALTER E. BESLEY. 
75 The Chase, Clapham Common, S.W. 
Sunspots and Wind. 
THE Greenwich tables of wind-direction contain much, I 
think, that is suggestive of sunspot influence. Take, e.g., the 
days of northerly wind in the first quarter of the year (according 
to the classification N., E., S., W.). 
Curve a shows how their number has varied since 1841. In 
B, each year-point represents an average of five values (on an 
enlarged scale). D is a curve for the whole year, similarly 
obtained. is the inverted sunspot curve. 
(It should be stated that the values prior to 1860 err a little 
by defect, owing to the manner of dealing with calms, in the 
earlier table used.) 
Bib "8 "$26 b0'% “8 'P'b Fo 4 '8'92 6/90 
RE 
60 
Fic. 1.—a. Days of northerly wind (Greenwich) in first quarter of year 
(actual variations). B. Result of smoothing A with averages of five. c. 
Inverted sunspot curve. pb. Days of northerly wind (Greenwich) 
year, smoothed. 
Regarding curve B (especially), are we obliged to think that 
this consistent correspondence through sixty years, showing 
always less northerly wind about maxima than about the adjoin- 
ing minima, isa matter of chance? If we are to accept the 
views given in a recent presidential address (from which, I 
think, there must be considerable dissent), that is how it is to be 
interpreted. 
A systematic inquiry into the configuration of high-pressure 
systemsin Europe about sunspot maxima and minima, especially 
in the winter half, would, I believe, be fruitful in results. 
Avex. B. MacDowaLt. 
