 . 
May 1g, 1923] 
NATURE 
687 

‘The Sir Ralph Forster Tablet at University 
College, London. 
ISCOUNT CHELMSFORD, chairman of the 
University College Committee, unveiled, in the 
“presence of a distinguished audience representative 
of chemical teaching and of chemical industry, a 
marble tablet placa in the hall of the Chemistry 
Laboratories at University College to commemorate 
the munificent donations made by Sir Ralph Forster, 
Bt., towards the erection and equipment of these 
laboratories. 
Lord Chelmsford, in his opening speech, referred 
to the old Chemistry Laboratories erected in 1871 
by the late Prof. Alexander Williamson, which, though 
in their time the latest thing in chemical laboratories, 
had proved quite insufficient and inadequate bota in 
space and in equipment. They had, nevertheless, 
proved the scene of some of the greatest discoveries 
made by the late Sir William Ramsay, ably supported 
by Prof. Collie, Prof. Baly, and Prof. Travers. He 
recalled how Sir Ralph Forster had intervened at the 
last moment with a contribution of 4500/. just two 
days before the option for the purchase of the present 
site of the Chemistry Laboratories was to expire on 
January 31, 1911. Ata later date, when the question 
of the funds for the erection and equipment of the 
buildings arose, Sir Ralph Forster had again come 
forward, this time with a donation of 30,000/. Lord 
Chelmsford dwelt upon the need for private bene- 
factors to carry on the work thus begun, and men- 
tioned that a sum of 15,000/. is still needed to complete 
the physical chemical equipment and the electrical 
installation in the new laboratories. 
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, 
Mr. H. J. Waring, speaking in the name of the Senate 
of the University, expressed to Sir Ralph Forster the 
grateful thanks of the University for his striking and 
timely munificence. The Vice-Chancellor developed 
further the theme already mentioned by Lord Chelms- 
ford, namely, the urgent need for private benefactors 
for university education in this country, to supple- 
ment the funds devoted to university education by 
the Treasury through the University Grants Com- 
mittee. 
Prof. J. Norman Collie gave an interesting account 
of the conditions which prevailed in the old Chemistry 
Laboratories when Sir William Ramsay and he began 
their work there in 1887, and referred to the work 
which had been carried out in those laboratories 
during the time when Sir William Ramsay and himself 
had worked in them from 1887 until 1912. 
Sir Ralph Forster replied, expressing his deep 
appreciation of the recognition given to his help by 
the perpetuation of his name in connexion with 
University College. He expressed his sense of the 
importance of the work which is being carried on at 
University ee not only in chemistry but also in 
other branches of study. Sir Ralph Forster explained 
that from his earliest days he had been deeply im- 
hasan by the need for providing the best facilities 
or university education for young men of promise, 
sae in science, and that it was this feeling 
which led him to come forward and supplement 
the efforts which were being made at University 
College for the provision of chemical laboratories of 
the best and most up-to-date character. 
After the speeches, the company adjourned from 
the large Chemistry Theatre to the Hall of the 
Chemistry Laboratories, when the unveiling was per- 
formed by Lord Chelmsford. The tablet, which was 
designed by Prof. F. M. Simpson, is of white marble 
surrounded by a green marble border. It bears the 
NO. 2794, VOL. 111] 

inscription : ‘‘ The Ralph Forster Organic Chemistry 
Laboratory, so named in grateful recognition of the 
generosity of Sir Ralph Forster, Bt. MCMXI.” 

Cinema Film of the Total Eclipse of the Sun 
at Wallal, Australia, September 21, 1922. 
“T HERE have been in the past several proposals to 
take a cinema film of a total eclipse of the sun, 
but the first real outcome of these proposals is the 
film now being shown at the Royal Albert Hall. The 
pictures illustrate the experiences and the work of the 
astronomers of the expedition, under Prof. W. W. 
Campbell, to Wallal, on the north-west coast of 
Australia, from the time they left Perth until after 
the eclipse. The journey to Broome was made 
on the S.S. Charon, and afterwards on the lugger 
Gwendoline, towed by a lighthouse tender, to Ninety 
Mile Beach. On account of the great rise and fall of 
the tides, the ship had to anchor five miles out, and 
the astronomers with all their baggage had to be 
landed in boats through the surf. The equipment was 
then transported on donkey waggons to the site 
selected for the camp, and in this work the aboriginal 
inhabitants of the country, both men and women, 
gave considerable assistance. The large amount of 
dust, which rose in clouds wherever there was any 
work being done, caused great inconvenience. Never- 
theless a large camp was soon set up and the assem- 
bling of the instruments commenced. The process of 
erection of the tower telescope and of the equatorials 
and ccelostats, as well as the various rehearsals in 
changing plates and uncovering object-glasses, are 
well illustrated. The part of the film showing the 
solar corona is good, considering that it was taken 
with a cinema lens, but a better picture could easily 
be constructed from the negativesttaken by the eclipse 
party. 
The film will enable those who are interested in 
scientific work to appreciate the difficulties which 
eclipse observers often have to face. Large and 
cumbersome instruments have to be transported long 
distances and often erected in almost inaccessible 
places where little or no skilled labour can be obtained. 
The conditions at Wallal were probably more difficult 
than usual, but were bravely faced and overcome. 
A wireless apparatus was erected to keep the eclipse 
party in communication with the outside world, and 
a weekly aeroplane service was instituted. The film 
is well worth seeing by those interested in the work 
of scientific expeditions. It would have been too 
much to expect that a film of this kind, taken under 
such difficult conditions, would come up to the 
standard of the films produced by special actors in 
artificial conditions. However, the fact that the 
actual work of the astronomers is interspersed with 
pictures illustrating the life of the natives should 
make the film one of more general interest. With 
these additions the showing of the film takes a little 
overanhour. The attempt to produce a film showing 
the actual work of a scientific expedition is one which 
deserves every encouragement and we wish it every 
success. ; 

University and Educational Intelligence. 
BIRMINGHAM.—Applications are invited for the 
James Watt research fellowship in the thermo- 
dynamics of internal combustion engines. Parti- 
culars of the fellowship, which is of the annual value 
of 220/., may be obtained from the Dean of the 
Faculty of Science of the University. The latest date 
for the receipt of applications is May 31. 
