September 28. 1911] 



NATURL 



441 



I failure in the braze of a steam-pipe on a steamer, under- 

 taken at the instance of the Board of Trade. The failure 

 was due to corrosion following certain well-defined lines 

 in the brass, and he traced the cause of these lines to the 

 presence of small quantities of lead and tin in the original 

 brazing spelter. The lead-tin alloy, separating out between 

 the crystals of brass, formed planes of weakness that gave 

 access to the corroding solutions, and this brought about 

 the gradual corrosion of the entire brazing material. 



A paper by Dr. Walter Rosenhain and Mr. S. L. Arch- 

 butt, on the alloys of aluminium and zinc, described a 

 detailed investigation of the constitution of the alloys of 

 aluminium and zinc which was undertaken in connection 

 with an extended research on the light alloys of aluminium. 

 A series of cooling curves were taken at a slow rate of 

 cooling, and in many cases the ingots of the alloys were 

 subjected to prolonged annealing before the cooling curves 

 were taken. The microscopic examination of the cooled 

 alloys was supplemented by the study of specimens which 

 had been annealed and quenched at definite temperatures. 

 The results were embodied in an equilibrium diagram 

 which differs from the diagram of Shepherd ; these differ- 

 ences result from the discovery of the existence of the 

 definite compound Al.Zu., which has a stable existence 

 only between 443° C. and 256 C. 



It was urged by Mr. Paul T. Bruhl in a paper on the 

 corrosion of brass, with special reference to condenser 

 tube--, that so important a subject as the corrosion of brass 

 by sea water should induce steamship companies to keep 

 records bearing on the subject. The conclusions arrived at 

 by the author were : — That the presence of air or an in- 

 crease of temperature up to a certain point accelerate 

 corrosion. That iron, nickel, and small amounts of lead 

 are injurious; tin up to about 1 per cent., large amounts 

 of lead, and aluminium are useful in diminishing corrosion. 

 That the inlet pipe and the condenser plates should prefer- 

 ably be made of brass. That the condenser should be pro- 

 tected against stray currents. Protective coatings are not 

 recommended. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



St. Andrews. — Mr. W. O. Redman King has been 

 appointed demonstrator in zoology and lecturer on embryo- 

 logy, in succession to Dr. J. R. Tosh, who has returned 

 to Australia. 



Birmingham. — A lectureship in civic design and town 

 planning has been established in the University of Birming- 

 ham. The cost will be defrayed by the Bournville Village 

 Trust, which was founded by Mr. George Cadbury as a 

 practical attempt to solve the problem of the housing of 

 the less wealthy classes. Mr. Raymond Unwin, who is 

 well known for his work in connection with the Garden 

 City at Letchworth and the Hampstead Garden Suburb, 

 has accepted the lectureship for the first year, and will 

 begin his course during the present session. The lecture- 

 ship will be associated with the department of civil 

 engineering, but it is hoped that students of other faculties 

 will take advantage of the lectures, especially those who 

 are working in the course on social study. 



The new science buildings at Shrewsbury School, which 

 have been erected at a cost of 2500Z., will be opened on 

 October 20 by Dr. Francis Darwin, F.R.S. 



On Wednesday, October 4. at 4 p.m., a public inaugural 

 lecture will be delivered at King's College (University of 

 London) by Dr. William Brown on " Emotions and 

 Morals." The chair will be taken by Prof. James Sullv. 



By the will of the late Lord James of Hereford, the sum 

 of 3500/. is bequeathed to the governing body of Chelten- 

 ham College for the purpose of founding " James of Here- 

 ford " scholarships at that school. Lord James of Here- 

 ford was president of the council of the school. 



Mr. M. Greenwood, jun., will begin a course of lectures 

 and demonstrations on " Statistical Methods and their 

 Applications in Preventive Medicine and Pathology " at the 

 Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine on Monday, 

 October 16. at 5 p.m. This course is open, without fee, to 

 all medical men and to others interested in the subject. 

