May 27, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



739 



tific research. The exhibits seemed on the 

 "whole more abundant than usual, while an 

 unusually large proportion were of a char- 

 acter that could only be understood by 

 specialists, or at least by actual inspection 

 under expert guidance. As might have 

 been expected, the results obtained by the 

 various parties who went to India to observe 

 the recent eclipse of the sun were particu- 

 larly prominent, and attracted considerable 

 attention. These exhibits were lent by the 

 Permanent Eclipse Committee and conveyed 

 the impression that substantial results had 

 been achieved by the parties which went to 

 India. From the Astronomer-Eoyal there 

 were six photographs of the corona, show- 

 ing the results of various exposures. Sir 

 ISTorman Lockyer showed several photo- 

 graphs illustrating the eclipse and the ex- 

 pedition to Viziadrug. Some of these were 

 photographs of the observing station, its 

 party of observers, and some of the instru- 

 ments employed. Another series illustrated 

 some of the results obtained, including en- 

 largements comparing the spectrum of the 

 chromosphere taken at the beginning of 

 totality with that taken eight seconds after 

 the end of totality. Other eclipse photo- 

 graphs were shown by Captain Hills, Mr. 

 H. F. Newall, the Astronomer-Koyal for 

 Scotland, and the Eclipse Committee of the 

 British Astronomical Association, which 

 had parties at Buxar and Tahni. 



Professor Oliver Lodge exhibited some 

 results of his experiments in space tele- 

 graphy, in which, under the requisite con- 

 ditions, the most remarkable sympathy was 

 manifested between two condenser circuits 

 placed at a distance from each other ; with 

 enough copper in each circuit there is no 

 assignable limit of distance. Professor 

 Lodge, in conjunction with Dr. Alexander 

 Muirhead, also showed experiments in 

 Hertz-wave space telegraphy between a 

 couple of signalling stations, one at the far 

 end of the library, the other in the Secre- 



tary's room. These two exhibits, especially 

 the former, were perhaps the most sugges- 

 tive and attractive in the rooms. The 

 former especially is almost uncanny in its 

 mystery, and both are capable of being 

 turned to important practical uses — com- 

 munication, say, with outlying islands and 

 lightships. Professor H. Callendar showed 

 a new electrical recording apparatus, which 

 has been in use for some time at Mc- 

 Gill College, Montreal, and which may be 

 applied to a great variety of scientific and 

 practical purposes. Mr. Orme Bastian's 

 electric current meter seemed to suggest 

 the possibility of really delicate and accu- 

 rate measurement. Interesting also were 

 Mr. K. J. Tennant's photographs of electric 

 discharges. 



Of special interest were the charts, sec- 

 tions and specimens, illustrating some of 

 the results of the investigations carried on 

 in the Atoll of Funafuti, South Pacific, 

 shown by Sir TV. J. L. Wharton and Pro- 

 fessor Judd on behalf of the Coral Eeef 

 Committee of the Royal Society. It will 

 be remembered that the expedition in H. 

 M. S. Penguin in 1896 was not very suc- 

 cessful, while that of 1897 under Professor 

 David succeeded in boring to a depth of 

 698 feet. This year a third expedition is 

 going out and hopes to reach a greater 

 depth. 



As usual at recent exhibitions the Eont- 

 gen rays held a prominent place. Mr. Mac- 

 kenzie Davidson showed an apparatus very 

 ingeniously arranged to localize exactly any 

 particular object, such as a bullet. Mr. 

 Campbell Swinton showed a Eontgen ray 

 camera with a pin-hold instead of a lens, 

 also very powerful cathode-ray lamps and 

 some experiments on the circulation of the 

 residual gaseous matter in Crookes tubes. 

 Mr. Wimshurst exhibited an improved ap- 

 paratus for holding and for the excitement 

 of Eontgen-ray tubes. One beautiful de- 

 monstration was that of Mr. C. T. E. "Wil- 



