October 12, 1905] 



NA TURE 



585 



different values. The revenue had no small gains 

 from the sales, hundreds of sets being bought up and 

 cancelled without being used. 



In the course of the morning of September 9 Prof. 

 Darwin opened the recently acquired museum, which 

 on being entered was found to contain a local collec- 

 tion of great scientific interest. Many of the visitors 

 expressed their regret that time was not available for 

 a more minute study than was possible on this 

 occasion. The afternoon was taken up by a visit to 

 Government House, the site of Lobengula's kraal, 

 where, in the absence of the Administrator, a recep- 

 tion was held by the Treasurer, Mr. Newton. Loben- 

 gula's tree of justice was a centre which all sought. 



In the evening Mr. D. Randall Maclver gave a 

 lecture-report on the " Rhodesian Ruins " which 

 attracted a numerous audience, it having been whis- 

 |)ered abroad that his conclusions ran counter to the 

 theories of great antiquity which have hitherto 

 generally held the field. Mr. Maclver's address was 

 lengthy, and dealt chiefly with one class of evidence. 

 .Mthough the last word has not been said upon the 

 subject, Mr. Maclver has certainly thrown new light 

 upon it. 



The Matopos and World's View, with the tomb of 

 Cecil Rhodes and the Shangani monument, which 

 called for two special trains to convey the visitors, 

 seem to have surpassed all preconceptions, and the 

 magnificence of the surrounding views and the quiet 

 dignity of the last resting-place of Rhodes seem to 

 have created the same feeling in the breast of nearly 

 everyone present, a desire to contemplate the whole 

 scene in the silence and solitude impossible on such 

 an occasion. A brief religious service was conducted 

 by the Rev. Mr. Bevan at the side of the tomb. 



On Monday morning, September 11, five special 

 trains left for Victoria Falls, and the journey through 

 the teak forests seemed a fitting prelude to the solemn 

 grandeur of the scenes to be viewed on the morrow. 



Onlv some thirtv hours were allotted to the falls 

 visit, but such were the arrangements made by Sir 

 Charles Metcalfe that the main features, both of the 

 falls, the ravine below, and the river above, could be 

 compassed by the energetic sightseer in the time. 



The first tjusiness of the day was the opening of 

 the new bridge bv Prof. Darwin, after which Palm 

 Kloof, Livingstone Island, the Rain Forest, and many 

 other points of vantage and interest were visited. 

 Not a few also enjoyed a moonlight visit to the falls, 

 the moon fortunately being full. The next morning 

 canoes were requisitioned for trips up the lovely 

 island-dotted river, and the " hippos " were obliging 

 enough to put in an appearance for the occasion. 

 Soon after noon the special trains commenced the 

 return trip to Bulawayo, the first stage on the journey 

 Iiome. 



At Bulawayo the trip, which, save for a few special 

 excursions, had been of a homogeneous character, 

 was brought to an end. The party was here divided 

 into two sections, the one preferring the voyage home 

 by way of Cape Town, the other vid. Beira and the 

 east coast. The latter route proved to possess the 

 greater attractiveness, judging by the numbers who 

 elected to return that way, which was not surprising 

 when an opportunity of making the round journey 

 In such circumstances was considered. 



Of the visit as a whole it only remains to add that 

 it has been a success beyond the most sanguine 

 dreams of its promoters. The hospitality throughout 

 has been generous to the extent of lavishness, the 

 labour of the various local committees has been as 

 wiselv exercised as it has been unremittingly pursued, 

 and the only regret seems to have been that the time 

 allotted to each town was necessarily so short. 



NO. 1876, VOL. 72] 



That the true interests of science both in the mother 

 country and in the colonies have been advanced by 

 this unique meeting of the association cannot be 

 doubted, and the results will continue to be seen in 

 many directions after many days. 



