February 6, 1902] 



NATURE 



319 



measurements of lengths of lines, may I suggest that such 

 measurements should always be made in centimetres ? A handy 

 steel rule, six inches long, graduated both in inches and tenths, 

 and in centiirretres and millimetres, can be bought for a few 

 pence, and is easily carried in that almost omnivorous re- 

 ceptacle—the pocket of a schoolboy. The use of such a rule 

 would beget familiarity with the metric scale, in itself an ad- 

 vantage for any boy whose education includes some knowledge 

 of elementary physics. But more — the schools of the country 

 would soon be sending out each year a body of educated men 

 acquainted more or less with the advantages of the metric 

 system, and their influence can scarcely fail to be helpful in 

 hastening the general adoption of the metric system — a change 

 so much to be desired both in education and in practical life. 

 Fettes College, Edinburgh. John S. Yeo. 



Electrification of Glass. 



-Reference is commonly made, in text-books of electricity, 

 •to the uncertainty of kind of the electrification produced on 

 :glass when it is rubbed with fur or flannel, opposite results being 

 ■obtained with different specimens. 



The following is a variation which I have not seen mentioned. 

 A strong positive charge may be given to a smooth rod of soda- 

 glass, by rubbing it gently with a certain piece of fur. Vigorous 

 rubbing, on the other hand, produces an equally good negative 

 •electrification. Thus the two sorts maybe produced in quantity 

 at one stroke, by making the friction small at first and finishing 

 ■with a vigorous pull. The half-way region of zero electrification 

 may be displaced at will. 



A piece of lead glass seems to be always positively electrified 

 ■by this particular piece of fur. F. HoDSON. 



North Eastern County School, Barnard Castle, January 28. 



THE DANGEROUS SIDE OF INDIA.^ 



AT the present time much interest attaches to the 

 North-West Frontier of India, and to Afghanistan, 

 the Beluch country and the Persian Gulf. Sir Thomas 

 Holdich's book, therefore, is opportune as well as of 

 remarkable value. It must be carefully studied by every- 

 one desirous of forming an intelligent opinion about our 

 Indi an frontier policy. The politician, the military 

 expert , the dilettante student, the thoughtful citizen of the 

 Empire, all will gain much from its well-written pages. 

 Moreover, although the chief and permanent value 

 of this admirable work is topographical, the general 

 reader merely in search of mental enjoyment will find a 

 peculiar pleasure in the vivid descriptions of stirring 

 incident and picturesque countries. The style is always 

 easy and graceful, while it rises frequently to singular 

 eloquence and poetry. Rarely are sound knowledge 

 and expert opinions offered to the public in a form at 

 once so simple and attractive. 



A cultured survey officer of the Indian Service has 

 clearly very enviable opportunities for varied experiences ; 

 but it requires a quiet observant mind, sanitary with 

 humour, to vitalise scenes and peoples as they appear 

 in this record of twenty years' work on the restless 

 Indian frontier. Of the various districts and wild folk 

 shown to us, some are more especially in one's thoughts 

 at the present moment. The political temperature of 

 parts of the Punjab frontier is just now simmering or 

 even ebullient. In Swat there is the outward aspect of 

 peace without cheerfulness. How much this is due to 

 the dominance of our big battalions in that historic 

 valley and how much it is due to the vast number of 

 strong fighting men, fierce of heart and light of foot, 

 who were killed there during the 1897-9S uprising it is 

 hard to decide. Xo one, however, seems to assert that 

 the people like our presence among them. When the 

 sullen youths shall be grown enough to strike another 

 blow for Islam, we may expect more trouble in that 



1 "The Indian Borderland, iBSo-igoo." By Colonel Sir T- Hungerford 

 :Holdich, K.C.I.E., C.B., F.S..-\., late of the Indian Survey Department. 

 Pp. xii -t- 397. (London: Methuen and Co., igoi.) 



NO. 1684, VOL. 65] 



sickly district, especially if the garrison is diminished. 

 The less fanatical Orakzais and Afridis sit complacent, 

 but watchful. Satisfied with their last display of fight- 

 ing prowess, they are ready, on the instant, to rush to the 

 rally if their freedom of rascality is threatened or their 

 subsidies are reduced. Further south, in Waziristan, 

 we have gone back to the old plan, the ancient way, of 

 surprise and counter raid, the burning of homestead and 

 tower. Also in the organisation of the new frontier 

 province, of which so much has been written. Lord 

 Curzon has reverted to more primitive methods. Com- 

 plex forms of administration have been replaced by a 

 rougher, not necessarily less efficient system. The mere 

 lawyer and the pleader are beggared in importance, and 

 the "political officer," raised aloft in power, is to be 

 mantled with responsibility. It is admittedly a putting 

 back of the clock. Curious, not always friendly, eyes 

 watch the experiinent. Its success mainly depends upon 

 the attractions dangled before the eyes of able officials 

 to draw them from easier days, and domestic joys, to 

 rugged solitary work in desolate places. Beluchistan is 

 placid and peaceful. It is the more primitive type of 

 frontier management. To this simple pattern the new 

 frontier province is to be retrograded by the forcible 

 suppression of many functions and recent developments, 

 which until now were gloried in as triumphs of British rule 

 in India. But not only are the political and ethnological 

 conditions of Beluchistan and the new frontier province 

 dissimilar, but a Sir Robert Sandeman is not the product 

 of every day. 



Then behind all these borderland experiments stands 

 dubious .Afghanistan watching curiously its new Amir, 

 full of conjecture, inoreover, about the refugee pretender 

 in the hands of the Russians, and that other refugee 

 pretender, the honoured guest of the British at Rawal- 

 pindi. It is no easy task to rule the turbulent, faithless 

 Afghan tribes, and the peaceful succession of the present 

 ruler of Kabul may be followed at any moment by some 

 wild upheaval of ambition or of revenge on the son for 

 the savage repressions of his father. Herat, and the 

 Russians peering wistfully at that coveted if somewhat 

 corroded " Key of India," must always be of anxious 

 interest to all students of the Afghan frontier and to all 

 lovers of peace. 



To understand the real value to India of all these 

 differing countries, and to estimate accurately their rela- 

 tive importance, a thorough comprehension of Sir 

 Thomas Holdich's facts and geographical opinions is an 

 essential precedent condition. He has something im- 

 portant to say on all the pressing questions concerning 

 the north-west limits of India, some solid physical basis 

 to disclose or to explain, ignorance of which must make 

 reasonable conclusions impossible. That strange diplo- 

 matic instrument the "Durand" treaty has a chapter 

 to itself Surely no more curious or less sincere arrange- 

 ment was ever concluded between the Government of 

 India and an adjoining Power. By it a definite frontier 

 line has been laid down and actually demarcated. On 

 one side of this line the Amir is to maintain order and 

 never again to throw covetous glances beyond the 

 boundary pillars which define its course. We, on our 

 part, accept responsibility for all the independent tribes 

 which intervene between the pillars and our Punjab 

 territory. The Amir can fulfil his promises, while 

 obviously we can only keep to our agreement by first 

 subjugating this wild mountain land. Misdemeanours 

 against Afghanistan by the tribes nominally under our 

 responsibility, but actually uncontrolled by us, can only 

 be punished by the Amir sending raiding parties into the 

 very country he has promised not to enter. We have 

 to wink at these flagrant violations of a solemn treaty 

 because we ourselves never had any intention of obeying 

 its terms. 



Such loose acceptances of frontier responsibility are, 



