Jnly 29, 1880] 



NA TURE 



29s 



His treatise "Des Phenomenes d'Hybridite dansle Genre 

 humain" appeared in 1858 and 1 8 59, and in iS64was 

 translated into English. 



Among the great number of memoirs may further be 

 mentioned: " L'Intelligence des Animaux et le R&gne 

 humain," "La pnStendue Degdnerescence de la Population 

 fran<;aise," a brilliant plea for the French nation, 

 " L'Ordre des Primates : Parallele anatomique de THomme 

 et des Singes," " Recherches sur I'lndice Nasal," ''Etude 

 sur la Constitution des Vertfebres caudales chez les Pri- 

 mates sans Queue," " Les Troglodytes de la Vdzere," " La 

 Race Celtique ancienne et moderne," " Etude sur les 

 Propriiftes hygromdtriques des Cranes," "Sur I'Origine 

 et la Repartition de la Langue basque," "Recherches sur 

 rindice orbitaire," "Sur 1' Angle orbito-occipital." 



The practical results of a good deal of Dr. Broca's 

 anthropological researches are found in his " Instruc- 

 tions," forming two separate volumes ; one, for the anthro- 

 pological study of the living, appeared for the first time 

 in 1S64, and has been re-edited several times since; the 

 other, particularly on craniology and craniometry, was 

 published in 1875. Another valuable memoir is that on 

 the," Indices de Largeur de I'Omoplate rhez THomme, les 

 Singes et dans la Sdrie des Mammiferes," in which he 

 opened up new views on the comparative anatomy of 

 races and mammals. One of Dr. Broca's last works was 

 his important study on the " Variations craniometriques 

 €t de leur Influence sur les Moyennes," &c. 



The greatest glory of Broca is perhaps the foundation 

 of the Anthropological Society of Paris in 1859. The 

 perseverance and talent of the founder surmounted all the 

 difficulties and troubles of every kind which threatened in 

 the beginning the existence of the society, which now, 

 after nearly one-and-twenty years, is flourishing as one of 

 the first learned societies in Europe. During these long 

 years Broca was the soul of the anthropological move- 

 ment in France ; nay, we may say that his influence 

 extended far beyond his own country, and that the study 

 of man in other civilised countries has been followed 

 after his method. In reality Broca was at the same time 

 the founder of a new and excellent anthropological 

 school : his method of anthropometry, itc, as expounded in 

 the " Instructions " above-mentioned, is now followed by 

 the great majority of anthropologists. But this was not 

 enough for the indefatigable zeal of the eminent scholar ; 

 in 1872 he commenced to publish the Rcvu; d' Anthro- 

 pologic, one of the best organs on the science of man. 

 Many of his own works have been published in it. 



Broca's last and greatest work was the foundation in 

 1876 of the now celebrated Ecole d' Anthropologic in 

 Paris, with a first-rate museum, laboratories, library, and 

 a complete course of anthropological lessons given by 

 more than half-a-dozen professors, among whom are 

 de Mortillet, Bertillon, and Topinard. Broca himself 

 taught the comparative anatomy of the Primates. 



The laboratories above-mentioned belong at the same 

 time to the Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes since 1868. 



Broca, the scholar, philosopher, and statesman, died on 

 the field of honour, in the midst of his work, in the vigour 

 of life. Though dead, his work will never perish ; man 

 dies, but science remains. His illustrious example will 

 continue to enlighten the path of those who follow the 

 imperishable footprints he has left. 



H. F. C. ten"K.\te 



THE WOOLWICH GUNS 

 A PETITION signed by several men well known in 

 ■^~*- the field of mechanical science and presented to the 

 House of Commons last week contains many points to 

 which it is important that public attention should be 

 directed. The memorialists state their belief that the 

 system of hea\7 ordnance now in use and known as the 

 Woolwich system is inefficientand dangerous, that, con- 



sidering the increasing dependence of the nation for food 

 supply upon its command of the sea, it is evidently unsafe 

 to neglect any of the opportunities which the mechanical 

 skill and manufacturing resources of the country afford 

 for securing the best weapons of offence and defence for 

 our fleet and our army; "that, having regard to the 

 advances constantly being made by private manufacturers 

 in this and other countries, and to the ordnance actually 

 in use or in course of construction for the other Powers of 

 Europe and America, your petitioners look with dismay 

 upon the defects of the English heavy guns, and they are 

 of opinion that these defects seriously endanger our naval 

 supremacy and our national safety." Further the peti- 

 tioners maintain that it is not right that the heads of the 

 manufacturing department, which is in competition with 

 outside manufacturers, should be the official advisers of 

 her Majesty's Government as regards new inventions, 

 and that the defects in our present system of ordnance 

 arise and are likely to continue from the absence of 

 independent criticism, and in consequence of the 

 technical advisers of the Government being the same 

 persons as those who either are or have been in charge 

 of the manufactories responsible for these defects ; that 

 there are in existence several systems of oidnance superior 

 to the Woolwich system, and that it is of national import- 

 ance that private establishments for the production of 

 arms of all kinds should be encouraged and should not 

 be crushed by giving a virtual monopoly to the Govern- 

 ment establishments, but that the private trade and the 

 Government factories should rather serve as reserves to 

 one another. 



The principal issues thus raised may be very shortly 

 stated. If we want the best guns, can they be obtained 

 better from a Government manufactory carefully fenced 

 round by official jealousy, or can a better article be pro- 

 cured by open competition amongst private manu- 

 facturers? Is it impossible for the technical advisers of 

 the Government to select from the enormous mass of 

 inventions and improvements offered to them those of 

 real value ? And further, do they, or would they make this 

 selection if it were in their power ? It has often been 

 objected that the great quantity of suggestions and 

 friendly advice constantly being received renders it quite 

 impossible to treat them with adequate discrimination ; 

 but if the officials intrusted with this work were only pos- 

 sessed of a thorough scientific knowledge of mechanical 

 principles, we believe that nine-tenths of the worthless 

 schemes could be at once rejected, so inevitably does the 

 mark of the circle-squarer appear in his work to one who 

 knows where to look for it. 



Respecting the remaining 10 per cent, of inventions 

 and improvements, it would probably require somewhat 

 greater practical judgment to decide which were worth 

 further investigation ; but while we do not for a moment 

 suggest that the whole of these should be examined and 

 tested at the expense of the tax-payer, it is at least not too 

 much to expect that an obviously good design should not 

 be rejected with an official reply. Inventors are probably 

 the most persevering of all men, and, fortunately for the 

 cause of progress, though not perhaps for their own ad- 

 vantage, they have a greater belief than any one else in 

 the results they hope to obtain ; but it is hardly to be ex- 

 pected that they will bestow their whole powers of per- 

 suasion on the authorities of their own countr)- when they 

 plainly see a more open field abroad. 



For instance, there can be little doubt that the White- 

 head torpedo might have been a secret exclusively the 

 property of this country if the inventor had been afforded 

 a fair investigation ; again, it would be interesting to 

 know whether the Russian Government required as much 

 persuasion to induce them to adopt the Moncrieff hydro- 

 pneumatic gun-carriage as has been expended in bringing 

 it as far as the " experimental" stage in our own service. 

 That many inventors have had a short innings at the 