THE BRITISH SCIENCE GUILD. 

 n^ HE inaugural meeting of the British Science 

 A Guild will be held at the Mansion House on 

 Monday, October 30; and the Lord Mayor, who has 

 consented to preside, will take the chair at 4.15 p.m. 

 The guild appeals to the people of Britain within and 

 beyond the seas, and its chief object is to bring home 

 to" all classes the necessity of making the scientific 

 spirit a national characteristic which shall inspire 

 progress and determine the policy in affairs of all 

 kinds. The organisation is associated with no 

 political party, and its membership is open to all 

 British subjects, whether men or women. 



.\t the inaugural meeting of the guild, on 

 October 30, the following officers will be proposed : — 



President: the Right Hon. R. B. Haldane, K.C., M.P. ; 

 vice-presidents : the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of 

 London, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, R..\., O.M., the 

 Right Hon. Lord Balcarres, M.P., the Right Hon. the 

 Earl of Berkeley, Sir William Broadbent, Bart., K.C.V.O., 

 F.R..S.. Sir Walter BuUer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., Sir J. 

 Burdon-Sanderson, Bart., F.R.S., Major-General Sir Owen 

 Tudor Burne, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., Sir William Church, 

 Bart., Sir George Sydenham Clarke, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., 

 Sir John Colomb, K.C.M.G., M.P., the Right Hon. the 

 Earl of Donoughmore, the Right Hon. Earl Egerton of 

 Tatton, Sir John Eliot, K.C.I.E., F.R.S., Sir Michael 

 Foster, K.C.B., O.M., M.P., F.R.S., the Right Hon. Sir 

 Edward Fry, F.R.S., Sir .\rchibald Geikie, F.R.S., 

 Mr. F. Du Cane Godman, F.R.S., the Right Hon. Sir 

 John Gorst, K.C., M.P., F.R.S., the Right Hon. Lord 

 Haliburton, G.C.B., Sir Joseph Hooker, G.C.S.I., F.R.S., 

 the Right Hon. Viscount Knutsford, G.C.M.G., Prof. Rav 

 Lankester, F.R.S., Dr. J. Larmor, F.R.S., the Right Hon. 

 Lord Lister, F.R.S., Sir Charles McLaren, Bart., K.C., 

 M.P., the Right Hon. Sir Horace Plunkett, K.C.V.O., 

 F.R.S., Mr. E. Robertson, K.C., M.P., the Right Hon. 

 Lord Tennyson, P.C, G.C.M.G., His Grace the Duke of 

 Wellington, K.G., G.C.V.O. ; chairman of committees : 

 Sir Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S. ; vice-chairmen : Sir 

 William Abney, K.C.B., F.R.S. , Sir Lauder Brunton, 

 F.R.S. , the Hon. Sir John Cockburn, K.C.M.G., Sir 

 Gilbert Parker, M.P. ; trustees: the Right Hon. Lord 

 Strathcona and Mount Royal, G.C.M.G., Sir Henry 

 Roscoe, F.R.S.; hon. treasurer: the Right Hon. Lord 

 Avebury, F.R.S. ; hon. assist, treasurer : Lady Lockyer, 

 16 Penywern Road, S.W. ; hon secretary : Mr. C. 

 Cuthbertson. 



A large general committee, which will include the 

 names of the present organising committee, will also 

 be proposed for election. 



Since the first meeting, held at the rooms of the 

 Roval Society in April, 1904, the labours of the 

 organising committee have been directed to securing 

 the help of representatives of all sides of the nation's 

 activities to secure the objects of the guild, which 

 are 



(i) To bring together as members of the guild all 

 those throughout the Empire interested in science 

 and scientific method, in order, by joint action, to 

 convince the people, by means of publications and 

 meetings, of the necessity of applying the methods 

 of science to all branches of human endeavour, and 

 thus to further the progress and increase the welfare 

 of the Empire. 



(2) To bring before the Government the scientific 

 aspects of all matters affecting the national welfare. 



(3) To promote and extend the application of 

 scientific principles to industrial and general purposes. 



