July 5, 1906] 



NA TURE 



227 



papers mention may be made of his observations on 

 the Snake River plains, on the water-bearing- strata 

 of Idaho and Oregon, and on the volcanic eruptions 

 of Martinique and St. Vincent. He was author of 

 separate and more popular works on the lakes, 

 glaciers, volcanoes, and river.s of North America. 



tiOTES. 

 Only a few names familiar in the srienlific world occur 

 in the long list of honours announced on Friday last in 

 celebration of the King's birthday. Lieut. -Colonel D. 

 Prain, F.R.S., director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, and 

 late director of the Botanical Survey of India, has been 

 appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. 

 Sir Christopher Nixon, ex-president of the Royal College 

 of Thysicians, Ireland, and the author of various papers 

 on diseases of the heart and nervous system, has received 

 the honour of a baronetcy- Among the thirty new knights 

 are Mr. T. DIgby Pigott, Emeritus Prof. A. R. Simpson, 

 and Dr. A. E. Wright. Sir John Brunner, a member of 

 the great firm of alkali manufacturers, Brunner, Mond and 

 Co., has been made a privy councillor. 



British merchants and manufacturers anticipated a great 

 development of our trade in the Far East at the close of 

 the Russo-Japanese War last year ; but it appears from 

 a special inquiry instituted by the Dai7y Mail that their 

 expectations have not been realised. There has been a 

 noteworthy expansion of trade since peace was concluded 

 last August, but the Japanese have taken care that the 

 chief advantages of it shall be to themselves. They have 

 not only secured the Far Eastern market, but, according 

 to our contemporary, the Japanese Government is laying 

 plans for becoming our rivals as an exporter of goods to 

 India. " The fault," we read, " is chiefly our own. Our 

 Government neither knows what is going on nor takes any 

 measures to protect our interests. It Is quite natural that 

 Japan should seek to take the current when it serves, but 

 we, too, ought to have our share of the Hood that leads 

 on to fortune, and if the Far Eastern department of the 

 Foreign Office will kindly wake up we may secure it yet." 

 It is evident that the Japanese, with their scientific know- 

 ledge and methods, will be as strong in peace as they 

 have proved themselves In war. This is an age when 

 science and system are essential to progress, and the nation 

 that realises it is best equipped for survival in the struggle 

 for commercial supremacy. Only by insisting that the 

 scientific spirit which permeates Japanese education and 

 policy shall be possessed by our own statesmen can our 

 commercial position be made secure against attack or 

 progress be assured, either now or in the future. 



In the House of Lords last week. Lord Onslow asked 

 whether His Majesty's Government proposed to continue 

 to take part, after next year. In the international investi- 

 gations of North Sea fisheries, and made some observ- 

 ations by way of criticism of the methods of investigation 

 which the International Council has adopted. The 

 gravamen of Lord Onslow's objection to the scheme appears 

 to be that, whilst in his opinion the most promising method 

 of attacking fishery problems is by the collection of 

 statistical information from the commercial fishing vessels 

 and at the ports of landing, in the international scheme 

 the carrying out of accurate investigations at sea by men 

 of scientific education and training on board specially 

 equipped research steamers is regarded as essential to an 

 adequate study of the very complicated problems which 

 present themselves to those responsible for the regulation 

 NO. 1914, VOL. 74] 



of the fisheries. The value of such collections of statistical 

 data as Lord Onslow suggests, as an adjunct to work 

 carried out by special research steamers, cannot be doubted, 

 and, judging from the reports already published, appears 

 to be fully recognised by the International Council. But 

 no one with experience of the fundamental necessity of 

 accurate observation and scientific method in dealing with 

 practical problems of this character will, we imagine, for a 

 moment be able to agree with the suggestion that such 

 collections of miscellaneous Information, the trustworthi- 

 ness of which must necessarily vary greatly in different 

 cases, can adequately supersede the observations and ex- 

 periments of skilled investigators. The results already 

 foreshadowed by the International Council seem to be of 

 a promising character, and Lord Carrlngton, who replied 

 for the Government, was well advised in postponing the 

 consideration of the question of the continued participation 

 of this country in the investigations until after the full 

 reports have been received. 



A MEETING was held on June 27 in support of the 

 National Association for the Establishment of Sanatoria 

 for Workers sufferiflg from Tuberculosis. The secretary 

 announced that the association is receiving the active 

 cooperation of friendly societies. At the present time 

 twenty-eight beds have been bespoken for the General Post 

 Office, fifteen for the Hospital Saturday Fund, and five 

 for the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society. Donations have 

 been received from representatives of the participating 

 classes, and this willingness of the ordinary public to assist 

 men of science In their endeavours to eliminate a dreadful 

 disease will greatly lighten their task. Mr. Chamberlain, 

 In a speech supporting the scheme, pointed out that science 

 has already done a good deal, and, without being too 

 optimistic, it is likely that, from further discoveries and 

 continued exertions of distinguished men engaged in medical 

 research, perhaps in the near future the discovery of some 

 definite specific remedy for the disease will be made. 

 Cholera, diphtheria, and other diseases no longer have 

 their terrors, and consumption may cease to be what it is 

 at the present time. Mr. Chamberlain went on to say 

 that he wished he could make his voice reach some of 

 those who have, not merely too much wealth, but wealth 

 beyond the dreams of avarice, which the possessors them- 

 selves recognise they cannot make any possible use of. 

 He urged upon the men of great wealth that there is no 

 possible thing they can do which will bring greater 

 benefit to humanity at large, and give them greater satis- 

 faction, than to endow further great schemes for medical 

 research. While sympathising with the desire to see our 

 millionaires emulating the example of American men of 

 wealth in their support of scientific research, our statesmen 

 should not lose sight of the fact that it is as much their 

 dutv to see to the protection of the people from disease 

 as from foreign foes. The endowment of scientific and 

 medical research is as necessary a form of national defence 

 as a battleship, and to postpone the organisation of a 

 State-aided campaign against a scourge like consumption 

 until the generosity of millionaires has been developed is 

 unstatesmanlike and a dereliction of duty on the part of 

 Governments. 



The death of Sefior Manuel Garcia in London on Sunday 

 has deprived the worlds of science and music of a man 

 whose work will be remembered so long as the human 

 voice is used and studied. While the throat is capable of 

 emitting musical sounds, and is liable to disease, the 

 laryngoscope Invented by Manuel Garcia will hold its unique 



