
«= 
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SS Se eS 
Nov. 17, 1870] — 

NATURE 
53 

ment would do all that was requisite to further the objects sought. 
This decision of the Government was announced to the Royal 
Astronomical Society by the Astronomer Royal on Friday last, 
and since then, the arrangements for the Expedition have moved 
apace. There will bea ship furnished by the Government to 
carry. observers to Spain. There will be funds to convey ob- 
servers overland to Naples, and a ship to carry them on to Mes- 
sina. The various European governments have been requested to 
aid the various parties, and, generally, the influence of the Govern- 
ment is being brought to bear in every way. This taken in con- 
nection with what has appeared in these columns before, and a 
letter which the Astronomer Royal has addressed to the 
Daily News, shows that now ali the facts are out, the 
whole blame of the long delay must fall on the officers of the 
Joint Committee, who, apparently unable to perform the duties 
entrusted to them, still did not call the Committee together 
to receive instructions We should not write in so decided a 
tone on such a painful subject did we not feel that it is simply an 
act of justice to the Government to state, as plainly as our infor- 
mation enables us to do, exactly where the real blame rests. 
Ir will have been observed that Dr. Carpenter’s letter in our 
number for Oct. 27, called in question, on the authority of Sir 
R. I. Murchison, the accuracy of our report of the conversation 
which followed the reading of Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys’ paper in 
Section C of the British Association. We have communicated, in 
consequence, with Mr. Jeffreys, by whom we were favoured with 
the report in question, and who assures us that ‘‘ to the best of 
his recollection and belief the report was quite accurate as con- 
veying the purport of Sir Roderick Murchison’s remark.” While, 
therefore, we are unable to decide the relative accuracy of two 
different recollections of the same circumstance, we cannot but 
congratulate ourselves that the misunderstanding, if it were so, 
has drawn out such a full exposition of Dr. Carpenter’s views of 
the bearings of the Porcupine discoveries on modern geological 
and physico-geographical theories. 
IN addition to the notices of papers to be read at the meet- 
2 ings of the scientific societies in London, we shall be glad to 
insert in our ‘‘ Diary” the titles of those to be read at the 
leading provincial societies, when of sufficient interest, and if 
forwarded to us in good time. 
~ BrAsENoSE College, Oxford, offers an open fellowship for 
Natural Science or Mathematics in February next. Candidates 
for Natural Science must communicate with the Principal by 
letter not later than the 20th December. As this is one of 
the few colleges which have hitherto held entirely aloof from 
Natural Science, this fellowship is clear evidence that the value 
of such studies is yearly becoming more appreciated at Oxford. 

THERE will be offered for competition, at St. John’s College, | 
Cambridge, in 1871, an Exhibition of 50/. per annum for pro- | 
ficiency in Natural Science, the Exhibition to be tenable for three 
years in case the Exhibitioner have passed within two years the 
previous examination as required for candidates for honours : 
otherwise the Exhibition to cease at the end of two years. The 
candidates will be examined in (1) Chemistry, including practical 
work in the laboratory : (2) Physics, viz., electricity, heat, light ; 
(3) Physiology. They will also have the opportunity of being 
examined in one or more of the following subjects—(4) Geology, 
(5) Anatomy, (6) Botany, provided that they give notice of the 
subjects in which they wish to be examined four weeks prior to 
the examination. No candidate will be examined in more than 
three of these six subjects, whereof one at least must be chosen 
from the former group. It is the wish of the masters and seniors 
that excellence in some single department should be specially 
regarded by the candidates. They may also, if they think fit, 
offer themselves for examination in any of the classical or mathe- 

