t40 



NA TURE 



IDec. 25, 1873 



that lie between Hall's farthest north point and the 

 Pole. 



True, there are a few unhealthy croakers, as there 

 always have been, and will be, we fear, for many genera- 

 tions to come, who ask What is the good of incurring so 

 much danger and expense, for the mere gratification of 

 curiosity, or, at best, to satisfy the wishes of a few men of 

 science ? But we feel confident th:it the great body of the 

 English people will ask no such questions, but would hail 

 with enthusiasm the decision of thfc Government to crown 

 the glory which England has hitherto gained in Arctic 

 exploration by sending out one more expedition whose 

 task it would be to return with the long-sought-for secret 

 in its keeping. It is beginning to dawn upon the ordinary 

 English mind that, after all, the apparently unpractical 

 researches of scientific men are frequently pregnant with 

 results of the most important practical bearing on the 

 welfare of the country and the race. 



As for the element of danger, Mr. Markham convincingly 

 shows by unimpeachable statistics, that the loss of men by 

 the Smith Sound route, from causes connected with the cli- 

 mate and the peculiarities of theservice,is almost incredibly 

 small. One of the most distinguished medical officers 

 who has served in the Arctic regions declares, that " of 

 all seas visited by men-of-war the Arctic have proved the 

 most healthy. . . . The risl< by climate and disease which 

 is run in a voyage to the Arctic seas — such as a Royal 

 Expedition necessitates— is not greater than that which a 

 ship like the Challcns^cr will incur in her voyage of dis- 

 covery." The dangers, or rather difficulties, which have to 

 be faced are only such as brave men are eager to con- 

 front, and the service is one which our naval officers and 

 men glory in in time of peace, and is certainly an infinitely 

 better use to put them to than to keep them idling 

 at home or on foreign stations. As to the question 

 of expanse, the article in a recent number will show 

 that the less said by Government on this score the 

 better. 



All these and many other points in connection 

 with Arctic exploration will be found fully and 

 clearly discussed in Mr. Markham's volume, in which 

 the invaluable results, scientific and practical, in 

 nearly all departments of Science to be obtained from 

 a Government Expedition are set forth with great 

 fulness, clearness, and force. The volume concludes 

 with an account of the interview that took place last year 

 between the Arctic deputation and Mr. Lowe, the re- 

 sult of which was such as to give good grounds for ex- 

 pecting that this year Government will feel bound to 

 organise an adequate expedition to leave our shores 

 next spring to find its way to the Pole by the Smith Sound 

 route. 



The numerous maps by which the volume is illustrated 

 are beautifully drawn, and are of the greatest assistance 

 in enabling the reader to understand the interesting story 

 of Arctic discovery so well told by Mr. Markham. As a 

 mere story the work is a masterly one ; and if anyone 

 wants to know within short space what has already been 

 done in the discovery of the Arctic regions, what still re- 

 mains to be done, and what results are to be expected 

 from further exploration, he could not do better than 

 ead Mr. Markham's '-Threshold of the Unknown 

 Keeion." 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Anmial Record of Science and Indust)y iot 1872 ; edited 

 by Spencer F. Baird, with the assistance of eminent 

 men of Science. (New York : Harper and Brothers, 

 1873-), 

 The praise which wc were able to bestow on the first of 

 Prof. Baird's Annual Records, that for 1871, can be fully 

 repeated with regard to its successor. Tlie only method 

 of '■ reviewing " a work of this kind, is to refer in general 

 terms to ics scope, and to the degree to which the com- 

 piler appears to have fulfilled the promises of his pro- 

 gramme. On these points we can speak in the most 

 favourable terms. As far as a cursory glance through- 

 the pages of the volume enables us to speak, we believe 

 that purchasers of the book will find it a most useful 

 addition to their library shelves. The paragraphs refer 

 to the most noteworthy additions to scientific knovvledge 

 or observation made during the year, and have been com- 

 piled with commendable terseness and perspicuity from 

 a large range of English, American, and Continental 

 sources. A carefully i-aisoimc table of contents, and an 

 alphabetical index, will enable the student to turn witlr- 

 out difficulty to any desired subject. Although absolute 

 freedom from errors, typical and otherwise, can hardly 

 be expected in a work with so large a scope, the 

 American " Recordj" contrasts most favourably in this 

 respect with some similar volumes published in this 

 country. We do not know where to find .a more com- 

 plete record of the science of the year ; and we shall hope 

 to see a long series of these useful volumes. 



Tlic Borderland of Science. By Richard A. Proctor. 



(London ; Smith, Elder, and Co. 1873.) 

 These Essays are reprinted from the Cornhill Mat^a- 

 zme. The titles are as follows : — " The Herschels and 

 the Star-Depths ;" " A Voyage to the Sun ; " " A Voyage 

 to the Ringed Planet;" "A Giant Planet;" "Life in 

 Mars;" " A Whewellite Essay on the Planet Mars;" 

 '■ Meteors —Seed-bearing, and otherwise;" "A Recent 

 Star-shower, and Star-showers generally ;" " News from 

 the Moon ;" " Earthquakes ; " " The Antarctic Regions :" 

 " A Few Words about Coal ; " " Notes en Flying and 

 Flying-Machines ;" " Gambling Superstitions ;" " Coin- 

 cidences and Superstitions ; " " N otes on Ghosts and 

 Goblins." 



Sommario dcllc Lcsioni di Fisica, date dal Professore 

 Enrico Dal Pozzo di Mombello, nella Libera Univcrsita 

 di Perugia. (Foligno: Pietro Spariglia, 1S73.) 

 Ganot'S Treatise on Pliysics has been translated into 

 Italian and is no doubt largely used in the country ; also 

 in 1870 Prof. Cantoni, of Milan, published a course of 

 Physical Lectures. The work before us by Prof Dal 

 Pozzo is to some extent based upon that of Cantoni ; it is 

 a summary of two courses of lectures delivered in the free 

 University of Perugia. The University (founded in 1307) 

 is one of the oldest in Europe, and possesses a good 

 library, botanical gardens, and mineralogical collections. 

 We cannot at this moment call to mind any scientific 

 associations connected wiih the place, as with Pisa, 

 Bologna, and Pavia. The town itself has been mentioned 

 any time for two and twenty centuries, and it is a noted 

 school of music. 



We can scarcely judge of the science of Perugia from 

 the work before us. The students must be very clear- 

 headed men if they can follow Prof. Pozzo's arrangement. 

 It is certainly most novel. It may have its advantages. 

 He begins cleverly enough with an account of the 

 " Energy of the Universe," embracing some general pro 

 perties of bodies, actual and potential energy, conserva- 

 tion and dissijiation of er.crgy. The author uses the 

 terms forza alliva and for::u di positione, in place of 

 our more usual terms. Wc are glad to find him ac- 

 quainted with the works of Thomson, Balfour Stewart 



