60 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1281 



but whicli'are able and willing to contribute 

 an important part of a researcli. 



Galen H. Olevenger, 

 Acting Chairman of the Division 

 of Engineering 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



THE WATT CENTENARYi 



Additional interest bas been given to tbe 

 forthcoming commemoration of the centenary 

 of the death of James Watt by the movement 

 just inaugurated in Glasgow to found locally 

 a James Watt chair of engineering at the uni- 

 versity. Birmingham engineers decided some 

 time ago that a similarly named chair should 

 be installed in the university of their city, 

 besides holding a centenary commemoration 

 and erecting an international memorial to the 

 three great pioneers, Watt, Boulton and Mur- 

 dock. The commemoration in Birmingham 

 will be held on September 16-18. London, 

 Glasgow, and Greenock, and, indeed, all parts 

 of the country, are heartily cooperating, and, 

 with few exceptions, the universities and sci- 

 entific societies, together with many manu- 

 facturers and individual eminent men, are as- 

 sociating themselves with the scheme. In the 

 Science Museum at South Kensington steps 

 are being taken to arrange a comprehensive 

 exhibition of Watt relies. In Birmingham 

 the Watt relics existing there, which have so 

 carefully been preserved by the forethought 

 of Mr. George Tangye, and were a few years 

 back presented to the city, will be completely 

 rearranged and displayed with many addi- 

 tions. Two pumping-engines made by Boul- 

 ton and Watt will be seen; one, the first sold 

 by the makers in 1776. will be actually shown 

 under steam, and raising water. A memorial 

 service will be held in the Parish Church at 

 Handsworth, where the three contemporaries 

 are buried. A garden-party will be held in 

 park at Heathfield Hall, where the garret 

 workshop still remains as Watt left it. Lec- 

 tures will be delivered by eminent men and a 

 centenary dinner held. Some doubt seems to 

 have been raised with regard to the claims of 

 Birmingham to an international memorial. 



; I From Nature. 



It should be remembered, however, that Watt's 

 association with Boulton led to the success of 

 his engine. Boulton's factory was famous for 

 workmanship throughout Europe. It is true 

 that Watt conceived his first ideas whilst 

 working at the University in Glasgow, but he 

 gained no practical success until he went to 

 Birmingham. He spent the best part of his 

 life there, including the evening of his days 

 after he retired from business. The founda- 

 tions he laid by scientific thought and careful 

 study have resulted in the great and universal 

 application of steam, and the appeal comes 

 appropriately from Birmingham for an inter- 

 national memorial to him. 



THE SHORTAGE OF COAL IN EUROPE 



The Bureau of Mines gives figures showing 

 that western and southern Europe is badly in 

 need of coal. The deficiencies in the several 

 countries were supplied by Great Britain, 

 which now faces a loss of its export business 

 through reduction in its coal production. On 

 a pre-war basis of consumption the following 

 tabular statement gives the deficiency in the 

 various countries in western and northern 

 Europe which must be met by imports: 



Long Tons 

 (2,240 lt)3.) 



France 20,000,000 



Spain 3,650,000 



Italy 9,650,000 



Holland (other than supplies from 



Germany) 2,010,000 



Sweden 4,560,000 



Portugal 1,360,000 



Norway 2,300,000 



Mediterranean countries (other than 



Italy) 3,500,000 



Denmark 3,030,000 



Total 50,060,000 



In 1913 Great Britain supplied 31,000,000 

 tons to north Europe; 32,000,000 tons to 

 France, and south Europe, that is 63,000,000 

 tons to the above-named countries, and others, 

 in Europe, in addition to which about 9,000,- 

 000 tons was sent to South America; and 

 5,000,000 tons to other parts of the world. 



If the statements made before the Parlia- 

 mentary Commission are correct, from the 



