August 26, 1922] 



NA TURE 



2S9 



On September 18 to 24 will be held at Leipzig 

 the Centennial Festival of the Gesellschaft Deutscher 

 Naturforscher und Arzte (Association of German 

 Men of Science and Physicians). The meetings will 

 be preceded by a series of lectures and demonstrations 

 in scientific microscopy to be given at Leipzig Uni- 

 versity. At the festival an exhibition will be held 

 and a number of papers read by leading German men 

 of science. Among the latter are the following : 

 " The Theory of Relativity in Physics," Dr. Einstein ; 

 " The Theory of Relativity in Philosophy," Dr. 

 Schlick ; "Restorative Surgery," Drs. Bier and 

 Lexer ; "A Century of Atavistic Research," Dr. 

 Johannsen (Copenhagen) ; " External Phenomena 

 and Atavism," Dr. Meisenheimer (Leipzig) ; and 

 " The Theory of Human Atavism " ; " Progress and 

 Retrogression in the Course of the World's History " ; 

 " Germany's Climate " ; " The Highlands of Tibet 

 and their Inhabitants," by Dr. Sven Hedin. Follow- 

 ing the festival will be a series of continuation courses 

 in medicine to be given at Leipzig, while during the 

 period of the meetings special theatrical performances 

 and concerts are to be arranged. Any one interested 

 in medicine or natural science may take part in the 

 meetings for a fee of 100 marks (or a correspondingly 

 higher fee in the case of foreign countries). Those 

 who wish for further particulars should apply to the 

 Association at Leipzig. 



The autumn meeting of the Institute of Metals will 

 be held at Swansea on September 19-22. On the 

 evening of the opening day the first annual lecture 

 on subjects of practical interest to those engaged in 

 the non-ferrous metals industry will be given by Dr. 

 R. S. Hutton, on " The Science of Human Effort 

 (Motion Study and Vocational Training)." There 

 will be a number of social functions and visits to 

 works, and the following are among the communica- 

 tions to be submitted : Sixth report to the Corrosion 

 Research Committee on the Nature of Corrosive 

 Action and the Function of Colloids in Corrosion, 

 Dr. Guy D. Bengough and J. M. Stuart ; report to 

 the Aluminium Corrosion Research Sub-committee 

 on Experiments on the Oxide Method of Deter- 

 mining Aluminium, J. E. Clennell ; " Grain-size 

 and Diffusion," Prof. J. H. Andrew and R. Higgins ; 

 " The Structure of Eutectics," F. L. Brady ; " The 

 Antimony - bismuth System," M. Cook; "The 

 Effect of Superheated Steam on Non-ferrous Metals 

 used in Locomotives," Sir Henry Fowler ; " The 

 Constitution and Age - hardening of Alloys of Alu- 

 minium with Copper, Magnesium, and Silicon in the 

 Solid State," Marie L. V. Gayler ; " Intermetallic 

 Actions: the System Thallium - arsenic," Q. A. 

 Mansuri ; " The Effects of Overheating and Melting 

 on Aluminium," Dr. W. Rosenhain and J. D. 

 Grogan ; and " The Copper-rich, Aluminium-copper 

 Alloys," D. Stockdale. 



The programme arranged for the Engineering 

 Section of the British Association at the Hull meeting 

 is somewhat of a departure from those of recent years. 

 Two mornings are to be devoted entirely to papers 

 and discussions on single definite subjects, and every 



NO. 2756, VOL. I io] 



effort has been made to arrange the programme in 

 such a way that ample time will be available for 

 discussion. The subject for Thursday, September 7, 

 is "The Strength of Railway Bridges" — a vital 

 topic at the present moment, when bridges are 

 being subjected to loads very much in excess of those 

 for which they were originally designed. Papers on 

 the subject will be read by the engineers of some 

 of the leading railway companies. On Friday, 

 September 8, a descriptive paper will be read on 

 " The Equipment of a Modern Portland Cement 

 Works." The manufacture of cement is one of the 

 leading local industries, and a visit will be paid to 

 the new works of the Humber Portland Cement Co., 

 which have been recently equipped on the most 

 up-to-date lines. A paper of interest to the cement 

 industry will be that on the effect of fire on reinforced 

 concrete buildings. On Friday morning also the 

 president, Prof. Hudson Beare, will give his pre- 

 sidential address on " Some Australian Railway 

 Problems." Monday morning, September n, will 

 be devoted entirely to a discussion on " Economic 

 Steam Production, with special reference to Marine 

 Practice," and papers on the subject will be read 

 by representatives of the Fuel Research Board, the 

 Admiralty, and Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox. On 

 Tuesday morning a paper on a closely allied and highly 

 controversial subject, viz. " The Propelling Machinery 

 of the Cargo Carrier of the Future," will be read by 

 one of the leading engineers of Messrs. Beardmore 

 and Co., who have done a great amount of work in 

 developing the oil engine for this purpose. On 

 Wednesday morning a paper on the resolution of 

 compound stresses will be read and also one on 

 electrical ignition apparatus for internal combustion 

 engines, and a demonstration of the Collins micro- 

 indicator for high-speed engines will be given. A 

 number of afternoon visits to works and objects of 

 engineering interest has also been arranged. 



The meetings of Section M (Agriculture) of the 

 British Association at Hull are to be held under 

 the presidency of The Rt. . Hon. Lord Bledisloe, 

 whose presidential address is to be on the subject of 

 " The Proper Position of the Landowner in Relation 

 to the Agricultural Industry." Following the 

 practice introduced by Mr. Orwin last year, Lord 

 Bledisloe will circulate his address and invite a 

 discussion on his views. This will take place on 

 September n. In the programme of the section 

 are three joint meetings and discussions with other 

 sections. The first of these on the opening day — 

 Thursday, September 7 — is to be held at 11.30 a.m., 

 and will be opened by Sir William Beveridge on the 

 subject of " Weather Cycles in Relation to Agri- 

 culture and Industrial Fluctuations." This meeting 

 is in association with Sections A and F (Mathematics 

 and Physics, and Economics). Contributions have 

 also been promised by Mr. Udny Yule and Mr. R. A- 

 Fisher. On the following day a meeting will be held 

 at 11.30 a.m. jointly with the Physiology Section 

 to discuss the subject of Vitamins. This discussion 

 will be opened by Prof. Drummond, and Messrs. 



