AucustT 8, 1912| 
NATURE 
599 
tions are not numerous, and chiefly concern the scope 
of certain of the schedules of work in technological 
subjects. We notice that by arrangement with the 
Postmaster-General, the institute will. next year hold 
a special examination in magnetism and electricity 
for members of the Post Office staff, in connection 
with its examinations in telegraphy and telephony. 
The institute has been approved also by the Home 
Secretary for the purpose of granting certificates 
under the Order of February last prescribing the 
qualifications of surveyors for the purposes of the 
Coal Mines Act, 1911. 
Oxrorp.—The following members of Convocation 
have been appointed members of the new Board of 
Finance recently constituted by special legislation at 
the University, in pursuance of the scheme presented 
by the Chancellor, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, in 1908, 
and accepted by Council, Congregation, and Convo- 
cation :—The Right Hon. Sir George H. Murray, the 
Hon. Sidney Peel, Mr. F. W. Pember, the Dean of 
Christ Church (Dr. Strong), Mr. G. E. Baker, Mr. 
F. C. Miles, the Right Hon. F. Huth Jackson, Mr. 
H. T. Gerrans, and Mr. E. Armstrong. The first 
three gentlemen were nominated by. the Chancellor, 
the next three were elected by Convocation, and the 
last three were nominated by Council. 
Mr. J. Gotpinc has been appointed research 
chemist in dairying at University College, Reading. 
As stated in our issue of July 11, Dr. S. J. M. Auld 
has been appointed professor of agricultural chemistry 
at the same institution. 
A Summer School of Geography is to be held in 
Yorkshire in August of next year. The school is 
being promoted by the Universities of Durham, Leeds, 
and Sheffield, in cooperation with the County ‘and 
Borough Education Committees of Yorkshire. 
Mr. A. A: Bowman, lecturer in logic at Glasgow 
University, has been appointed professor of philosophy 
in the University of Princeton, New Jersey, in suc- 
cession to Prof. J. G. Hibben, lately appointed presi- 
dent of the same University. 
Tue sum of 10,0001. has been given to the Chan- 
cellor of the Exchequer by a Welsh gentleman whose 
name has not transpired, for the furtherance of higher 
education in Wales. Of this amount the National 
Museum, Cardiff, is to receive 3000l., the University | 
College of Wales, Cardiff, 2o0o0l., and the National 
Library, Aberystwyth, 5oool. 
New science laboratories at Cranleigh School, 
Surrey (the gift of Sir C. Chadwyck-Healey), were 
recently opened by Sir William Ramsay, K.C.B., 
F.R.S., who, in the course of his remarks, said that 
the effect of the laboratories would be to make it clear 
to them all that chemical discoveries were not at an 
end. It was not well, however, for the scholars to 
confine themselves to one subject only. They should 
strive to be as good as possible in many things, 
though they might excel only in one. 
We are informed that as a result of the efforts 
which have been made during the past two years a 
sum of 32,0001. is now available for the provision of 
new buildings for the Hartley University College, 
Southampton, and towards increasing its endowment. 
The larger portion of this sum has been promised 
by private individuals, but recently 2500l. has been 
promised by the Hampshire County Council, and 
so0o0l. by the Southampton Borough Council. In 
addition to this the Southampton Borough Council 
has voted an additional rd. rate for the college. The 
erection of the first block of new buildings, to provide 
accommodation for the arts departments of the col- 
lege, can now be begun. A site has been obtained 
NO. 2232, vou. 8q] 
{ 
on high ground, not far from the Southamp- 
ton Common, and it is confidently anticipated that 
the transference of the college to its mew quarters 
will result not only in a large increase in the number 
of students, but also in a greatly enhanced interest on 
the part of residents in the southern counties in the 
question of the maintenance of a centre of university 
education in Southampton. 
SOCIETIES. AND ACADEMIES. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, July 22.—M. Lippmann in the 
chair.—M. Bassot: The preparation of a map of 
western Morocco on the scale of 1/200,000. Details 
are given of the measurement of the base and tri- 
angulation carried out up to the present. The work 
will be continued in October.—A. Miintz and H. 
Gaudechon: The degradation of phosphatic manures 
in the soil. From the experiments described it is 
shown that phosphatic manure should be given 
annually. Larger amounts than those required for 
one year are degraded to a non-assimilable form.— 
Paul Sabatier and Alph. Mailhe: The catalytic pre- 
paration of the phenolic and diphenylenic oxides. 
Mixed oxides. The method is based on the catalytic 
action of thorium oxide at 380° to 450° C., and 
examples are given of the ethers prepared in this way. 
—M. Amann: Observation of the solar eclipse of April 
16 and 17, 1912, at the Observatory of Aosta, Italy.— 
L. Ancel: The photometry of the solar eclipse of April 
17, 1912, with the aid of selenium and a recording 
galvanometer. The curve obtained during the eclipse 
is reproduced.—Louis Dunoyer: The disruptive dis- 
charge through pure sodium vapour.—P. Nogués: A 
new kinematograph. The instrument described can 
take 180 images per second, and has been applied to 
the examination of certain movements in running, 
jumping, and flight—A. de Gramont: The ultimate 
lines and great sensibility of chromium, manganese, 
iron, nickel, and cobalt—Félix Bidet : Equilibrium of 
the system ammonia gas and ethylenediamine chlor- 
hydrate.—J. Larguier des Bancels: The solubility of 
coloured resinates submitted to the action of light.— 
A. Guasco : The detection of small proportions of carbon 
monoxide in air.—V. Hasenfratz: The hydrogenated 
derivatives of apoharmine.—G. Vavon: The catalytic 
hydrogenation of the ketones. An account of the pro- 
ducts obtained from various ketones when acted upon 
by hydrogen in presence of platinum black. The 
course of the reaction depends upon the liquid in 
which the ketone is dissolved.—Edouard Bauer: The 
action of sodium amide upon 1 : 4-dibenzoylbutane.— 
F. Jadin and A. Astruc: The presence of arsenic in 
some parasitic plants and their hosts. Parasitic 
plants, like those growing directly on the soil, con- 
tain normally a small proportion of arsenic. There 
is no apparent connection between the proportions of 
arsenic present in the parasite and its host.—E. 
Chuard and R. Mellet: Variations in the proportion of 
nicotine in various organs of the tobacco plant in the 
course of growth——M. Gard: The possibility and fre- 
quency of autofertilisation in the cultivated vine.—J. 
Tournois: The influence of light on the flowering of 
the Japanese hop and of hemp.—E. C. Teodoresco : 
The assimilation of nitrogen and phosphorus by the 
lower algze.—I. Pouget and D. Chouchak : The law of 
the minimum. A discussion of a recent note by M. 
Mazé on the relations between a plant and its nutri- 
tive medium.—J. Giaja: The ablation of the pancreas 
in Haliaetus albicilla—Pierre Girard: The electric 
charge of the red corpuscles of the blood. Measure- 
ments of the velocities of the red corpuscles in an 
electric field in isotonic solutions of saccharose, com- 
mon salt, and serum.—Jean Camus: The toxicity of 
