SEPTEMBER 25, 1902] 
3 inches in length containing a record of Dr. Nansen’s work, 
dated May 19, 1896, the hut proving to be that in which Nansen 
had stayed. In the place of the document, Mr. Baldwin left a 
record by himself of his own work and visit. 
During the period spent by the expedition in the far north, 
some fifteen balloons were released containing messages, ad- 
dressed to the nearest American Consul, respecting both air and 
sea currents. 
After an adventurous and trying journey, the expedition, on 
July 17, reached a place of safety to the southward of Cape 
flora, and eventually home. In Mr. Baldwin’s opinion, the 
old idea of an open Polar sea is baseless. ‘‘We know,” he 
says, ‘‘ that land extends as far as the S2nd degree on the Franz 
Josef Land side, and it is from here that I believe the Pole will 
be reached. I quite agree with Lieutenant Peary that the most 
practical way of attaining the Pole is by sledging from this 
point.” 
CONVENTION OF WEATHER BUREAU 
OFFICIALS. 
OX August 27, 28 and 29 of last year, the second Convention 
of Weather Bureau Officials took place at Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin, and we have recently received the report of the 
proceedings, which has been published by the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (Budletin No. 31), being edited by Messrs. James 
Berry and W. F. R. Phillips under the direction of the chief of 
the Weather Bureau, Prof. Willis L. Moore. The report, which | 
covers no less than 246 pages, will be found most interesting | 
NATURE 
543 
Amongst other papers of particular interest are those referring 
to ‘‘ the forecaster and the newspaper,” by Mr. Harvey Mait- 
land Watts, who points out the great value newspapers can be 
in publishing popular and accurate meteorological information 
and timely warnings to their readers. Dr. Oliver Fassig gives 
the results of a study of the diurnal variations of the barometer, 
and demonstrates the westward movement of the daily baro- 
metric wave, portraying it excellently by means of a series of 
charts which accompany the paper. In the subsequent discus- 
sion, Prof. Moore refers to the paper as ‘quite unique and 
entitled to great consideration.’ ‘* Lightning Recorders and 
their Utility in Forecasting Thunderstorms,” ‘* Meteorology in 
Colleges,” &c., are among other subjects touched upon, and the 
volume concludes with a good index and a capital photograph of 
a group of the members present at this Convention. There 
seems no doubt that such gatherings are most useful and valuable, 
and Prof. Moore tells us that these two conventions have demon- 
strated their usefulness by affording exceptional opportunity for 
exchange of views and discussion of methods and means for 
advancing the work of the Weather Bureau. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
THE technical schools and colleges throughout London are 
now beginning their winter’s work. An examination of a batch 
of prospectuses which has reached us shows that year by year 
there is an increasing amount of attention paid to the varied 
wants of students engaged throughout the day in different 
ic. 1.—Fog Pyramid. 
temperature, humidity and wind are concerned at Mount Tamalpais. 
of the fog pyramid was (it is estimated) about five miles from the camera. 
of San Francisco. 
fog is not due to the existence of foothills at this point. 
ceading to meteorologists, for the numerous papers included in | industries. 
the seven sections of the volume refer to widely varied branches 
of work. To enterinto anything like detail in this note is out 
of the question, but brief references may be made to a few of 
the papers read at this Convention. 
Prof. Moore in his presidential address gave a brief survey of 
the weather service since its inception in 1870, showing its 
rapid growth and pointing out its increasing efficiency. ‘* Fog 
Studies” was the subject of Prof. Alex. McAdie’s paper, the author 
emphasising the point that fog ‘‘ may be considered asa problem 
in avr drainage, just as frost may be so considered.” We repro- | 
‘duce one of the numerous excellent reproductions in the report | 
with which he illustrated his remarks. Mr, E. J. Glass describes 
and illustrates the ‘‘chinook”” winds so well known to those 
who live near the Rocky Mountains and which serve the useful 
purpose of storing the snow that supplies the water to the rivers 
during the summer season. 
NO. 1717, VOL. 66] 
This photograph was taken by Prof. Alex. McAdie on July 30, 1900, at 7.15 p.m. The conditions were normal so far as 
The view in the foreground is the town of Mill Valley. The apex 
The fog in the background overlies the Golden Gate and the Bay 
The formation is peculiar, and it should be noted that the land’ under the fog pyramid is level, and the uplifting of the 
At the Battersea Polytechnic, for example, we 
notice that in addition to the lectures and laboratory work in 
inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, classes have been 
arranged in gas manufacture, in the manufacture of oils, fats, 
soaps and candles, in iron and steel analysis, in paper making 
and testing, and in the chemistry of the kitchen and laundry. 
The same thoroughness is shown in the departments concerned 
with the building, engineering and other trades. The prospectus 
of the Chelsea Polytechnic, over which Prof. Tomlinson, 
F.R.S., presides, is published in four volumes dealing respec- 
tively with the day colleges for men and women, the day school 
for boys and girls, and the evening classes. It would be diffi- 
cult to name a subject, commercial or technical, in which no 
class is provided at Chelsea. Moreover, every stage is looked 
after; there are classes suitable for the apprentice, and yet 
arrangements have been made by which advanced students may 
engage in research work under the supervision of the principal. 
