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institutions as Kew, All true and disinterested lovers of science 
would certainly second anything the Kew Committee might urgeas 
to the importance not only of theretention of the Observatory in its 
present functions, but also of a considerable expansion of them, 
We fearlessly express the opinion, that in England the attempt 
to carry on researches “of long breath” by private effort 
has signally failed, and the sooner this is acknowledged by 
scientific men the better. Our remark does not apply only to 
such researches even, for on all sides, in all branches of knowledge, 
we are conspicuous from our prominent position in the rear. It 
is not right that in England we should simply teach what Germans 
and others have discovered. 
WE greatly regret to have to record the death, at Vienna, of 
Prof. Haidinger, the eminent mineralogist. Next week we hope 
to give a sketch of his life. 
WE have already announced the proposed formation of a 
Society of Biblical Archzeology. The Society has now been 
organised, and the following papers will shortly be read, or are 
in progress :—On the relations of the Assyrian and Scriptural 
Chronology ; by Sir Henry Rawlinson, K.C.B., &c. On an 
Eclipse mentioned on the Assyrian Tablets, hitherto unidentified ; 
by Mr. H. Fox Talbot. On the Medical Science of the 
Ancient Egyptians; by Dr. S. Birch, On the Invasion of Egypt 
by adjacent Nations in the time of Menephthah I. ; by Dr. S. 
Birch. On the Ancient Connections of Egypt and Assyria ; 
by Mr. G. Smith. On Ancient Chaldean Inscriptions and their 
History ; by Mr. G. Smith. On the Caverns under Jerusalem ; 
by Mr. W. Simpson. On the Flora of Palestine ; by Mr. B. T. 
Lowne. On the Sarcophagus of Oimenephthah I, (Sethos I.) ; 
by Mr. Joseph Bonomi. We give in another column a report of 
the inaugural meeting held on the 21st inst. 
WE learn from our Paris correspondent that the leaders of the 
insurrection have suspended the publication of the Comptes Ren- 
dus, and have dismissed M. de Parville, the scientific editor of 
the Journal Offciel, Public libraries and scientific institutions 
are mostly closed, but the museums and galleries have not yet 
been pillaged. It will be seen, however, from our report in 
another column that the Académie des Sciences continues its 
sittings with uninterrupted regularity. 
WE have received a parcel of numbers of the Révue des Cours 
Scientifigues, the publication of which was also maintained during 
the Siege of Paris, though not with the same regularity as the 
Moniteur Scientifique. The numbers to hand contain many 
interesting articles on the supply of food, hygiene, surgical 
science, and other subjects incident to the state of siege. 
A SCIENTIFIC institution has, we learn from /Yarger’s Weekly, 
lately been organised in the city of Washington under the 
name of the Washington Philosophical Society, the object of 
which is to furnish to the many persons interested in science, 
and resident in Washington, the means of convenient com- 
munication with each other, in order to exchange discoveries 
and observations in different branches of learning. Many 
organisations with the same end in view have been started 
at various times in Washington, but have not been very 
successful in accomplishing their purpose, partly on account 
of the ambition of the founders in endeavouring to give to them 
too much of a national basis, and partly because the time was 
not entirely ripe for such an enterprise. It is believed that the 
prospects of the success of this new society are very good, as 
Washington possesses, at the present time, a larger number of 
specialists in the different departments of science than is to be 
found in any other city in the United States. This is easily ac- 
counted for when we bear in mind that the Coast Survey Office, 
NATURE 


[March 30, 1871 

the Patent Office, the Agricultural Department, the United States 
Medical Department, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library 
of Congress, the National Observatory, the Scientific Bureaus of . 
the War, Navy, Treasury, and Interior Departments, and other 
public bodies, all established at Washington, necessarily attract 
around them men of eminence in the various branches involved 
in the proper prosecution of their duties. Professor Henry was 
elected president of the new society, and the usual officers were 
also chosen. 
THE library of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington 
now numbers about 70,000 volumes, including pamphlets. In 
this collection are comprised complete series of the Transactions 
of many of the older societies of England and France; and 
many works which it would be almost impossible to obtain except 
by the system of exchange which the Society has organised with 
the scientific publications of societies and individuals throughout 
the civilised world, 
THE rapid decrease of food fishes on certain parts of the sea- 
coast and in the lakes of the United States has fora long time been 
a subject of much solicitude to thoughtful persons : and various 
causes have been suggested for this state of affairs, and remedies 
proposed for its correction. Laws have been passed by most of 
the New England States, and by the British provinces, regulating 
and protecting the fish and fisheries in the inland waters ; but as 
the jurisdiction of the States does not extend over the high seas, 
no special effort has been made on their part to protect the 
marine species by legal enactments. In view of the difficulty re- 
ferred to, a bill was introduced at the last session of Congress 
providing for the appointment of a Commissioner of Fish and 
Fisheries on the part of the United States, to make inquiries as 
to the alleged facts, and to report upon the same to Congress, 
together with any suggestions for legislative action in the premises, 
and the President has just appointed Professor Baird, of the 
Smithsonian Institution, as the Commissioner in question, with 
instructions to enter immediately upon the discharge of his 
duties, 
WE regret to learn from a letter from Cairo that Dr. Gedge, 
the medical man and naturalist of the Viceroy’s expedition under 
Sir S. Baker, fell sick some considerable distance above Khar- 
toum. He was sent back, but did not get farther than Khartoum, 
where he died of acute mania. Mr. Wood, Sir S. Baker's 
secretary, was also, on account ofsickness, obliged to return, and 
is now under medical care in Cairo, The last news from Sir S. 
Baker is to the effect that he is still endeavouring to make a pas- 
sage through a part of the river that is filled up with dead trees 
and mud for two or three miles. This is situated about 6° N, 
lat. . 
EXAMINATIONS in connection with the Exeter Science Classes 
will take place at the Albert Memorial Museum on the follow- 
ing dates :—Inorganic Chemistry, May 4th ; Animal Physiology, 
5th; Machine Construction and Drawing, also Building Con- 
struction, 6th ; Mathematics, Stage 1, 2, 3, May 8th; Physical 
Geography, 9th ; Acoustics, Light, and Heat, roth; Navigation 
and Geology, 11th ; Magnetism and Electricity, 12th ; Theoreti- 
cal Mechanics, 16th; Applied Mechanics, 20th; Vegetable 
Physiology, 18th ; Systematic Botany, 12th ; Mathematics, Stage 
4, 5, May 2oth, 
AT the recent annual meeting of the American Geographical 
and Statistical Society, Prof. D. C. Gilman, of Yale College, 
devoted his annual address to a sketch of the last ten years of 
geographical work in America. He referred especially to the 
publication by the Maine Historical Society of an elaborate 
treatise by Dr. J. G. Kohl on the early voyages to America ; the 
topographical work of the United States’ Coast Survey ; the new 
