378 



NA TURE 



\Scpt. 5, 1872 



containing Dr. Livingstone's despatches of 1870, has been 

 placed before Parliament. 



The Times of India of Aug. 9 contains the order of the local 

 Government on the report of the Madras Cyclone Committee. 

 In this order Mr. Pogson, the Government Astronomer, is 

 severely blamed for his negligence in not giving due warning of 

 the coming storm, as it was his duty and in his power to do. 

 "Mr. Pogson," the order says, "endeavours to e.'iplain this 

 omisiion as having been caused partly by an accident which 

 happened to his carriage at noon on May i, but partly also by 

 disinclination to suggest anything to the Marine Department, his 

 advice not having of late years been sought by that department. 

 It does not appear to have occurred to Mr. Pogson tliat an occa- 

 sion on which a most serious loss of life was imminent was not 

 on; for the indulgence of such susceptibilities. The Governor 

 in Council considers that Mr. Pogson has failed to justify liis 

 negligence on this occasion. It is hardly necessary that the 

 Government should, after the disastrous consequences of Mr. 

 Pogson's neglect, inform him that they expect from him in future 

 the strictest objervance of that portion of his instructions which 

 require him ' to furnish notices of approaching stormy weather, ' 

 ani that the mist essential part of his duty is constant, and, 

 when necessary, personal com-nanication with the head of the 

 Mirine Department." Tlie Marine Department and all the 

 ofti;ials connected therewith are severely blamed ; and Mr. D.rl- 

 rymple, the Master-Attendant, co-nes in for special censure on 

 ac;ount of his negligence, and especially "for omitting to remain 

 at his office during the night of May i." The Government have 

 ordered the appliance; for saving life and property to be con- 

 .siderably increased, and accept in their entirety the recommen- 

 dations of the Committee, which they resolve to adopt and 

 embody in a code of rules, which will be communicated for the 

 strictest observance by all the departments concerned. 



Ne.XT year's London International Exhibition will consist of 

 three divisions:—!. Fine Arts; 2. Manufactures; 3. Recent 

 Scientific Inventions and Discoveries of all kinds. We 

 notice tliat of the future Exhibitions that of 1874 will em- 

 brace Artificial Illuminations by all Methods ; Gas and its 

 Minufacture. 1S75. — Hydraulics and Experiments; Supply of 

 Wa'er. 1S76.— Photographic Apparatus and Photography, and 

 Piiilosophical Instruments ani Processes depending upon tlieir 

 use. 1877. — Health ; Manufactures, &c., promoting Health, 

 with Experiments. 18S0. — Chemicil Substances and Products, 

 aad Experiments ; Pharmaceutical Processes. 



We have received some official details concerning the Univer- 

 sal Exhibition t) be held at Vienna from May i to October 31, 

 1873. Iler Majesty has appointed a large British Commission, 

 headed by the Prince of Wales, to loolc after British interests in 

 coanection with this exhibition, which is exoected to be of un- 

 usual interest, on accouut of Vienna being in a measure h.alf way 

 between Eist an 1 West. The exhibition is to be held in the 

 Prater— "the Winisor Park of Vienna " — in buildings erected 

 specially for the purpose, and in the surrounding park and 

 gardens. At no previous International, to judge by the official 

 program ne, have so mmy facilities been afforded to exhibitors. 

 Especially is every encouragement given to the bringing forward 

 uf michinery of all kin is, the cost of exhibition to the owners 

 being reiueed to a minimum. If the Exhibition does not turn 

 out a s access, the blame can hardly be attributed to the Austrians. 

 All information will be given to those who desire it by Mr. Philip 

 Cunliffe Owen, Secretary to the Commission, 41, Parliament 

 Street. British exhibitors can communicate with the Austrian 

 Commission solely through the British Commission. 



A BEQUEST of 10,000 fr. has been made to the Academy of 

 Medicine in Paris by M. Fabret, for the purpose of founding a 

 prize in mental und nervous diseases. 



There has recently been formed at Amiens a Society calling 

 itself " Societe Linncenne du Nord'de la France," having for its 

 object the study of all the branches of Natural History in its 

 wide sense, and is divided into three sections— Zoology, Botany, 

 and Geology. The society will hold general meetings, as well as 

 meetings of sections, and during the favourable season will make 

 excursions for the purpose of exploring the surrounding region. 

 It intends to publish annually a volume of memoirs, and a 

 monthly Bulletin lies Sciences Naturelles. 



We are glad to be able to record the addition to the Brighton 

 Aquarium, of a specimen of Mailer's Topknot {Rhombus 

 Itirtus.) It was netted ofT the Brighton coast last week. But 

 one capture of this rSre fish off the Sussex coast is recorded by 

 Yarrell, but it is more frequently taken off the Cornish coast. 

 The interesting event is also announ;ed of the birth of a young 

 cuttle-fish, which signalised its entrance into the worli by an 

 immediate discharge of the sepia fluid. 



Some little time ago we referred to the proposed aquarium 

 for Manchester (N.\TURE, vol., v. p. 4S7). A recent report of a 

 meeting of shareholders, shows that it is hoped the, building 

 will be completed and opened next spring, and that temporary 

 buildings with the necessary tanks have been provided for the 

 reception of such marine animals and plants as can only be ob- 

 tained in the summer season. They will then become acclima- 

 tised, and the tanks can be afterwards removed to their perma- 

 nent places in the aquarium. 



The Committee for the Recording of Earthquakes in Scotland 

 reported at the British Association Meeting that none had 

 occurred within the past year. However, about the very time 

 the report was being drawn up, and a few days before it was 

 read, .Scotland was visited by quite a sharp shock, which is thus 

 described in the Scotch papers:— On Thursday, the 8 th of August, 

 an earthquake shock was felt at ten minutes past four o'clock at J 



the Bridge of Allan, and was also felt over a consider.able extent I 



of country. At Braco and Kinmuck panes of glass were broken ; 1 



at Dunblane and Bridge of Allan a number of houses were 

 severely shaken, and glass was broken on sideboards. At about 

 the same time the shock was felt in Stirling, and was attended 

 by a loud rumbling noise like thunder. It is stated that no such 

 sharp shock has been felt since 1839. In the evening a fine dis- 

 phay of aurora borealis was observed in South Wales for nearly J 

 two hours. I 



A SLIGHT shock of earthquake was felt at Cliopea, in Khan- 

 deish, on the evening of Friday, July 12, at about seven o'clock. 

 The shock lasted for about a minute, and appears to have been 

 felt at the same lime at Amalner, Dhurrangaon, Dhulia, and 

 Julgaon. Its course was from west to east. 



A SLIGHT shock of earthquake is also reported to have been 

 felt at Tripatore, in the Salem district in India, on the morning 

 of the 15 th of July. 



i 



An earthquake shock was felt along the Long Island coast on n 

 July II, and also in the northern part of Missouri, but it did no 

 damage. A good deal of fright was caused in various Long 

 Island villages. 



A VERY violent tornado passed over Philadelphia on August 

 6. It was accompanied by vivid lightning and loud peals of 

 thunder, and a tremmdou; downpour of rain. Trees were 

 blown down, houses and churches unroofed, and much damage 

 done by falling br icks and tiles, &c. No loss of life is reported, 

 but the damage to property throng hout the city is immense. 



Many of our readers will be glad to hear that Mr. Robert 

 Swinhoe, H.B.M. Consul at Ningpo, China, is recovering from 

 the serious illness which laid him prostrate about a year ago. 

 Letters wliich wore received from him by the last mail announce 



