320 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. 



opposed, but to which they are driven by competition. The evil should be con- 

 trolled by legislation. As to the injurious dust from tarred roads, this was due to 

 the use of bad materials. Pure tar had not the same faults. 



Mi'. W. P. D. Stebbing mentioned as one of the results of spraying that fish 

 were said to be poisoned by water draining from roads so treated into neigh- 

 bouring streams. To account for some of the present road troubles he drew 

 attention to their almost utter neglect since the introduction of railways. Up to 

 that date continuous improvements were being made, and coach traffic was at 

 such a pitch of perfection that with relays of horses speeds of ten to twelve 

 miles an hour were kept up for hundreds of miles. 



Mr. A. W. Oke (Brighton and Hove N. H. and Philosophical Society) spoke 

 strongly as to the great injury that was being done by fast motor-traffic to local 

 natural history societies and to all those to whom a quiet roadside appealed. 

 He thought that all roadside advertisements should be taxed. 



Mr. Bryan Corcoran also spoke. 



Mr. T. R. Wilton, in his reply, sympathised with Professor Kendall in his 

 views as to the ' uglifying ' of the country. As a foot passenger he objected to 

 motors, but as an engineer swift motor-traffic appealed strongly to him. He 

 considered that Mr. Watts' statement about the mortality amongst cattle pastured 

 on land near roads carrying a great amount of motor traffic emphasised the 

 necessity of getting dustless roads. The remarks of Mr. J. H. Priestley about 

 the destruction of plants by certain dust-laying materials used on the road 

 showed the necessity of only using suitable substances and of investigating their 

 effect before adopting them. Professor Watts had put the case for road recon- 

 struction very clearly in urging the necessity for properly made roads and in 

 pointing out the wisdom of large capital expenditure to avoid the heavy annual 

 charges necessary on many of the present roads, and the folly of the methods of 

 road repair adopted in many districts. Principal Griffiths also had emphasised 

 the necessity of only using proper materials on roads in order to avoid damage to 

 adjacent lands, and in describing motors as a blessing in disguise, which would 

 lead to the roads being made thoroughly dustless, he had expressed an opinion 

 which should have a great effect in getting local bodies to take a broadminded 

 view of the matter. Professor Watts had dealt with and condemned the high 

 camber of roads, but it was necessary to emphasise the fact that high camber 

 was extremely bad, and that a road for even ordinary traffic should be as flat 

 as was consistent with drainage, and in the case of motor traffic that a road with 

 slight cross-gradient was essential. 



Discussion on the Ordnance and Geological Survey Maps and the 



enhanced Prices. 



Professor Kendall, as Vice-Chairman, introduced a discussion on the above 

 matters. In his remarks he said that on notification of this recent prohibitive 

 increase of price the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries were memorialised, but 

 to no effect, although it was pointed out that the intention of the Geological 

 Survey was by such policy defeated. As to the Ordnance Survey he inveighed 

 against the policy followed in dealing with the whole of the country, which 

 showed inconsistency in both publication, paper, and in the drawing of the 

 maps. Such an important matter as contouring was not uniform, and in the 

 6-inch maps some changes made in the different editions were not justifiable. 



Professor W. W. Watts confirmed what Professor Kendall had said as to the 

 result of the appeal to the Government. As in any case the cost of the Geological 

 Survey had to be borne, the cost of the addition of their lines to the uncoloured 

 maps could be very little — the only point is the addition of hand-colouring each 

 map, and the expense of this could be easily got back. The matter should not be 

 allowed to rest. It was one that especially affected local societies. Professor Watts 

 also mentioned that the Ordnance Survey allowed reproduction of their maps for 

 schools at cheap rates, but this unfortunately was not general and did not include 

 the colour-printed maps. 



Mr. H. Kidner (Hertfordshire N. H. Society) suggested that concerted actioy 

 should be taken. He asked if a requisition could not be sent up from the 