 NO. 2 1 87. VOL. 87] 



Four lectures on " Flies as Carriers of Disease " will 

 be delivered on Tuesday-Friday, October 10, 11, 12, and 

 13, by Dr. F. M. Sandwith, Gresham professor of physic. 

 1 he lectures will be delivered at the City of London 

 School, Victoria Embankment, E.C. ; they are free to the 

 public, and will begin each evening at six o'clock. 



The calendar for the sixty-third session, that of the 

 present academic year, of the Bedford College for Women 

 gives full particulars of the varied arrangements for the 

 higher education of women made at this constituent college 

 of the University of London. Bedford College was recog- 

 nised in 1900 as a school of the University in the faculties 

 of arts and sciences, and it is further recognised for pre- 

 liminary medical studies and for advanced medical studies 

 in chemistry and physiology. The college cooperates in 

 a scheme of inter-collegiate teaching with other colleges of 

 the University for honours and post-graduate work. We 

 notice that the new buildings for the college at York 

 Gate, Regent's Park, London, will, it is hoped, be ready 

 for occupation next year. 



The eighty-ninth session of Birkbeck College com- 

 menced on Wednesday, September 27, with an opening 

 address by Sir William Tilden, F.R.S. The class- 

 rooms, &c, were afterwards open for inspection, and 

 there was an exhibition in the art school. The 

 college is conducted in relation with the University of 

 London ; classes are held both in the day and evening ; 

 thirty members of the staff are recognised teachers of the 

 University. There is a very complete curriculum for 

 chemistry, physics, mathematics, botany, zoology, and 

 geology. The laboratories are well equipped with modern 

 apparatus and appliances, and research work is encouraged 

 in all the science departments. According to the calendar, 

 more than 140 students passed some examination of the 

 University during the last session ; forty-seven took degrees 

 in arts or science, twenty-one with honours, two the LL.B. 

 degree, one with honours, and several students gained dis- 

 tinction at other universities. 



The Bethnal Green Free Library was founded in 1876 

 to meet the requirements of a crowded working class and 

 poor borough, and is supported entirely by voluntary con- 

 tributions. The main library now contains more than 

 30,000 volumes ; the lending section has 8000 more. Com- 

 mercial, evening, and other classes are held, and free 

 instruction in design, brushwork, needlework, &c, is given 

 to young girls. To earnest students the library is scarcely 

 less than a local British Museum, where skilled artisans 

 may find technical books of service to them in their trades. 

 Free lectures and concerts provide healthful recreation. A 

 deficiency in the annual income of 200!. is causing the 

 council some anxiety. In order that the work shall not 

 suffer in any department, the council has opened a reserve 

 fund of io.oooZ., and to this the present King has sub- 

 scribed. Both Queen Victoria, King Edward VII., and 

 Queen Mary also extended their favour to this institute. 

 Donations to the general fund may be sent to the librarian, 

 or to Mr. F. A. Bevan, treasurer, 54 Lombard Street, and 

 Mr. Stephen A. Gard, honorary secretary, will receive 

 - to the reserve fund. 

 The announcements for the present session of the 

 Northampton Polytechnic Institute, Clerkenwell, London, 

 show that day and evening courses have been arranged in 

 mechanical and electrical engineering, in electro-chemistry, 

 technical optics, and horology. The engineering courses 

 include automobile work, aeronautics, and radio-telegraphy. 

 Several new developments have been arranged. In the 

 electrical engineering department, the new generating 

 station, which was opened last winter, is now available 

 for the instruction of senior students. The equipment of 

 this station is very completp in all details of the genera- 

 tion and distribution of continuous and alternating current. 

 In the mechanical engineering department the equipment 

 for experimental work in aeronautics has been increased, 

 and it is hoped that work of a research character will be 

 done during the coming winter. New departures have 

 been made in the day work of the technical chemistry and 

 of the horological departments by the institution of morn- 

 ing classes for apprentices in workshops. In these classes 

 students, all of whom are engaged in commercial work- 

 shops, are in attendance from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 



