288 



SCIENCE 



[N. 8. Vol. LII. No. 1343 



in longitude 66° 57' and latitude 44° 49'; the 

 westernmost point is Cape Alva, Wash., in 

 latitude 48° 10', which extends into the 

 Pacific Ocean to longitude 124° 45'. 



From the southernmost point in Texas duo 

 north to the forty-ninth parallel, the boundary 

 between the United States and Canada, the 

 distance is 1,598 miles. From West Quoddy 

 Head due west to the Pacific Ocean the dis- 

 tance is 2,807 miles. The shortest distance 

 from the Atlantic to the Pacific across the 

 United States is between points near Charles- 

 ton, S. C, and San Diego, Calif., and is 

 1,152 miles. 



The length of the Canadian boundary line 

 from the Atlantic to the Pacific is 3,898 miles. 

 The length of the Mexican boundary from the 

 Gulf to the Pacific is 1,744 miles. The length 

 of the Atlantic coast line is 5,560 miles and 

 that of the Pacific coast line is 2,730 miles. 

 The Gulf of Mexico borders the United States 

 for 3.640 miles. 



Nearly all maps of the United States show 

 the parallels of latitude as curved lines and 

 are likely to lead the ordinary observer to 

 believe that certain eastern or western states 

 are farther north than some of the central 

 states that are actually in the same latitude. 

 For this reason, one who is asked which ex- 

 tends farther south, Florida or Texas, is very 

 likely to say " Texas," but, as stated, the 

 mainland of Florida is nearly 50 miles farther 

 south than the southernmost point in Texas. 

 For the same reason, when we consider the 

 geographical positions of countries south of 

 the United States we find that errors are 

 likely to be made in estimating position or 

 extent in longitude. Few realize that the 

 island of Cuba, for example, if transposed 

 directly north would extend from New York 

 City to Indiana, or that Habana is farther 

 ■west than Cleveland, Ohio, or that the 

 Panama Canal is due south of Pittsburgh, 

 Pa., or that Nome, Alaska, is farther west 

 than Hawaii. 



THE BRITISH DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC 

 AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH 



The following is a list of Research Asso- 

 ciations which have been approved by the 



department as complying with the conditions 



laid down in the government scheme for the 



encouragement of industrial research and 



have received licenses from the Board of 



Trade: 



The British Boot, Shoe and Allied Trades Eeaeareh 

 Association, Technical School, Abington Square, 



, Northampton. Secretary — Mr. John Blakeman 

 M.A., M.Sc. 



The Brittiah Cotton Industry Research Association, 

 108, Deansgate, Manchester. Secretary — Miss 

 B. Thomas. 



The British Empire Sugar Research Association, 

 Evelyn House, 62, Oxford Street, London, W.l 

 Secretary — Mr. "W. H. GifEard. 



The British Iron Manufacturers' Research Asso- 



. ciation, Atlantic Chambers, Brazennose Street, 

 Manchester. Secretary — Mr. H. S. Knowles. 



The Research Association of British Motor and 

 Allied Manufacturers, 39, St. James's Street, 

 London, S.W.I. Secretary — ^Mr. Horace Wyatt, 



The British Photographic Research Association, 

 Sicilian House, Southampton Row, London. 

 ■W.C.I. Secretary- — Mr. Arthur C. Brookes. 



The British Portland Cement Research Associa- 

 tion, 6, Lloyd's Avenue, London, E.C.3. Secre- 

 tary— Ut. S. G. S. Panisset, A.C.G.I., T.C.S. 



The British Research Association for the Woollen 

 and Worsted Industries, Bond Place Chambers, 

 Leeds. Secretary — Mr. Arnold Frobisher, B.Sc, 



The British Scientific Instrument Research AssO' 

 ciation, 26, Russell Square, W.C.I. Secretary — 

 Mr. J. W. Williamson, B.Sc. 



The Research Association of British Rubber and 

 Tyre Manufacturers, e/o Messrs. W. B. Peat & 

 Co., 11, Ironmonger Lane, E.C.2. 



The Linen Industry Research Association, 3 Bed- 

 ford Street, Belfast. Secretary — Miss M. Bur- 

 ton. 



The Glass Research Association, 50, Bedford 

 Square, W.C.2. Secretary — Mr. E. Quine, M.Sc. 



The British Association of Research for Cocoa, 

 Chocolate, Sugar Confectionery, and Jam Trades, 

 9, Queen Street Place, E.0.4. Secretary — Mr. 

 R. M. Leonard. 



THE CENTENARY OF OERSTED'S DISCOVERY' 



On August 31 and September 1 the centen- 

 ary of the discovery of electromagnetic action 

 by the Danish physicist, Hans Christian 

 Oersted, was celebrated at Copenhagen. 

 Meetings were held in the Town Hall and 



iTrom Nature. 



