May 30, 1907J 



NA TURE 



107 



The Maccabseans, a society of Jewish literary and 

 scientific men, gave a dinner at the Hotel Great Central 

 on May 22, at which some of the leading members of 

 the medical profession were present. Before the dinner a 

 telegram was dispatched to Lord Lister, sending him 

 respectful salutations. Lord Lister replied, returning his 

 warmest thanks to the Maccabseans for their message. 



The Transvaal Government Gazette of April 20 

 announces the appointment of a commission, consisting 

 of the following gentlemen, Dr. Kynaston (Geological 

 Survey Department), Mr. T. N. Leslie (Vereeniging), Mr. 

 J. P. Johnson (Johannesburg), and Prof. R. B. Young 

 (Transvaal University College), " to report to the Govern- 

 ment on the Bushmen paintings and stone etchings exist- 

 ing in the Transvaal, and as to what steps should be 

 taken to preserve them from decay and mutilation." 



Speaking at the forty-seventh annual dinner of King's 

 College, London, on Monday, May 27, Dr. Headlam, the 

 principal, referred to the loss which the college has 

 sustained by the death of Dr. MacFadyean, and suggested 

 that there should be a public recognition of one who died 

 as a martyr in the cause of science, and for the sake of 

 amelioration of disease and the benefit of the human mce. 

 Alluding to the incorporation of the college with the 

 University of London, and to the appeal for funds made 

 in connection therewith, he mentioned that the Goldsmiths' 

 and the Cloth workers' Company have each contributed 

 5000/., and that other promises and donations bring the 

 amount subscribed up to the present time to 15,000!. 



Reuter's representative at Upsala records that the 

 celebrations at the University of Upsala on the occasion 

 of the 200th anniversary of the birth of LinnEeus took 

 place on May 23. The Crown Prince Regent, the Duke 

 and Duchess of Vester-Golland, and the Dukes of Nericia 

 and Scania, were present. A speech was made by M. 

 Schuck, the Rector of the University, after which the 

 foreign guests read addresses. The speakers were after- 

 wards presented to the. Crown Prince. On May 24 the 

 University held a solemn session in the cathedral for the 

 purpose of conferring the doctorate on distinguished Swedes 

 and foreigners on the occasion of the Linnieus celebra- 

 tions. Among those upon whom honorary degrees were 

 conferred were Mr. Francis Darwin, F.R.S., and Mr. W. 

 Carruthers, F.R.S. The Crown Prince Regent, the Duke 

 of Scania, and the Duke and Duchess of Vester-Gotland 

 attended the ceremony. We hope to give later an account 

 of the celebrations by one of the British delegates now in 

 LTpsala. 



We learn from the Lancet that a movement for the 

 institution of an Italian Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, proposed at Milan last year, has now taken 

 form and development under capable organisers, including 

 Prof. Romiti, of Pisa. The first meeting will be held at 

 Parma in September next, when it is hoped that the sister 

 Powers of Europe, as well as those of the New World, 

 will assist in an auspicious " send-off." Italy has many 

 associations for the advancement of special sciences, but, 

 as Prof. Romiti has put it, she has yet to form an 

 association which shall " represent the synthesis " of them 

 all. Attempts were made in 1839 and 1875 to start such 

 an association on the British model, but they have had no 

 successor. It is hoped and believed that the attempt which 

 has now been renewed will result in the establishment of a 

 permanent institution. 



NO. 1961, VOL 76] 



The Aero Club of the United Kingdom is very active 

 in promoting many aspects of aerial navigation. On 

 Saturday last nine balloons started from the Ranelagh 

 Club, Barnes, in a race for the Harbord Cup, the first 

 balloon leaving at 4 p.m. and the last at 6 p.m. The 

 point to which the balloons were piloted was Goring, in 

 Oxfordshire, and the winner will be the competitor who 

 landed nearest this point. The committee will meet and 

 examine certificates of descents before issuing an official 

 list of placings. On Saturday, June 29, there will be a 

 race for the Hedges Butler Challenge Cup, which will be 

 awarded for the longest voyage in any balloon, airship, 

 or aeroplane on that day. The club offers a silver medal 

 for the best set of photographs taken by a member from 

 a balloon during this year, and a silver and bronze medal 

 for the best set of meteorological observations. Arrange- 

 ments have also been completed for carrying out a series 

 of important practical experiments in connection with 

 aerial navigation. 



The report of the Departmental Committee appointed to 

 inquire into the probable economic effect of an Act of 

 Parliament limiting work in coal mines to eight hours per 

 day has been issued. It is a document that has been pre- 

 pared with great care, and forms a valuable addition to 

 economic literature. While, on the whole, the committee 

 is of opinion that its immediate effect would be a reduc- 

 tion in total output of about 26,000,000 tons per annum, 

 it is concluded that because the pits would be worked 

 with more energy, the total reduction would be only about 

 one-half this, while the introduction of improved machinery 

 might still further diminish the reduction. The scientific 

 interests of mining were well represented on the committee 

 by Prof. S. H. Cox, of the Royal School of Mines, and by 

 Prof. R. A. S. Redmayne, of Birmingham. 



Mr. Walter Wellman, who proposes to make another 

 attempt to reach the North Pole by means of his airship 

 America, has left for Norway, on the way to Spitsbergen, 

 where the balloon will be inflated. In the first week of 

 July there will be trials of the airship until it is demon- 

 strated that it is ready for the voyage. The start for the 

 Pole will be made on the first favourable opportunity after- 

 wards, probably between July 20 and August 10, but, if 

 necessary, Mr. Wellman is prepared to start as late as 

 August 20. Mr. Wellman has given Renter's represent- 

 ative the following particulars of his plans : — The airship 

 has been made 18 feet longer and its lifting power in- 

 creased by 3000 lb., giving a total lifting force of 19,500 lb. 

 The balloon is 184 feet long and 52 feet in its greatest 

 diameter, its cubic volume being 265,000 cubic feet. With 

 the single exception of Count Zeppelin's airship, this is 

 the largest ever built. The keel or backbone of the air- 

 ship consists of a steel tank 18 inches in diameter and 

 115 feet in length, with a capacity for holding 1200 gallons 

 of petrol, .^t the stern of the vessel is a rudder of some 

 900 square feet, in the form of a bicycle wheel, which, 

 despite its great size, only weighs 30 lb. A little forward 

 of the centre is placed a very heavy motor, built for 

 endurance and safety, of 70 horse-power, and having a 

 weight of 900 lb. In this new airship the propellers are 

 placed in the centre on either side of the vessel. They 

 consist of two blades of steel, n feet in diameter, and 

 capable of 380 revolutions per minute. The living quarters 

 of the airship are in triangular bunk-like spaces within the 

 enclosed steel car. These are capable of accommodating 

 ten or twelve men, twelve dogs, together with the pro- 

 visions and equipment. The total weight of the steel car 



