Pch. 24, 1 88 7] 



NA TURE 



599 



mechanics (principally Poisson's). In 1S20 they made a 

 translation of Lacroix's " DitTerential Calculus," and they 

 prepared a volume of " Examples of the DitTerential and 

 Integral Calculus." These were extensively studied ; but 

 the form of the College exaininations or the University 

 examinations was not, I think, influenced by them in the 

 winter 1820-21 or the two following terms. But in the 

 winter 1S21-22 Peacock was one of the Moderators ; and 

 in the Senate- House Examination, January 1822, he 

 boldly proposed a paper of important questions entirely 

 in the differential calculus. This was considered as 

 establishing the new system in the University. In 

 January 1823 I think the two systems were mingled. 

 Though I was myself subject to that examination, I 

 grieve to say that I have forgotten many of the details, 

 except that I well remember that some of the questions 

 referred to Newton, Book III., on the lunar theory. To 

 these I have already alluded. 



No other work occurs to me as worthy of mention, 

 except Woodhouse's " Lunar Theory," entirely founded 

 on the-diflerential calculus. The style of this book was not 

 attractive, and it was very little read. 



From this time to the times of which Mr. Glaisher 

 treats, there were successive books on the new system, 

 but none, I think, which can be cited as producing a 

 marked effect in the Universitv. G. B. Airy 



NOTES 

 The University of Bologna has decided to celebrate its eight 

 hundredth anniversary in the spring of 188S. The exact date 

 of its foundation cannot, indeed, be determined, but all 

 authorities on the subject agree that an important school 

 was established at Bologna in the eleventh century. After- 

 wards the University took a great place as the chief 

 centre for the study of jurisprudence, and there also anatomy 

 was for the tirst time scientifically studied. The foremost Uni- 

 versuies of Europe and America will no doubt be glad to take 

 this opportunity of testifying their respect for so ancient and 

 famous an institution. 



.\r their meeting on February 3 the President and Council of 

 the Royal Society adopted the following resolutions concerning 

 the publication of the Philosophical Transactions : — That the 

 Transactions be published in two independent series, one {a) 

 containing those papers which are of a mathematical or physical 

 character, the other (/') those of a biological character ; that the 

 papers in each series form a yearly volume, paged continuously 

 (though issued in parts if the Secretaries find it convenient), but 

 that each paper be also published separately in paper covers as 

 soon as it is ready for publication ; and that Fellows have the 

 option of receiving one or both of the yearly volumes, or, should 

 they prefer it, each sep.arate paper of either or both series, or the 

 whole of one series and any separate paper of the other series, 

 immediately on publication. These resolutions are to take elTect 

 with the volume for the present year. 



A Committee, lately appointed by the College of Physicians 

 of Edinburgh, has reported in favour of the establishment and 

 maintenance, by the College, of a laboratoiy for the prosecution 

 of original research. The Committee proposes that the College 

 shall vote from its capital 1000/. for the establishment of this 

 laboratory, and, year by year, a sum not exceeding a third of 

 the clear surplus of annual income over annual expenditure for 

 its maintenance, including the payment of salaries The super- 

 intendent, it is thought, should devote his time wholly to the 

 direction and prosecution of scientific research in the laboratory ; 

 and it is suggested that an assistant experienced in microscopic 

 work should be engaged to reside on the premises. The Commit- 

 tee is of opinion that ihe laboratory should be open without fee 

 to Fellows of the College, to members, and to any licentiate. 



medical man, or investigator who may, by testimoni.xl or other- 

 wise, be able to show that he is a fit person to use the laboratory 

 for purposes of scientific research. Jloreover, the Committee 

 recommends that, if there should be sufiicient funds after pay- 

 ment of expenses, a medal and money-prize (not exceeding 

 ' twenty guineas) should be offered for original work. It is under- 

 i stood that this admirable scheme will be adopted, and we may 

 I hope that the example set by the Edinburgh College will soon 

 be followed by the English College of Surgeons and College 

 of Physicians. 



A COR RESPONDENT Writes to us from Tashkend that on 

 November 29 last, at 9.12 a.m., a violent shock of earthquake 

 was felt there, accompanied by a great noise like thunder. 

 The people were much frightened, and the majority of the 

 buildings were more or less injured. Light shocks were felt 

 also on December 3, and on January 9 and 16. 



On the isth of January last there was in some parts of Japan 

 the most severe earthquake that has been experienced there 

 since February 22, 1S80. It fetched down a number of chimneys 

 and parts of roofs in Yokohama, but in Tokio (eighteen miles 

 distant) it only broke a few vases an<l created alarm. The im- 

 portant and peculiar feature of the disturbance was that it 

 had a long period and large amplitude. At the Imperial 

 Observatory at Tokio, where a number of "Gray-Milne 

 seismographs " are employed, the pointers of the instrument 

 were seen to move for nearly ten minutes. We learn from the 

 Japan Gaz.tle that the disturbance was felt at Tokio at 6h. 51m. 

 59s. p.m., commencing in a series of small waves. The greatest 

 horizontal movement was I9'2 mm. (about J inch). The time 

 taken to describe the largest wave was 2 '3 seconds. The 

 vertical motion had a range of J'S mm. (about J inch), and 

 its period was 'S seconds. Altogether there were 60 distinct 

 waves, and the maximum velocity with which the earth moved 

 to and fro was 26 mm., or about I inch per second. At 

 Tokio people felt the motion as if they had been on a slowly- 

 moving floating pier, and in many cases it provoked a sensa- 

 tion of nausea. The general distribution of destruction at 

 Yokohama was similar to that which took place in 1880. The 

 Japan Gazette, however, points out that many chimneys stand- 

 ing on ground which in 1880 suffered severely were this time 

 uninjured. This "anomaly," it thinks, may be explained by 

 the fact that the owners of these chimneys took advantage of the 

 experience they gained in 1880, and rebuilt their chimneys with 

 a special view to their safety. 



The Right Hon. G. Sclater Booth, M.P., has accepted the 

 Presidentship of the Congress of the Sanitary Institute of Great 

 Britain, to be held at Bolton in September next. 



On March 6 a century will have elapsed since the birth of the 

 celebrated optician, Joseph von Fraunhofer, at Straubing, in 

 Lower Bavaria. Preparations are being made in Munich for 

 the due celebration of the day. 



In the eleventh annual Report of the President of 

 the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Dr. Oilman 

 is able to give a very satisfactory account of the progress 

 made by the institution since its establishment in 1876. 

 Much of its success, he thinks, is due to the system 

 of Fellowships. Every year twenty young men who have 

 given evidence of their attainments and of intellectual promise 

 are selected by the authorities as Fellows, and are encouraged to 

 devote all their time to the study of some branch of knowledge 

 in which they have already shown proficiency. During the first 

 ten years this honour has been bestowed upon 130 persons. 

 Their names and the stations to which they have been called 

 have been frequently printed, and Dr. Gilman says a scrutiny of 

 the list will show that it contains the names of many excellent 

 scholars. While resident at the University, the Fellows are 



