566 
but 25 to 30 million tons from the French mines 
(compared with 4o millions in the days when the mines 
had not suffered from war), leaving a possible gap of 
55 millions in the balancing of the account. The author, 
who is obviously alarmed by these figures, estimates 
the supplies from Belgium, England, the Saar, and 
Lorraine as but 29 millions and speculates doubtfully 
on the prospect of getting regularly the required balance 
from Germany. He points out that in any case the 
cost of the imports must be in the neighbourhood of 
6 milliards of francs, unless the present wasteful methods 
of coal utilisation are changed. To the elimination of 
these wasteful methods the author accordingly addresses 
himself, suggesting that in the matter of steam pro- 
duction alone two of the six milliards can be saved. 
The book contains a full and satisfactory account of 
modern steam plant and its various accessories, besides 
giving much space to calculations. The author remarks, 
“La plus grande partie de nos usines ont une origine 
modeste. Ce sont de petites installations, qui se sont 
développées, au cours d’affaires plus ou moins heureuses.” 
Those in charge of the modest organisations of which 
he speaks may find the book rather difficult, but their 
remedy is simple since the author is a consulting engineer 
and his personal assistance will doubtless be available 
on demand. 
The Sea Gypsies of Malaya : An Account of the Nomadic 
Mawken People of the Mergui Archipelago. By W. 
G. White. Pp. 318. (London: Seeley, Service and 
Co., Ltd., 1922.) 21s. net. 
Tue Mawken of the Mergui Archipelago, more generally 
known as the Selung, whose customs, beliefs, and modes 
of life are described in this volume, are literally nomads 
of the sea, as the greater part of their life is passed in 
their peculiarly constructed boats. The reason they 
themselves give for this mode of existence is, that after 
they had migrated from the mainland, whence they 
had been driven by the incursions of Burmese peoples, 
they had to abandon their settlements on the islands 
owing to the raids of Malayan pirates. It is a moot 
question whether they are to be regarded on linguistic 
grounds as the northernmost branch of the sea-going 
Malays or as a derivation from Further India. Their 
own traditions, as already mentioned, favour the latter 
origin. As the author was in charge of the census of 
these people in rorr, he was able to obtain a considerable 
insight into their system of relationship, of which a 
remarkable feature is the stress laid upon the distinction 
between elder and younger in most, but not all, the 
degrees of relationship. It is a pity that Mr. White’s 
work has called him to another part of the world and 
that he will not be able to carry out further investigations 
among this interesting and little known people. 
The Meaning of Meaning: a Study of the Influence of 
Language upon Thought and of the Science of Sym- 
bolism. By C.K. OgdenandI. A. Richards. (Inter- 
national Library of Psychology, Philosophy, and 
Scientific Method.) Pp. xxxii+544. (London: 
Kegan Paul and Co., Ltd. ; New York: Harcourt, 
Brace and Co. Inc., 1923.) 12s. 6d. net. 
Tuis rather pretentious volume is at least twice the 
size it need have been in consequence of the choice by 
the editors of uncomfortably large type and extravagant 
NO. 2791, VOL. I11] 
NATURE 



[APRIL 28, 1923 
spacing. Its title is apparently adopted from the 
subject of a symposium at the Oxford philosophical 
congress of 1921, and the book is a medley of already 
published papers and editorial paragraphs. The col- 
laborating authors of the main essay apologise in the 
preface for its lack of systematisation, and make the 
excuse that their lives are too busy for them to spare 
the time necessary to re-write it. They have included 
in their book an introduction by a third author and 
supplementary essays by a fourth and fifth. The aim 
of the whole is to provide materials for a science of 
meaning. The book contains a good deal of amusing 
matter and some valuable criticisms, but it is formless 
and unequal. 
Chile : To-day and To-morrow. By L. E. Elliott. Pp. 
x+340+plates. (New York: The Macmillan Com- 
pany; London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1922.) 
24s. net. 
Amonc recent books on Chile this stands out as one of 
the most important and fullest for purposes of reference, 
although its value in this respect is somewhat impaired 
by the lack of an index. The sections on Chilean 
history and on mining and agriculture are particularly 
full and useful. The book would be enhanced by more 
attention to the physical features and climate of the 
country, which are both treated very briefly. Like most 
books on South America this volume is mainly eulo- 
gistic, but the critical note is not absent, and the author 
clearly has a wide experience of the country. There 
is an interesting chapter on Easter Island, the distant 
possession of Chile in the Pacific. 
Elementary Determinants for Electrical Engineers. By 
H. P. Few. Pp. vit+98. (London: S. Rentell and 
Co., Ltd. ; New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1922.) 
4s. net. 
In many of the everyday calculations of electrical 
engineering, determinants are useful, and Prof. Fleming 
showed many years ago how the resistances of networks 
can be computed by their means. The very complicated 
formule which telephone engineers use in order to 
balance the capacity effects in multiple twin cable are 
easily proved by determinants. This book can be very 
easily understood, and will be appreciated by those for 
whom it is written. The examples are numerous and 
well chosen. 
Optical Methods in Control and Research Laboratories. 
By Dr. J. N. Goldsmith, Dr. S. Judd Lewis, and F. 
Twyman. Vol. x: Spectrum Analysis, Absorption 
Spectra, Refractometry, Polarimetry. Second edition. 
Pp. iv+56+3 plates. (London: Adam Hilger, Ltd., 
754 Camden Road, 1923.) 1s. 6d. 
Tus pamphlet forms a valuable introduction to the 
use of spectroscopes, spectrophotometers, refracto- 
meters, and polarimeters, and, while avoiding detailed 
descriptions of the instruments, gives ample references 
to such descriptions. Sufficient information is given 
in the pamphlet to enable a works physicist to select 
the proper instrument for the work to be done and to 
know where to look for further information on the 
subject. 
