Januaey 7, 



3.] 



SCIENCE. 



27 



away in the depths of the science ; on the con- 

 trary, they were organic chemistry itself, and 

 learnt by students on their first introduction to 

 the subject. The lecturer proceeded to give an 

 account of the genesis of some of Kekul6's theo- 

 ries and their relation to the work of other 

 investigators. His memoir on the benzene 

 theory, which was referred to as the crowning 

 achievement of the doctrine of the linking of 

 atoms, was the most brilliant piece of scientific 

 prediction to be found in the whole range of 

 organic chemistry. What Kekul6 wrote in 

 1865 had since been verified in every particular, 

 and not only had the various substitution 

 derivatives been discovered in the number and 

 with the properties required by the theory, 

 but various observations that appeared to con- 

 tradict it had been proved erroneous. More- 

 over, it had shown itself capable of boundless 

 development, and there seemed no limit to the 

 fruitfulness of Kekul6's conception of closed 

 chains. Even in the undeveloped state of the 

 subject prior to this theory, the facts were 

 apparently so intricate and so unconnected that 

 few chemists could claim to have mastered 

 them. The theory appeared; the previously 

 unmarshalled facts fell into their proper places, 

 and, further, it became possible to say whether 

 in any given section of the subject the facts 

 were complete or only fragmentary. The debt 

 which both chemical sciences and chemical 

 industry owed to Kekul6's benzene theory was 

 incalculable. As regards the former, three- 

 fourths of modern organic chemistry was di- 

 rectly or indirectly the product of the theory, 

 and as to the latter the industries of the coal- 

 tar colors and the artificial therapeutic agents 

 in their present form and estension would be 

 inconceivable without the inspiration and guid- 

 ance of Kekule's fertile idea. By the accuracy 

 of his predictions he had done more to inspire 

 chemists with a belief in the utility of legitimate 

 hypotheses in chemistry, and had, therefore, 

 done more for the deductive side of the science 

 than almost any other investigator. His work 

 stood preeminent as an example of the power 

 of ideas. A formula, consisting of a few 

 chemical symbols jotted down on paper and 

 joined together by lines, has supplied work and 

 inspiration for scientific chemists for an entire 



generation and afforded guidance to the most 

 complex industry the world had yet known. 



The scientific work accomplished by the 

 Prince of Monaco, in the Hirondelle up to 

 1889, and since then in the Princesse Alice, has 

 developed so greatly that the last named yacht 

 has been found too small for the proper carry- 

 ing out of these researches. As we learn from 

 Industries and Iron, a larger yacht will be built 

 for the continuation of the work. It will be a 

 fast vessel, propelled by engines of 1,000 indi- 

 cated horse-power, and designed to ensure a 

 speed of 12 knots. She has a length between 

 perpendiculars of 225 feet, with 34 feet beam, 

 a depth of 20 feet, and her tonnage is 1,270 

 tons. The hull is built of steel, divided into 

 seven water-tight compartments extending 

 the upper deck. The cabin accommodation 

 will be extensive, there being separate cabins 

 for the scientific staff and a large laboratory. 



The British Central Africa Gazette states that 

 reports from the West Shire and Ruo districts 

 give reason to believe that rinderpest has made 

 its appearance among the game in both those 

 districts. Game is said to be dying in numbers 

 in the Elephants' Marsh — one of the game pre- 

 serves formed by the administration of the Pro- 

 tectorate for the purpose of preventing the 

 extermination of wild animals in this part of 

 Africa. Prompt measures, it is said, have been 

 taken to endeavor to prevent the introduction 

 of the disease into the Shire Highlands.. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



The Executive Committee of the Board of 

 Trustees of the New York City College have 

 accepted the plans of the new buildings pre- 

 sented by Mr. George B. Post. The estimated 

 cost is about $1,200,000. The plans include 

 provision for a chapel with a seating capacity 

 of over 2,000, a library that will hold 70,000 

 books, a museum of natural history, labora- 

 tories, etc. The building, which will be of the 

 English Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, 

 will stand on a high elevation. It will be on 

 Convent Avenue, St. Nicholas Terrace and 

 138th and 140th streets. 



Mr. Levi Baebour, of Detroit, one of the 

 regents of Michigan University, has donated 



