Apvil 23, 1 8 74 J 



NATURE 



491 



At the annual election to Mathematical and Physical Science 

 Postmasterships in Merton College, Oxford, early in October an 

 election will be made to two Physical Science Postmasterships, 

 each of the value of So/, a year, and tenable for five years from 

 election, provided that the person elec ed do not accept any 

 appointment interfering with the full course of academical 

 studies. There is no limit of age, but candidates, if already 

 members of the University, must not have exceeded six Terms 

 from Matriculation. The persons elected, if not members of the 

 University, will be required to pass the University Examination 

 for Responsions within a year of election. The subjects of 

 examination will be Chemistry and Physics. There will be a 

 practical examination in Chemistry. Candidates will have oppor- 

 tunities of giving evidence of a knowledge of Biology ; but it 

 must be borne in mind that in such cases the examiners will 

 look lor evidence of an acquaintance with the principles of 

 Chemistry and Physics equal in extent to that which is required 

 in the Preliminary Honour Examination in the Physical Science 

 School. A paper will be set in algebra and elementary geo- 

 metry, which, Citteris paribus, will be of weight in the election 

 to Postmasterships. Further information may be obtained from 

 the Tutor in Physical Science. 



Mr. R. Hind, writing to the Tinws, sends the positions of 

 two telescopic comets, discovered within the last ten days. He 

 says: — " The first was detected by ProL Winnecke, at Stras- 

 burg, on the morning of April 12. It is a diffused nebulosity, 

 about four minutes in diameter, somewhat extended on the side 

 opposite the sun. Our observations during the past night give 

 the following place : — April 21, at 3h. 22m. 9s. A.M., mean time 

 at Twickenham — right ascension, 2oh. 50m. 4i'6s. ; polar dis- 

 tance, SS" 10' 50" ; present diurnal motion about 5' in R.A., 

 and 1° 5' in P. D., both decreasing. The second comet was 

 found by M. Coggia at Marseilles, on April 17. It is much 

 smaller than the above, but has a strong nuclear condensation. 

 Last evening its observed position was : — April 20, at gh. 47m, 

 15s. mean time — right ascension, 6h. 25m. 1 5' 6s. ; polar 

 distance, 20" 15' 23". Its motion is slow, towards the south. 

 west. 



The instruments used by Dr. Livingstone in his last journey, 

 a sextant, thermometer, and chronometer, are still exhibited in 

 the map room of the Royal Geographical Society, together wiih 

 some of his maps made in 1856-7. Those who have not before 

 seen any of the maps will be interested in noticing the great care 

 and neatness with which the work is done, and the amount of in- 

 formation crowded into them. There are also several portraits 

 of the traveller taken at different periods. 



At the last meeting of the Linnean Society, Dr. Masters and 

 Messrs. Hiern and Maw were appointed to represent the Society 

 at the forthcoming congress of botanists in Florence. 



The removal of the Library of the Geological Society from 

 Somerset House to Burlington House, has been completed. 



Mr. Leonard Lyell, B. Sc, has been appointed Professor 

 of Natural Science in the University College of Wales. 



The Brothers Henry, astronomers at the Paris Observatory, 

 have invented a modification of Leon Foucault's process for testing 

 his telescopic glass mirrors. Tliey are using that process at Secre- 

 tan's in the construction of lenses used for dioptric astronomical 

 instruments. One instrument constructed by them has been tried 

 at the observatory and proved highly satisfactory ; an object of 

 an inch is equal to one of two inches when the surface has been 

 worked under their optical supervision. They reject every part 

 of glass which is not perfect. The first lunette nslronomique so 

 constructed has been sold. 



In the last sitting of the Academy, M. Becquerel, senior, one 



of the greatest electricians of the age, was presented vrith a 

 medal in commen o.-ation of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the 

 Academy, of which he became a member four years afterwards. 

 In 1S24 the sittings were private, and only open to a very few 

 learned persons. The admission was considered to confer 

 a great honour, and was a step preliminary to membership. It 

 was only in 1834 that the secrecy was removed on the proposi- 

 tion of Arago ; Biot raised an opposition to it, but was 

 outvoted. The publicity of sittings was coupled with the 

 publication of Coinptes Rendiis, a weekly journal, exclu- 

 sively devoted to the papers read before the Academy, and which 

 has rendered immense services for a period of thirty-nine years. 



We very much regret that Sir John Lubbock's bill for the 

 Preservation of Ancient Monuments was thrown out of Parlia- 

 ment last week by a very considerable majority. Patriotism 

 seems to be at a discount in the House of Commons. 



Prof. Bastian, of Berlin, has received favourable news from 

 the German expedition on the west coast of Africa. Dr. Guss- 

 feldt, who is at the head oi the expedition, has advanced into the 

 interior, and reached the Fangela country, which, it is believed, 

 is the right point for further advance into Central Africa. The 

 travellers at the latest dates were at the station of Chinchato, 

 and were busy with the preparations for the more important 

 expedition. 



The German exploring expedition into the Libyan Desert, 

 under the leadership of Cicrhard Rohlfs, returned to Cairo on 

 April 17. 



MM. Andre and Rayet are at present publishing, at Gauthier 

 Villars', a work on "The History of Astronomical Observato- 

 ries." The first part which is on sale is devoted to British 

 observatories. The learned astronomers remind their country- 

 men that at the end of the last century France had a greater 

 number of astronomical establishments than all other countries. 

 The same thing can now be said of Great Britain. 



Mr. Harrison, as President of the Institution of Civil Engi- 

 neers, will give a conversazione on Tuesday, May 19, in the 

 west galleries of the International Exhibition at Kensington, 

 which have been kindly placed at his disposal by H.M.'s Com- 

 missioners. As in the two preceding years, models of engineer- 

 ing works and of recent scientific inventions will be transferred 

 to the west picture galleries from other portions of the Exhibition, 

 and these will be supplemented by similar objects specially lent 

 for the occasion. 



Dr. Carpenter has replied to Mr. Carter's letter to Prof. 

 King on the structure of the so-called Eozoon canajcnse. He 

 complains that Mr. Carter makes his charges without having, 

 according to his own admission, read what has been written 

 in favour of the view of the organic origin. I n support of this view 

 the examination of specimens by Prof. Schult;:e at the end of last 

 year is referred to, by which lie was completely satisfied as to 

 the Forameniferal character of Eozoon. Dr. Carpenter says he 

 does not pietend to affrm that the doctrine of the Forameniferal 

 nature of Eozoon can be proz'cd in tlie demonstrative sense ; but 

 he does affirm that the convergence of a numljcr of separate and 

 independent probabilities all accordant with that hypothesis, 

 while a separate explanation must be invented for them on any 

 other hypothesis, gives it that high probability on which we rest 

 in the ordinary affairs of life, in the verdicts of juries, and in the 

 interpretation of geological phenomena generally. 



The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has begun 

 to issue a series of "Manuals of Elementary Science." Is it to 

 be regarded as a sign of the times that this Society as a publish- 

 ing body is devoting to the spread of a knowledge of Science 

 funds which have been avowedly collected for the purpose of 

 " promoting Christian knowledge " ? 



