492 



NA TURE 



{March 24, 1887 



diagrams, &c., were exhibited, showing the meteoro- 

 logical conditions prevailing over the various oceans of 

 the globe. The advance made in synoptic meteorology 

 over the North Atlantic was clearly shown by comparing 

 Leverrier's charts (1S64) with the daily synchronous 

 weather charts just published by the Meteorological 

 Council. The specimens exhibited of the latter were 

 (i) August 1-6, showing the meteorological conditions 

 in the summer; (2) February 9-14, showing the con- 

 ditions in the winter; and (3) February 24 to March 4, 

 showing the conditions in early spring, and the persistence 

 of the European anticyclone, producing cold dry winds 

 over England. The Meteorological Council also exhibited 

 a set of large charts showing the mean temperature of 

 the sea surface round the coasts of the British Isles for 

 each month. Dr. Mill had several interesting diagrams 

 showing the distribution of temperature in a section of 

 the Clyde sea area at seven periods from April 1886 to 

 February 1887. Mr. Abercromby exhibited forty-six photo- 

 graphs and diagrams of clouds taken in various parts of 

 the world ; and Mr. Dyason showed a number of coloured 

 drawings of clouds, cScc. The Astronomer Royal sent the 

 photographic registers of magnetic declination and hori- 

 zontal force at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, showing 

 the earthquake shock which occurred on the morning of 

 February 23. 



The most interesting of the new instruments was 

 the Watkin aneroid with open scale, by Mr. Hicks. 

 Instead of the usual one-circle of figures, the scale 

 of this instrument consists of a spiral of three 

 complete turns. On the aneroid being put under 

 an air-pump or taken up a mountain, the point of the 

 index is gradually drawn toxuards the centre, so that it 

 follows the decreasing spiral scale ; but when the index 

 moves in the opposite direction, the point moves away 

 from the centre, thus following the i/icreasing spiral. 

 This is effected by the index-hand being made to slide in 

 and out, so that one end may advance or recede from the 

 centre, and thus follow the spiral scale. Attached to the 

 spindle is a cross-piece, in which the index slides, and a 

 hollow drum fixed to the dial-plate has a flexible chain 

 or cord wound round it, the ends being fastened on the 

 projecting pins riveted to the index. Consequently, if the 

 spindle and the piece attached to it are revolved, one por- 

 tion of the chain or cord winds off the drum, the other 

 is wound on to the same extent, and the index is 

 caused to slide through the cross-piece, the direction of 

 motion being controlled by the direction in which the 

 spindle is revolved. 



MM. Richard Freres sent specimens of their self- 

 recording thermometer, hygrometer, dry and wet bulb 

 thermometers, and rain-gauge. 



A^ 



GEOGRAPHY AT THE UNIVERSITIES 

 T last, after years of apparently fruitless labour, the 

 '- Royal Geographical Society have been eminently 

 successful in persuading almost simultaneously the two 

 great English Universities to recognise geography as a 

 University study, and to make definite provision for 

 teaching it. In pursuance of a proposal made by the 

 President and Councd of the Royal Geographical Society 

 to the Vice-Chancellors of the two Universities, and of 

 the replies thereto, a deputation of a few members of 

 their Council visited Oxford and Cambridge in turns, to 

 meet delegates appointed by those Universities, in order 

 to explain their proposal more fully, and to discuss any 

 inodifications that might be suggested, The main 

 features of the proposal were, that the Royal Geographical 

 Society offered to give 150/. annually to each University 

 if they would establish a Lectureship or Readership in 

 Geography, giving the Lecturer an adequate University 

 status, and contributing, on their part, an equal sum, so 



as to raise the stipend of each Lectureship to 300/- 

 They also offered to give the two Universities a Scholar- 

 ship or Exhibition of 100/. in alternate years for geo- 

 graphical students. The Royal Geographical Society 

 was to be represented on the Board that selected the 

 Examiners, and on that which adjudged the Scholarship. 



The meeting at Oxford with delegates from that Uni- 

 versity, including the present and past Vice-Chancellors. 

 took place five weeks ago, at which the proposal was well 

 discussed and favourably entertained, subject to the fore- 

 seen difficulty of finding adequate funds from the University 

 resources ; nevertheless everything seemed in train for its 

 being eventually carried out, though after a little delay, in 

 the intended manner. An unexpected incident, however, 

 gave a new and collateral impulse, and has hurried the 

 Lectureship into existence at once. It happened that 

 the Readership in Ancient History became vacant, and 

 it seems to have occurred to those with whom the election 

 of a successor rested, that as there was a great difficulty 

 in finding funds for geography, and as a Professorship of 

 Ancient History was already in existence, and, again, as 

 ancient history was taught by most classical tutors, 

 the Readership in Ancient History might be abolished 

 without much loss, and one in geography might be with 

 propriety established in its place. There was a nearly 

 even division of opinion on the matter, but the vote for 

 geography prevailed and carried the day, and the adver- 

 tisement inviting candidates has already been published. 

 So Oxford now takes an independent line, and accepts 

 only the offer of the .Scholarship. 



The Cambridge meeting took place about three weeks 

 ago. The proposal was carefully discussed, and modi- 

 fications were asked for. At Cambridge, as at Oxford, the 

 LIniversity funds are seriously embarrassed by engage- 

 ments already entered into, chiefly connected with build- 

 ing operations ; and there seemed no way, so narrow was 

 the available surplus, of raising the whole of the annual 

 amount of 150/. in a direct form, but only 50/. of it How- 

 ever, it appeared that indirect means existed by which this 

 nominal sum would indirectly and eventually be raised to 

 even something more than the proposed amount, and an 

 amendment specifying only 50/. was therefore provision- 

 ally accepted. After this had received the approval of 

 the Council of the Royal Geographical Society, it was 

 submitted to the Council of the University of Cambridge, 

 and adopted by them in the terms of the following recom- 

 mendation :- - 



" That the approval of the Senate be given to the 

 delivery in the University in the ensuing academical 

 year of one or more courses of lectures on geography 

 by lecturers selected by the Royal Geographical So- 

 ciety, that a teacher of geography be appointed by a 

 Committee on which the Royal Geographical .Society 

 is represented, and that the Senate accept the pro- 

 posal of the Royal Geographical Society to award in 

 alternate years an Exhibition of ioo/. or prizes of 50/. 

 and 25/. That before the end of the Easter Term, 1SS8, 

 a University Lecturer in Geography be appointed, for a 

 period of five years, at a stipend of 200/. a year, of which 

 sum 50/. is to be paid out of the common University fund 

 and 150/. by the Royal Geographical Society. The 

 appointment of the Lecturer to be made by a joint Com- 

 mittee of the representatives of the Royal Geographical 

 Society and of the Council of the Senate, subject to the 

 confirmation of the Senate ; the Lecturer to submit his 

 scheme of lectures to the Committee of Management ; 

 and power is to be given to the Council of the Senate, 

 with the concurrence of the Committee of Management, 

 to cancel the appointment of the Lecturer at any time." 



This recommendation has to be submitted to the Senate 

 at the beginning of next term, but its ultimate acceptance 

 is placed almost beyond doubt through the very favourable 

 reception given to the proposals of the Royal Geographical 

 Society by the Council of the University. 



