March 27, 1884] 



NA TURE 



511 



deplored more deeply the loss of its leader, F. M. Balfour. 

 As an embryologist his fame will depend chiefly on the clear 

 interpretation he gave to some of the descriptions of the 

 German school, and to the application he made of these 

 to human embryology. An adept with his pencil as with 

 his pen, he gave e.vpression to his views in diagrams that 

 probably for many a day will help the bewildered reader. 

 Thus, though his name will not be associated with any 

 one great discovery, Ur. Thomson will be recognised as 

 a potent force in biological science during this century. 

 His own work, his judicious criticisms, his personal influ- 

 ence, his encouragement to workers, all had an important 

 part in moulding the present state of scientific thought on 

 biological questions. 



As to the man himself, those who knew him can testify 

 to the kindly courtesy, to the simplicity of address, to the 

 indescribable charm of his manner, to the warmth of his 

 friendship. He was wise in counsel and adroit in recon- 

 ciling differences amongst men. To this he owed much 

 of his social power. His finely-moulded and venerable 

 face will be much missed, but not more so than his wise 

 advice at the council board or to the yonng man who has 

 chosen a scientific career. JOHX G. McKendrick 



QUI M TIN O SELLA 

 11) Y the death of Signer Quintino Sella, to which we 

 ■'-' briefly referred last week, Italian science loses one 

 of her strongest supporters and most earnest students. 

 Although some of the best years of his life were devoted 

 to statesmanship, his early writings on mineralogy were 

 of sufficient solidity to establish for their author a very high 

 reputation. These mineralogical memoirs, contributed 

 chiefly to the Royal .Academy of Sciences of Turin, were 

 distinguished by a profound knowledge of crystallography. 

 When the Geological Survey of Italy was about to be 

 established, Signor Sella was commissioned to visit most 

 of the European countries where Surveys were in opera- 

 tion, and in lS6l he presented to Signor Cordova, then 

 Minister of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce, a 

 valuable report, " Sul Modo di fare la Carta Geo- 

 logica del Regno d'ltalia." In collecting materials 

 for that report he spent some time in this country, 

 and took the warmest interest in the work of the 

 Geological Survey. Ten years later he prepared an 

 elaborate report on the mineral wealth of Sardinia. 

 When the International Geological Congress was held 

 at Bologna in iSSi, Signor Sella, as one of the most 

 repreientative scientific men in Italy, was selected to act 

 as the president ; and those who had the advantage of 

 attending that meeting carried away with them the most 

 pleasant recollections of his courtesy. Signor Sella died 

 at Biella in Piedmont on the 14th inst. 



We direct attention to the letter from Prof. Hughes in 

 connection with a memorial to the Italian savant. 



NOTES 

 At the final meetin;^, on Saturday last, of the General Com- 

 mittee of the International Fisheries Exhibition, the balance of 

 the funds v\a3 disposed of. The surplus amounts to over 

 15,000/., and of this lo.cooA were allotted to alleviate the 

 distress of widows and orphans of sea fishermen, while 3000/. 

 were voted as an endowment to a society which is to be called 

 "The Royal Fisheries Society," whose functions will be some- 

 what similar to those of the Royal Agricultural Society ; the 

 remaining 2Coo/. are kept in reserve. 



Professors Martens, Mendeleeff, and Minaieff are to attend 

 the jubilee of Edinburgh University, as delegates from the Uni- 

 versity of St. Petersburg, and Prof. Rokhmaninoff as delegate 

 from the Univer:.ity of KiefT. 



The great gold med.-il of the Paris Geographical Society has 

 been awarded to the Deep-Sea Expeditions of the Talisman anil 

 Travaillcur ; a gold medal to M. Arthur Thouar, for his j jurney 

 across the desert of the Northern Cliaco in search of the remain, 

 of the Crevaux Expedition ; a gold medal to M. Desire Charnay, 

 for his Central American explorations, and especially his 

 researches in Yucatan. 



A urEETiNG of the Governor? of the City and Guilds ot 

 London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Educa- 

 tion was held last week for the purpose of receiving the 

 Annual Report of the Council. The chair was occupied by 

 the Lord Chancellor. The Chairman, in moving the adoption 

 of the Report, said that the Institution had arrived at a critical 

 point of time, at a point of time at which he might remind them 

 of the progress which things had made, but one, nevertheless, at 

 which it became necessary that they should recognise the import- 

 ance of proceeding energetically. With respect to the Central 

 Institution, the buildings were nearly completed, and it was ex- 

 pected that the public opening of those buildings might take 

 place in June of this year. It was proposed that four professors 

 should be appointed to the Central Institution — viz. Professors 

 of Chemistry, of Engineering, of Mechanics and Mathematics, 

 and of Physios, the whole being superintended by a Board of 

 Studies. There would be laboratories prjperly fitted up, and 

 workshops and drawing offices, all with a view to supplying 

 instruction which would combine the elements of those funda- 

 mental studies which underlay practical art. It was hoped that, 

 as lime went on, the number of exhibitions and scholarships, 

 which would enable poor and meritorious students to obtain the 

 benefits of the Institution, mi^ht increase. It was estimateil 

 that 9000/. a year would be avadable for the maintenance of the 

 Institution, and that the fees of the students would amount to 

 2000/. That would give 11,000/. as an expected present income. 

 When the grant amounted to 10,000/., and the students num- 

 bered from 150 to 200, paying in fees 5000/., the income would 

 be 15,000/., and it was estimated that that amount would be 

 required for maintaining the Institute in full working order. 

 Passing from the Central Institution to Finsbury College, the 

 Chairman said that the progress of that branch hid been very 

 sati.-factory. During the past year it had instructed 799 persons, 

 of whom too had been day students and the rest students attend 

 ing the evening classes. The day students had to pass a pre- 

 liminary examination in elementary mechanics, and there were 

 six free scholars. The South London School had an altdudance 

 of 300 students. The candidates presented for examination this 

 year w^ere 2397, being an increase over the former year of 425, 

 and the passes were 1498, showing an increase over the former 

 year of 276. They came from 104 centres, showing an increase 

 of seven centres; and they were examined, as in the former 

 jear, in thirty-seven subjects. VVhat was still more remarkable 

 was the rapid extension of the desire to have the benefit of these 

 examinations, for there were now preparing for them 5862 

 students, being an increase over those who were under similar 

 preparation in the former year of no less than 1S14. He recog- 

 nised with gratitude the liberality with which they had been 

 supported by the City Guilds and other bodies, and he could not 

 but think that those who had helped them so far would help 

 them still further. Since the report had been written, the 

 Skinners' Comp.any had increased their subscription for the year 

 1884 from 500/. to 1000/., and their donation to the building 

 fund from 20C0/. to 3000/. 



A CORRESPONDENT sends US the following : — "Thenevv scheme 

 for examinations for admission to Sandhurst which has been 

 agreed upon (it appears) by the War Office and the Civil 

 Service Commissioners must, if unmodified, work serious mis- 

 chief to scientific education in public schools in which any pro- 



