March 3, 1870 | 
NABORL, 
463 
society. The most important are Mr. Powrie’s description of 
the fish remains of the Old Red sandstone rocks of Forfarshire ; 
Mr. Robert Brown’s paper ‘‘On the geographical distribution 
and physical characteristics of the coal-fields of the North Pacific 
coast ;” and Mr. Croll’s notice of two river channels buried under 
drift. Mr. Powrie’s paper is illustrated with five plates of 
roughly executed, but tolerably characteristic figures. The part 
also contains a biographical notice of the late Prof. J. D. Forbes. 
The American Gaslight Fournal and Chemical Repertory states 
that Professor Loomis, who claims to have discovered a way to 
transmit messages by electrical air currents without the aid of 
wires, wants to be appointed Consul to some European port, that 
he may experiment on the summit of Mont Blanc. 
For many years it has been a query whether the electric 
current might not be brought so far under man’s control as to 
take the place of steam as a motor for machinery, and success 
has at last crowned the persevering efforts of scientists. At the 
last exhibition of the American Institute, there was seen an 
elliptic lock-stitch sewing machine, driven by a small electric 
engine which might easily be put into.a common hat box, <A 
series of eight magnets are set on the periphery ofa circle, and 
around these revolves an armature of steel, which is continuously 
propelled by the magnetic action, and thus operates the 
machinery that moves the needle. Connection with this motor is 
had by means of a small slide within easy reach of the operator, 
at whose will the current may be cut off entirely, or the speed 
of the needle graduated as may be desired. ‘The use of this 
motor, if it becomes general, eannot fail to prove of the utmost 
benefit to ladies, especially to machine operators, as it does away 
entirely with the necessity for using the feet, as is now the case, 
and must be highly conducive to the health of females, who 
suffer from many diseases that are generated by the constant 
strain on the pedal and limb muscles. The inventor of the 
engine in question is Charles Gaume. 
A LARGE chemical laboratory is projected at Harvard. 
library building is also to be greatly enlarged. 
The 
WE regret to learn that a wing of the Emperor’s Palace in 
Pekin has been burned, containing the Imperial printing-office, 
with large stores of books and block-types. The books printed 
at the Imperial cost for the last two centuries have issued from 
this printing office. 
Prof. W. H. Miller, of Cambridge, has been elected a correspon- 
dent of the French Academy of Sciences, in place of Prof. Fournet, 
of Lyons. The other candidates were MM. Abich ; G. Bischoff ; 
A. Boué; Dana; v. Dechen; Domeyko; J. Hall; v. Hauer; 
vy. Helmersen; C. T. Jackson Kjerulf; v. Kokscharow; F. 
Romer ; Scacchi; A. Sismonda; Studer, and Sir W. Logan. 
THE Cleveland correspondent of the £ygineer states that 
operations are in progress for working upon a large scale the salt 
deposits underlying Middlesborough. 
WHATEVER may be the case in our own country, it is gratify- 
ing to see that there exists in France considerable sympathy 
between scientific and literary men. Professor Sars, the late 
eminent zodlogist at Christiansen, left a large family in very im- 
poverished circumstances; and an appeal for their relief was 
made in our columns by Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, from his personal 
knowledge of the case, to the naturalists and geologists of Great 
Britain. This appeal was seconded in France by M. Alglave, 
inhis Rezwe des Cours Scientifigues ; and the result has been 
highly successful in both countries. It must tend to foster and 
increase the sentiment allied to that of freemasonry which ani- 
mates men of science everywhere without regard to nationality, 
But in France this charitable movement has not been confined 
to scientific men. M. Emile Girardin, in Za Liberté, has adyo- 
cated it with his usual ability and energy; and in the list of 
French subscribers to the fund are the names of his Excellency 
M. Segris, the Minister of Public Instruction, M. Villemessant, 
the Chief Editor of Figaro, Alexandre Dumas, fils, the Society 
“des amis des lettres” at Paris, the Stanislaus Literary Society 
at Nancy, Clery the painter, Z’Zcho de la Sarbonne, and many 
others of a similar kind. Let us hope that science, arts, and 
letters may be associated here also on the same friendly footing, 
each promoting the objects of the other, and all working together 
although placed in different grooves of the machine. 
Ar the annual general meeting of University College, London, 
Mr. George Grote presided, and the following students of the 
College, who had ‘‘passed distinguished examinations for Uni- 
versity degrees,” some at London alone, others at Cambridge as 
well as at London, were admitted Fellows of the College on the 
nomination of the Council:—in Arts, Mr. Numa Edward 
Hartog, Mr. Alfred Slater West, Dr. Richard Francis Weymouth, 
and Mr. Augustus Samuel Wilkins ; in Medicine or Science, 
Dr, Henry Charlton Bastian, Mr. Marcus Beck, Dr. Frederick 
George Finch, and Dr. Edward Lloyd Harries Fox. 
Dr. J. H. GLADsTONE will bring the subject of ‘‘ Indices of 
Refraction” before the next meeting of the Chemical Society. 
Tue Board of Trinity College, Dublin, has nominated the 
Rey. T. Leslie, F.T.C.D., to the Professorship of Natural Philo- 
sophy in Trinity College. 
THE President, vice-Presidents, and Committee of the Quekett 
Microscopical Club have issued cards for a conversazione on 
Friday evening the 11th, at eight o’clock. 
WE learn with much regret that the celebrated botanist, Prof. 
Fr. Unger, died suddenly on February 13th, at Gratz. 
We hear that the number of candidates for the place of 
Assistant-Registrar about to be created at the University of 
London is very great. Among them are men of high position 
and attainments, who are perhaps desirous to obtain a footing in 
London. ‘They will know their fate ere long, for the choice of 
the Senate is to be made in the course of this month. 
WE hear that the ‘‘Ladybirds” which excited so much 
curiosity last autumn, have reappeared in large numbers in the 
neighbourhood of New Wandsworth. So early an appearance 
will surprise most of us who have been wont to regard these 
visitors as summer guests. 
WE learn from the Atheneum that the Société de Géographie 
has awarded the Empress’s new prize of 10,000 francs to M. de 
Lesseps, and that he has given the money as a contribution to 
the Society’s projected expedition into equatorial Africa. 
THE Pall Mall Gazette reports that all the medical men con- 
nected with the case of the Welsh fasting girl were to appear 
last Monday before the justices at Llandyssil, to answer the 
charge of ‘‘ wilfully killing and slaying” Sarah Jacobs, the pro- 
secution being instituted by the Government. 
Norice is given that at the annual election of fellows to be 
held in October next at the University of Cambridge, one fel- 
lowship will be given for proficiency in the natural sciences. 
The examination will be held in the latter half of the month of 
September, on days hereafter to be fixed. The subjects for ex- 
amination will be those appointed for the natural sciences tripos. 
The competition for this fellowship will be open to any member 
of the University who shall have attained the degree of B.A., 
B.L., or M.B., and whose standing after such degree shall not 
exceed three years. 
WE have received from the Canadian Government Emigra- 
tion Office the Year Book and Almanac of Canada for 1870, 
containing statistics and other useful information relating to 
British North America, and a map showing the railways and 
their principal connections, 
THE current number of the Revie des Cours Scientifigues 
contains a translation of Mr. Carruthers’ lecture at the Royal 