chemical laboratory without injury. 
| 
matical subjects. The Exhibitions are not limited in respect to 
the age of candidates. The examination will take place on 
April 21st and 22nd, and the names of candidates must be sent 
in at least ten days beforehand. 
THE series of science lectures addressed to working men at 
Manchester are a great success. Three weeks ago Prof. Huxley 
opened the series by a very interesting lecture on Coral Islands, 
On Wednesday se’nnight, Prof. Roscoe lectured on Spectrum 
Analysis, and this week Mr. Huggins lectured on the Spectrum 
Analysis of the Stars. These lectures, which are to be continued 
through the winter, have been literally crowded by most attentive 
audiences, and since full reports are published in the Manchester 
daily papers, there is every hope that much permanent benefit 
will be derived from them. 
THE following are the lecture arrangements at the Royal 
Institution or Great Britain for 1870-71 :—Christmas lectures 
(adapted to a juvenile auditory), Prof. Odling—Six lectures 
“On Burning and Unburning,” on Dec. 27, 29, 31, 1870; 
Jan. 3, 5, 7, 1871. Before Easter, 1871, Prof. Michael Foster— 
Eleven lectures ‘On the Nutrition of Animals,” on Tuesdays, 
Jan. 17 to March 28; Prof. Odling—Eleven lectures ‘On 
Davy’s Discoveries in Chemistry,” on Thursdays, Jan. 19 to 
March 30: Mr. W. H. Channing—Four iectures ‘‘On the 
Progress of Civilisation,” on Saturdays, Jan. 21 to Feb. 11; 
Prof. Jowett—Three lectures ‘‘On Socrates,” on Saturdays, 
Feb. 18, 25, and March 4; Mr. H. O’Neil—Four lectures “‘ On 
the Spirit of the Age,” on Saturdays, March 11 to April 1. The 
Friday evening meetings will commence on Jan. 20. The Friday 
evening discourses before Easter will probably be given by 
Profs. Tyndall and Odling, the Dean of Westminster, Mr. E. 
J. Reed, Mr. James W. Douglas, Dr. Carpenter, Capt. Noble, 
Prof. Clerk Maxwell, Mr. Norman Lockyer, and Mr. W. 
Mattieu Williams. After Easter :—Prof. J. J. Sylvester— 
Three lectures “*On Emanuel Kant,” on Tuesdays, April 18, 
25, and May 2, Mr, Charles Brooke—Two lectures ‘‘On Force 
and Energy,” on Tuesdays, May 9 and 16. Prof. Tyndall— 
Eight lectures, on Thursdays, April 20 to June 8. Mr. Norman 
Lockyer—Eight lectures ‘‘On Astronomy,” on Saturdays, 
April 22 to June Io. 
Tue British Medical Journal reports that at a meeting of a 
committee held in Edinburgh on November 7, it was stated that 
the form of the national memorial to the late Sir James Y. Simp- 
son had been agreed upon as follows: 1. A monument and 
statue in Edinburgh; 2. A marble bust in Westminster Abbey ; 
3. A hospital in Edinburgh for the diseases of women, con- 
structed on those principles which Sir James so often and so 
clearly enforced ; 4. Similar hospitals in London and Dublin, 
should sufficient funds be obtained. It was also stated that a 
sum of 1,950/, had already been subscribed. 
AFTER the conclusion of the ordinary business of the meeting of 
the Royal Medicaland Chirurgical Society on Tuesday the 8th inst., 
the meeting was made special for the purpose of confirming, or re- 
jecting, the following resolution, proposed by Mr. Paget, seconded 
by Dr. Quain, and passed at a special meeting of the Society on 
October 25th :—‘‘ That the Council be requested to consider 
whether, while maintaining the charter and constitution of the 
Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society, it may be possible to 
obtain a more complete co-operation with the Pathological, 
Obstetrical, Clinical, and Epidemiological, or other societies for 
the promotion of Medical Science.” After a lengthened debate, 
Dr. Paget’s resolution was confirmed by a small majority. 
THE Chemical News givesa short account of a convenient form 
of spectroscope for use in a laboratory, by Mr. John Browning, 
It is so constructed that it may be kept in close proximity to a 
The prism is provided with 
