NA TURE 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

 Radio Broadcasting in Great Britain . . . 237 



University Education in London. By T. LI. H. . 240 

 Antarctic Foraminifera. By G. H. C. . . . 241 

 Water Underground. By Prof. Grenville A. J. Cole, 



F.R.S 242 



Statics, Dynamics, and Hydrodynamics. By Dr. 



S. Brodetsky 243 



Our Bookshelf 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Acoustics of Enclosed Spaces. — Sir Arthur 



Schuster, F.R.S 



Some Spectrum Lines of Neutral Helium derived 



theoretically. — Dr. Ludwik Silberstein 

 The Primitive Crust of the Earth. — Prof. Grenville 



A. J. Cole, F.R S. 



Peculiarities of the Electric Discharge in Oxygen. — 



Rev. Dr. P. J. Kirkby . . . .249 



Defoliation of Oaks. — E. W. Swanton . . 250 



Scorpionsand their Venom. — Major C. E. F. Mouat- 



Biggs 



Bloomsbury. — Dr. A. Morley Davies ; 1. LI. 

 Humberstone ....... 



Absorption of Potassium Vapour in the Associated 



Series.— Prof. A. L. Narayana and D. Gunnaiya 



A Recording and Integrating Gas Calorimeter 



{Illustrated.) By Dr. J. S. G. Thomas . 

 The Earth's "Crust' and its Composition. By 

 Thomas Crook. ..... 



Centenary of the Death of William Herschel 

 Obituary : — 



Dr. Arthur Ransome, F.R.S. 

 Prof. Gisbert Kapp. By A. R. . 

 Mrs J. A. Owen Visger 

 Prof. H. Battermann. By A. C D C. 

 Current Topics and Events .... 



Our Astronomical Column 



Research Items 



The Hull Meeting of the British Association : Pro 



grammes of the Sections 

 The Imperial Cancer Research Fund 

 European Fish in New Zealand Waters 

 University and Educational Intelligence . 

 Calendar of Industrial Pioneers . 

 Societies and Academies 

 Official Publications Received . . 



245 



247 



247 



249 



250 

 250 

 250 



251 



253 

 255 



256 

 257 

 257 

 25S 



258 

 260 

 261 



26 

 266 

 266 

 267 

 267 

 26S 

 268 



Editorial and Publishing Offices : 



MACMILLAN &- CO.. LTD., 



ST. MARTIN'S STREET. LONDON, W.C.2. 



Advertisements and business letters should be 



addressed to the Publishers. 



Editorial communications to the Editor. 



Telegraphic Address : PHUSIS. LONDON. 

 Telephone Number : GERRARD 8830. 



Radio Broadcasting in Great Britain. 



THE delay which has arisen in connexion with the 

 inauguration of the proposed provision of a 

 comprehensive radio broadcasting scheme in the British 

 Isles has caused questions affecting the policy the 

 Government should pursue in relation to broadcasting 

 to be widely ventilated; and has, at the same time, 

 directed attention to the great variety of interests that 

 are involved in this matter. In view of the immense 

 importance of radio-telegraphy to-day in connexion 

 with measures affecting national defence, and of the fact 

 that this means of communication is easilv susceptible 

 of interference from accidental causes as well as 

 those of wilful design, it is the duty of the Govern- 

 ment to ensure that the radio interests in its own 

 care shall be properly safeguarded in the new 

 situation which has come into existence in the wireless 

 field. 



Hitherto the authority and powers under which the 

 Government has exercised control in relation to radio- 

 telegraphy are those which it has derived under the 

 Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904 (4 Ed. 7, c. 24) — herein- 

 after referred to as the principal Act — a temporary Act 

 which was placed on our Statute Roll a very few years 

 after the practical utility of radio-telegraphy was first 

 demonstrated, and has since been re-enacted in its 

 original form from time to time as required. With the 

 progress of time the need for governmental control in 

 this field has in no way abated. Early in this year, 

 about the same time that broadcasting first prominently 

 attracted public attention, the Government took steps 

 to strengthen its position by introducing the Wireless 

 Telegraphy and Signalling Bill (12 & 13 Geo. 5 — Xo. 

 148) in the House of Commons : therein provision is 

 included for placing the principal Act permanently on 

 the Statute Roll and, at the same time, for greatly 

 enlarging the powers hitherto enjoyed by the Postmaster 

 General. Under these new provisions the Government 

 will undoubtedly possess extremely large powers, but 

 probably not larger than are required to enable it 

 effectively to cope, in the general interest of the public, 

 with the wireless situation in this country. It is un- 

 fortunate, then, that a suspicion should have arisen in 

 some quarters that the new powers may possibly be 

 misused by the Government in their application to 

 broadcasting : particularly is this so as many conflicting 

 interests are involved in connexion with the putting 

 into operation of broadcasting services, and there- 

 fore, in pursuing its policy, the Government needs 

 to secure the fullest confidence of the several groups 

 affected. 



Indications have already been given as to the policy 



NO. 2755, VOL. I IO] 



