546 



NATURE 



[January i6, 1913 



of work. As the first international meeting was 

 engaged in the discussion of Ihe theories of radia- 

 tion, "it is proposed this year to assist preferentially 

 researches on the general phenomena of radiation, 

 comprising Rontgen rays and the rays from radio- 

 active bodies, general molecular theory, and 

 theories of units of energy. The grants will be 

 awarded without distinction of nationality by the 

 administrative committee of the institute on the 

 recommendation of the international scientific 

 committee. 



The administrative committee is composed of 

 Profs. P. Heger, E. Tassel, and J. E. Verschaffelt, 

 of Brussels ; the scientific committee is composed 

 of H. A. Lorentz (Haarlem), Mme. Curie (Paris), 

 M. Brillouin (Paris), R. B. Goldschmidt (Brussels), 

 H. Kamerlingh-Onnes (Leyden), W. Nernst 

 (Berlin), E. Rutherford (Manchester), E. Warburg 

 (Berlin), and M. Knudsen, secretary (Copenhagen). 



The requests for subsidies should be addressed 

 before February i, 1913, to Prof. H. A. Lorentz, 

 Zijlweg 76, Haarlem, Holland. They should be 

 accompanied by definite information on the 

 problem to be attacked, the methods to be em- 

 ployed, and the sum required. Definite regula- 

 tions have been drawn up for the administration 

 of the institute and for the periodical change of 

 the members of the international scientific com- 

 mittee, which are intended to be representative 

 of the active scientific workers in physics and 

 chemistry in Europe. 



Mr. Ernest Solvay has in the past been a very 

 generous supporter of science, and has been 

 responsible for the endowment of several scientific 

 institutes in Brussels. The new Solvay Inter- 

 national Institute, which is due entirely to the 

 generosity of Mr. Solvay, is unique in character, 

 and promises to be of great value to science. It 

 will offer an admirable opportunity for scientific 

 men of all nations to meet together and to ex- 

 change views on questions connected with physics 

 and chemistry, and to obtain a consensus of 

 opinion as to the best direction in which grants 

 should be given to extend or deepen our knowledge 

 of special subjects. As the funds available for 

 distribution are limited, the decision of the com- 

 mittee to restrict the grants for each year to 

 investigations in a special department of science 

 seems a wise one, and should be more fruitful in 

 results than if the money were distributed in small 

 sums over a wide field of scientific inquiry. The sub- 

 jects for which grants are available will, no doubt, 

 be changed from time to time in accordance with 

 the decision of the international committee. 



E. Rutherford. 



THE BIRMINGHAM MEETING OF THE 

 BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 



THE arrangements for the forthcoming meet- 

 ing of the British Association in Birmingham 

 are being actively proceeded with, and the follow- 

 ing provisional statement shows how matters 

 stand. 



Among the new features of the British Associa- 



NO. 2255, VOL. 90] 



tion meeting at Birmingham in September next 

 there will be a complete series of "Citizens' Lec- 

 tures." These are intended to give working men 

 and women the opportunity of taking part in the 

 association's meeting. They will be held each 

 evening (except the first evening and Sunday even- 

 ing) and will constitute a perfectly distinct branch 

 of work from the regular activities of the 

 association. 



In view of the central and accessible position of 

 Birmingham, a large attendance of members is 

 anticipated, and a local fund of 6000Z. is being 

 raised in order that the arrangements may be 

 worthy of the city. A sum of 4000L has already 

 been promised as the result of a private canvass, 

 and a public appeal for the remainder has just 

 been issued. 



The meeting will commence on Wednesday, 

 September 10^ after an interval of twenty-seven 

 years since the last visit to Birmingham. The usual 

 opening business meetings will then be held, and 

 will be followed by the inaugural address of the 

 president (Sir William White, K.C.B.) in the 

 evening. On Thursday, September 11, the sec- 

 tional meetings will commence, and the programme 

 includes an evening reception by the Lord Mayor 

 (Lieutenant-Colonel E. Martineau) at the Council 

 House. On the Friday, in addition to the usual 

 programme of sectional and committee work, there 

 will probably be a reception at the new University 

 Buildings, Bournbrook, and special arrangements 

 will be made to show members over the various 

 scientific departments. In the evening one of two 

 discourses will be given. 



The excursions" on the Saturday will include 

 Stratford, Coventry, Kenilworth, Warwick, and 

 Shrewsbury ; whilst special expeditions wiU be 

 arranged for archreologists, botanists, geologists, 

 and geographers. On the Sunday there will be 

 special services at the Cathedral and other places 

 of worship. The following day there will be an 

 entertainment given by the local committee. On 

 Tuesday, September 16, the draft programme 

 includes a conference of delegates, a garden party 

 in the afternoon, and the delivery of the second 

 discourse in the evening. The usual closing busi- 

 ness meetings will be held on Wednesday, 

 September 17. 



LORD HALDANE ON EDUCATIONAL 

 ORGANISATION. 



THE announcement made by the Lord Chan- 

 cellor on Friday last, in replying to the toast 

 of his health as the guest of the Manchester 

 Reform Club, will be welcomed by all who have 

 the interests of English education at heart. 

 Speaking after consultation with the Prime 

 Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and 

 the President of the Board of Education, Lord 

 Haldane said the next great social problem with 

 which the Government intends to deal is education 

 and its organisation. .\s readers of Nature will 

 know, the British Science Guild and other import- 

 i ant bodies working for the provision of a properly 



