154 
ments carried out in Hertfordshire, he did not live to see 
the completion of the first commercial “ telpher line ” now 
being erected at Glynder in Sussex. 
The building of houses on sanitary principles interested 
him largely, and the Sanitary Protection Associations in 
Edinburgh and in London owed their existence to his 
initiation, and their success was largely due to his 
constant exertions. His article on “ Bridges” in the 
“Encyclopedia Britannica,” his book on “ Healthy 
Houses,” and his primer on “ Magnetism and Electricity,’ 
are well known to scientific readers, but not perhaps to 
the readers of his numerous articles in the quarterly re- 
views and monthly magazines, the last of which was his 
recent article on “ Telpherage” in Good Words. His 
numerous scientific papers published since 1864 are to be 
found in the Proceedings of the British Association, the 
Philosophical Magazine, the Proceedings and Transac- 
tions of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, 
the Yournal of the Society of Arts, the American Fournal 
of Science, and the Fournal of the Society of Telegraph 
Engineers. 
Technical education much interested him long before 
it acquired its present interest for the public, and he pre- 
sided at meetings of the Society of Arts and other societies 
when papers on that subject were brought forward. Asa 
director of the Watt Institute in Edinburgh for several 
years he helped to advance technical education in 
Scotland. 
He was an enthusiastic admirer of ability in other men, 
and he was especially warm in his encouragement of 
beginners, whether they were his own pupils or not. To 
gain his help it was only necessary to let him see that it 
was anxiously wished for, and that the recipient was not 
likely to make a mean use of it. He had marked dra- 
matic power, and the plays acted in his drawing-room 
will long be remembered by his friends; while to his 
conversation, his general reading and wide sympathies 
gave a charm which was as powerfully felt as it is now 
regretfully remembered by all who were fortunate enough 
to know him. 
THE GEOLOGICAL SUKVEY OF BELGIUM 
LL who are interested in the careful and methodical 
investigation of the geological structure of the 
European continent will be sorry to Jearn that the 
Belgian Chamber of Representatives has cut down the 
vote for the prosecution of the detailed Geological Survey 
of Belgium so seriously as practically to suspend the work. 
It is miserable to see personal dislikes, religious differences 
and political antagonism imported into the discussion of a 
scientific project. Every competent witness must bear 
testimony to the minute fidelity and conscientious labour 
with which M. Dupont and his staff have carried out 
their Survey. If any fault can be found with his maps 
it is that they are too complete. They give more infor- 
mation than any ordinary reader can assimilate. Each 
sheet, indeed, is a detailed treatise on the area which it 
depicts. There are certainly no such elaborately ex- 
haustive maps published in any other country; and 
Belgium may justly boast that she has led the way in an 
important advance in the delineation of geological 
features. It is an open secret, however, that the official 
geologists have all along encountered the determined 
opposition of the “géologues libres” who were not so 
fortunate as to be entrusted with the control of the 
work, The Survey having been planned by the Liberal 
Ministry, and being stoutly supported by the authorities, 
has until now been able to hold on its course. Much time 
was, no doubt necessarily, spent by M. Dupont in per- 
fecting his system of colour-printing, and the delay in the 
appearance of his maps, possibly also the difficulty found 
by the malcontents in understanding them, were used as 
arguments for a total reorganisation of the staff. The 
NATURE 
[Fune 18, 1885 
opposition has recently been renewed under the clerical 
Government now in power, and unfortunately with more 
success. From the published debate it is clear that the 
Minister in whose department the estimate for the Geo- 
logical Map was prepared, and who was officially bound 
to support that estimate, sat still without speaking in its 
defence, and the House, taking this silence, no doubt, as 
an expression of the inclination of the new Government, 
cut down the vote. We are sure that this retrograde step 
will be regretted by all who wish well to the progress of 
science. Into the personal squabbles connected with the 
subject we have no wish to enter. But asa public act of 
unwisdom the vote of the House of Representatives will, 
we hope, be rescinded and the prosecution of the Survey 
will be again allowed to proceed. If any fault is found 
with the way in which the map has been prepared, surely 
the Commission contains talent and energy enough to 
inquire into this and set matters right without practically 
bringing the Survey to a stand. 
THE CONGO* 
TP BESE two welcome volumes from Mr. Stanley testify 
to the accelerated rate of events in these latter times. 
It is only twelve years since Livingstone died in the vain 
search for the sources of the Nile down by Lake Bang- 
weolo, and under the belief that no river but the Nile 
could sweep past Nyangwe with such a breadth and 
volume as he found the Lualaba to have. He was not 
singular in cherishing such a belief; many geographers 
believed, like him, that the Congo could not fetch such a 
sweeping circuit, and that the Lualaba must make its 
way northwards in spite of differences of level and some- 
how add its waters to the Albert Nyanza. It is only 
eight years since Mr. Stanley dispersed the delusion, and 
solved the problem both of the Nile and the Congo ; it is 
just aboutsix years since he began operations as the agent of 
the International African Association. To judge from the 
narrative of his journey across the continent, there was 
no blacker part of the Black Continent than the river 
banks between Nyangwe and the Atlantic, and no more 
intractable people than many of the tribes through whom 
he and his men had to run the gauntlet. Yet already, 
almost solely by his exertions, this most unpromising 
region has become “A land of settled government,” at 
least on paper. It has engaged the continued attention 
of diplomatists from all the great States of the world for 
months, and is the subject of as many treaties as if it 
had been founded a century ago. 
In reality, however, it is something more than a paper 
State. Noone can read Mr. Stanley’s narrative without 
being convinced that all along the river from Vivi to 
Stanley Falls there already exists what may fairly be 
regarded as an organised Government, carried on from 
some twenty-four stations as centres. But with the merely 
political aspects of this successful undertaking we cannot 
deal here. It is certainly an interesting experiment, both 
from a political and social point of view, this attempt 
to raise into a State a region not yet redeemed from 
savagery. What the ultimate result will be it is hard to 
say ; on the one side a great mass of savagery, and on 
the other the most advanced European influences in 
politics, in commerce, in industry, in religion. For 
already we find bands of missionaries everywhere, and 
as among them are many men of prudence, tact, and 
ability, Mr. Stanley acts wisely in encouraging their 
efforts ; they will certainly be of service in helping him 
to accomplish the object he has in view. 
Without the aid of the latest applications of science, 
Mr. Stanley could never have succeeded in accomplish- 
ing all he has done in the brief period of six years. 
Steam has been of infinite service to him, and engineer- 
t «©The Congo, and the Founding of its Free State.” By Henry M- 
Stanley. Two Vols. (London: Sampson Low and Co., 1885.) 
—s. 
at 
