NATURE 349 


SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1923. 

CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
A National Water Policy . - 349 
The Gas Industry. By Dr. J. ‘S. G. Thomas . + 350 
The Earth under the Rule of Man. By def 
Grenville A. J. Cole, F.R.S. . : ‘ 352 
Com tive ey: 5 ‘ . e a 335% 
Our Bookshelf t : a = + 355 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Origin of Radioactive Disintegration.—S. Rosseland 357 
The New Marine Biological Research Station of the 
Bergen Museum. ((Mlustrated.) — Prof. A. 
Brinkmann . 358 
Industrial Applications of the Microscope. —Ashley 
. Lowndes . 358 
Factors of Odorous Strength. Te Durrans ; 
Frank H. Perrycoste . 359 
The Life-Cycle of the Eel in Relation to Wegener’ s 
Hypothesis. —Dr. T. Wemyss Fulton . 359 
The Stoat’s Winter Pelage-—John Parkin; Dr. 
James Ritchie; R. ok F. Struthers. 360 
The Subject Index to Periodicals. —E. W. Hulme . 360 
Time Relations ina Dream.—M. Gheury de Bray 361 
The Social Influence of Science.—-Ad. K.; F. S. 
Marvin . 361 
German Book Prices.—Prof. D. H- Peacock i ~362 
Single Crystals of Aluminium and other Metals.— 
Prof. Alfred W. Porter, F.R.S. - 362 
Paradoxical Rainfall Data. — Prof. "Alexander 
McAdie - ; “ + 362 
Atmospherics.—R. M. "Deeley ’ 362 
Recent Aeronautic Eeeaiiestions and the Aeroplane 
Industry. (///ustrated.) By Prof. Joseph S. Ames 363 
Radiography and Physics By Dr. G. be Cc. pare 364 
An Inquiry into Dog Distemper. By W. . 366 
Obituary :— 
Prof. E. E. Barnard. By Dr. A. & D. eames 367 
Prof. J. Radcliffe. = -36F 
Mr. T. W. Stratford-Andrews + 368 
Prof. Ignaz Vogel . « 368 
Prof. A. N. Favaro. By Prof. F Florian Cajori 368 
Current Topics and Events . + 369 
Our Astronomical Column ; 2 3 is =, “372 
Research Items 373 
Humanism in Technical Education. | By Sir Thomas 
Holland, K.C.S.I., K.C.1.E., F.R.S. ; 376 
The Flora of an Indian Island : * 378 
he Sed Festival of Ancient ae 378 
emistry in Industry. 379 
An Intestinal Parasite of Man 379 
University and Educational Intelligence . a : - 380 
Societies and Academies . . = E . - 381 
Official Publications Received . . . ‘ . 383 
384 
Diary of Societies . F . - F ‘ 7 

Editorial and Publishing Offices - 
MACMILLAN & CO., LTD., 
ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON, W.C.2. 
Advertisements and business letters should be 
addressed to the Publishers. 
Editorial communications to the Editor. 
NO. 2785, VOL. I11] 
A National Water Policy. 
HE Minister of Health has recently appointed 
si a Standing Advisory Committee “to confer 
with representatives of the Ministry on questions of 
water supply.” From a reference in the public an- 
nouncement of this appointment to the final report of 
the Water Power Resources Committee of the Board of 
Trade, it would appear at first sight that the step is 
the outcome of one of the recommendations put for- 
ward by that Committee in its report of November 
1921, which was reviewed in Nature of February 9 
last year (vol. 109, p. 161). The proposal therein 
made, it may be recalled, was for the formation by 
Act of Parliament of a controlling water commission 
haying jurisdiction over England and Wales, with 
statutory powers and duties. In commenting on such 
a far-reaching and momentous proposal, we felt it 
desirable to deprecate the idea of setting up a fresh 
department with a retinue of officials and an additional 
burden of salaries for the taxpayer. 
‘Our first impression, therefore, was one of gratifica- 
tion that apparently the departmental proposition had 
been dropped and that, in place of it, there was to be 
a “ Standing Committee,” presumably honorary, with 
advisory functions. On further consideration, how- 
ever, we became less confident that the announcement 
covered all that it implied, and whether, in fact, it was 
in any degree a materialisation of the Water Power 
Committee’s findings. Inquiry has confirmed the sus- 
picion that the Ministry of Health is only concerned 
with the water question as regards supplies for domestic 
use, and that the terms of reference of the Advisory 
Committee, though unspecified, cannot possibly be 
stretched to cover functions which lie within the pro- 
vince of the Board of Trade. 
An inspection of the list of the committee shows it 
to comprise the names of six gentlemen connected with 
municipal waterworks administration in various official 
capacities. With one exception, we miss altogether 
any name which appeared as signatory to the very 
full and comprehensive report of the Water Power 
Resources Committee. There is, indeed, a marked 
absence of that representation of broadly national, 
scientific, and industrial interests which should, in our 
opinion, form a prominent, if not a predominant, 
element in a committee dealing with the policy of 
development of the water resources of the country. 
This is the more disappointing in that, according 
to the Press, the first meeting of the committee 
has already been held, and it is announced that 
it discussed two matters which were in the forefront 
of the Water Power Resources Committee’s recom- 
mendations, and have been the subject of earnest 
