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January 6, 1923] 
NATURE 31 

conditions of the eA tainde ere ree continent of 
Gondwanaland, which he thought must necessarily 
-have been a desert and therefore could not have 
‘nourished an ice sheet. 
Prof. Sollas confessed himself attracted by the 
‘theory but doubtful as to proofs. He was not greatly 
impressed by arguments based on the similarity of 
the geological formations on the opposite sides of 
the oceans, the most remarkable of which was 
"ame that cited by Mr. Wright. A certain uni- 
ag dhe to be expected in rocks derived from the 
same Archean base. The explanation on the whole 
sae out of proportion to the points of correspondence 
cited. 
Dr. Harold Jeffreys stated that the rotational force 
which could be invoked to poy the movements 
of the continents was very small and quite insufficient 
to produce the crumpling up of the Pacific ranges. 
The ocean floors also presented a difficulty, for, being 
composed of basaltic rock, they would be less radio- 
active and therefore stronger than the continental 
crust. The withdrawal of India northward and its 
gathering up into the Himalayan folds were moreover 
not easily accounted for. ; 
Prof. Gilligan said that, as the great piles of 
Palzozoic sediments in Europe and America reached 
their maximum thickness on the borders of the 
Atlantic, it seemed ne to assume the presence 
of a continent occupying the northern part of the 
ocean. The time-honoured conception that the earth 
shows a tendency towards a tetrahedral form was 
also in conflict with this new hypothesis. 
Dr. G, C. Simpson thought the theory was a 
wonderful one from the meteorological point of view, 
as it explained the marked changes of climate given 
by the geological record and in particular the ex- 
centric position of the Quaternary ice-sheets with 
reference to the pole. 
Prof. Marshall, of Wanganui, New Zealand, pointed 
out that the movement of that country was to the east 
and not to the west. Speaking from personal know- 
ledge of a number of the Pacific Islands and referring 
to the evidence they afforded as to the composition 
of the floor of the ocean, he said it was a mistake to 
suppose that the igneous rocks exposed in these 
islands were entirely basaltic. Alkaline rocks were 
also represented, but, so far as he was aware, siliceous 
rocks of continental type were unknown. 
Dr. F. E. Wright spoke briefly, and Prof. Boswell 
referred to the forthcoming English edition of Dr. 
Wegener’s book as affording an easy means of 
becoming acquainted with the leading features of 
the subject. 
The president, Prof. Kendall, in closing the dis- 
cussion said he had many years ago examined the 
question of a land connexion across the Atlantic, 
especially in its bearing upon the distribution of 
fishes and reptiles. The practical identity of the 
Old Red fish faunas of the Orkneys and N. America 
seemed to show a very close connexion, and the 
similarity extends to the Carboniferous. Divergence, 
especially in the reptiles, is marked in the Trias and 
robably complete throughout the Jurassic. Un- 
ortunately the reptiles require two barriers, one of 
land to stop the migration of the marine forms, and 
one of sea to inhibit that of the land forms. The 
evidence adduced by Martin Duncan and marshalled 
by Gregory proved a connexion between Europe and 
America during the Oligocene. He had long ago 
found it necessary to abandon a belief in the absolute 
permanence of ocean-basins. 
The discussion as a whole was interesting as 
bringing out the extreme divergences of opinion 
produced by viewing the hypothesis from different 
aspects, astronomical, physical, meteorological, and 
biological, but it becomes very apparent that the 
surest test of its validity lies in the domain of 
geology. W. B. WRIGHT. 
The National Research Council of America. 
‘THE National Research Council of the United 
States corresponds to the Department of 
Scientific and Industrial Research in this country. 
It owes its being, as does our organisation, to the 
very urgent need, which the war made patent 
to governments, of an organised and systematic 
attempt to foster scientific research, to extend its 
industrial applications and, by co-operation and co- 
ordination, to do this on a national scale. The 
sixth annual report of the National Research Council, 
for the period eading June 30, 1921, shows 
clearly the extent to which this organisation has 
been carried in the United States. There are divisions 
‘based on political classification, e.g. Federal, foreign 
and States relations; on functional classification, 
e.g. educational relations, research extension and 
information service ; and, finally, on a scientific and 
technological classification, e.g. physical sciences, 
engineering, chemistry and chemical technology, 
geology and geography, medical sciences, biology and 
agriculture, anthropology and psychology. 
A vate ao chemical exhibit ‘‘ to show the American 
people what the chemist has done and may do for 
them,” prepared by the Chemical Warfare Service 
of the United States Army, was held in Washington, 
and arrangements have been made to install it as a 
ermanent exhibit in the United States National 
useum. 
The division of educational relations has given 
special attention to the study of the detection and 
encouragement of students of superior ability, and 
NO. 2775, VOL. 111] 
is co-operating in this investigation with the division 
of anthropology and psychology. 
Among the projects of the division of research 
extension may be mentioned the following: An 
underwriting fund of 200,000 dollars is to be raised 
for the compilation of critical tables of physical and 
chemical constants. Measures are afoot for the 
establishment of a Crop Protection Institute; an 
Alloys Research Association ; a school for tanning to 
be affiliated to an established university ; a Textile 
Research Institute ; and a Horological Institute of 
America, which will be concerned primarily with the 
scientific phases of time keeping with special reference 
to the mechanical devices necessary. 
The research information service has for its purpose 
“to promote scientific and industrial research in this 
country through the operation of an active exchange 
for all kinds of scientific and technological know- 
ledge.’’ It prepared for publication Bulletin No. 9, 
Funds Available in 1920 in the United States of 
America for the Encouragement of Scientific Research, 
giving an account of medals, prizes, grants and 
research scholarships and fellowships amounting in 
value to approximately 36,000,000 dollars annually. 
In addition to research in personal records the service 
has a catalogue of 20,000 chemists and mining 
engineers, and a file of current investigations. 
From the division of engineering a report embody- 
ing the results of the investigations on fatigue pheno- 
mena of metals will be published shortly. The 
results indicate that a rise of temperature test may 
