614 
the quantity produced in each state exceeding 
100,000 cubic feet. 
The value of the marble produced for monu- 
mental use in 1917, including rough and 
dressed stone, increased $318,307 (15 per cent.) 
over that in 1916. The quantity, however, de- 
ereased 255,230 cubic feet (27 per cent.). The 
average price per cubic foot was $3.50 in 1917, 
which was $1.29 more than in 1916. There 
was a large increase in the quantity of dressed 
monumental stone sold in 1917—107,403 cubic 
feet (54 per cent.), but a decrease of 362,926 
cubic feet (49 per cent.) in the quantity of 
rough stone. Vermont produced more than 
55 per cent. (377,418 cubic feet), and Georgia 
more than 25 per cent. of the country’s output 
of monumental marble. Missouri, New York 
and Tennessee rank next in this product. 
Marble for ornamental and “other uses” 
declined in quantity but increased in value 
in 1917, as it did in 1916. Marble for “ other 
uses” includes rough stone sold to lime burn- 
ers, to carbonic acid factories, to pulp mills and 
to blast furnaces; crushed stone for road metal 
and terrazzo; small cubes for mosaics; and 
finished stone for electrical apparatus and 
ornamental purposes. The stone sold for flux 
to blast furnaces amounted to 21,194 long tons, 
valued at $24,899, and for terrazzo to 17,551 
short tons, valued at $51,218. In 1916 the 
stone sold for terrazzo was 24,340 short tons, 
valued at $83,466. 
) 
THE BRITISH NATIONAL UNION FOR 
SCIENTIFIC WORKERS! 
Tue first general meeting of the National 
Union of Scientific Workers was held on 
October 27, and was attended by representa- 
tives of eleven branches with more than five 
hundred members. The constitution of the 
union was determined, subject to slight alter- 
ations in redrafting the rules. It was agreed 
upon by the meeting that the objects of the 
union should include:—(1) To advance the 
interests of science—pure and applied—as an 
essential element in the national life; (2) to 
regulate the conditions of employment of 
persons with adequate scientific training and 
knowledge and (3) to secure in the interests 
1From Nature. 
SCIENCE 
[N. S. Von. XLVIIT. No, 1251 
of national efficiency that all scientific and 
technical departments in the public service, 
and all industrial posts involving scientific 
knowledge, shall be under the direct control 
of persons haying adequate scientific training 
and knowledge. Special objects deal with ob- 
taining adequate endowment for research and 
advising, as to the administration of such 
endowment, setting up an employment bureau 
and a register of trained scientific workers, and 
obtaining representation on the Whitley in- 
dustrial councils. An applicant is qualified 
for membership if he or she has passed the 
examination leading to a university degree in 
science, technology, or mathematics, and is 
engaged at the time of application on work 
of a required standard, though certain other 
qualifications are regarded as equivalent to 
university degrees and admitted in lieu 
thereof. A resolution was carried unani- 
mously that a special advisory committee 
should be appointed to deal with questions 
arising in connection with the promotion of 
research. At the close of the meeting the 
officers for the ensuing year were appointed as 
follows: President: Dr. O. L. Brady (Wool- 
wich). Secretary: Mr. H. M. Langton (mis- 
cellaneous). Treasurer: Mr. T. Smith (Na- 
tional Physical Laboratory). Haecutive: Mr. 
G. S. Baker, Dr. N. R. Campbell, Dr. C. C. 
Paterson (N.P.L.), Mr. R. Lobb, Mr. J. W. 
Whitaker (Woolwich), Dr. H. Jeffreys, Dr. 
F. Kidd (Cambridge), Dr. C. West (Imperial 
College), and Dr. A. A. Griffith (Royal Air- 
craft Establishment). The address of the sec- 
retary is Universal Oil Co., Kynochtown, 
Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. 
THE DE LAMAR BEQUESTS FOR MEDICAL 
RESEARCH 
Tue will of Captain Joseph Raphael De 
Lamar, mine owner and director in many 
large enterprises, leaves nearly half of his 
estate, estimated at $20,000,000, to the Har- 
vard University Medical School, Johns Hop- 
kins University and the College of Physicians 
and Surgeons of Columbia University for 
medical reseach into the cause of disease and 
into the principles of correct living. The 
