420 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1270 



be abundant reasons for its present larger use 

 for tbat purpose. Tbese considerations are: 

 First, the concrete sbip can be made practic- 

 ally waterproof ; second, the reinforcement can 

 be completely inclosed by the concrete so as to 

 prevent rusting ; third, concrete and reinforced 

 concrete are absolutely fireproof. 



Concrete used as construction material im- 

 proves with age; there is no definite knowl- 

 edge to-day as to the limits of its -durability in 

 time. It is not known to be attacked by in- 

 sects; mould, vermin and bacteria find no soil 

 for growth in it, and consequently ferrocon- 

 crete vessels can easily be kept clean. The 

 ease of repairing a concrete ship by the simple 

 application of new concrete is also a distinct 

 advantage. 



A chapter of " Mineral Eesources of the 

 United States " on cement in 1917, published 

 by the United States Geological Survey, De- 

 partment of the Interior, includes a section 

 on concrete ships, by Robert W. Lesley, as- 

 sociate of the American Society of Civil 

 Engineers, one of the pioneer manufacturers 

 of Portland cement and a member of the com- 

 mittee on concrete ships of the American Con- 

 crete Institute. Mr. Lesley gives a full ac- 

 count of the ship Faith, the investigations of 

 the American Concrete Institute, government 

 construction, and patents for concrete ships, 

 also a bibliography of concrete in shipbuild- 

 ing. 



In carrying out its emergency shipbuilding 

 program the government made contracts for 

 a large number of concrete ships. After the 

 armistice the general program was changed; 

 the total output of steel, wood and concrete 

 ships was cm-tailed, but the infant concrete 

 shipbuilding industry will probably continue 

 to grow, for it still affords great opportunities 

 for research and development. 



EDUCATION AND SCIENCE IN THE BRITISH 

 CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES 



The estimates for civil services for the year 

 ending March 31, 1920, as quoted in Nature, 

 amounted in Class IV. (Education, Science 

 and Art), to £41,251,610. The following are 

 among the estimates: 



United Kingdom and England 



Universities and Colleges, 



United Kingdom, and 



Intermediate Education, 



Wales 945,700 



Universities, etc., special 



grants 500,000 



Scotland 



Public education 4,677,220 



Ireland 



Public education 2,721,356 



Intermediate education .... 90,000 

 Science and art 190,498 



624,000 



470,000 



1,635,675 



519,752 



27,105 

 Decrease 



Universities and colleges . . 85,000 11,350 



Details of some of these estimates of par- 

 ticular interest to men of science are as fol- 

 lows : 



SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS, ETC. 



Eoyal Society: 



(i) Grant in aid of (a) scientific investi- 

 gations undertaken witli the sanction of 

 a committee appointed for the purpose 

 (£4,000) and (6) scientific publica- 

 tions (£1,000) 



(di) Grant in aid of salaries and other 

 expenses of the Magnetic Observatory 

 at Eskdalemuir 



Meteorological Office 



Royal Geographical Society 



Marine Biological Association of the United 

 Kingdom 



Royal Society of Edinburgh 



Scottish Meteorological Society 



Royal Irish Academy 



Royal Zoological Society of Ireland 



British School at Athens 



British School at Rome 



Royal Scottish Geographical Society 



National Library of Wales 



National Museum of Wales: 



Grant in aid of the expenses of the mu- 



seum 



Special building grant in aid 

 Solar Physics Observatory .... 

 School of Oriental Studies .... 



5,000 



1,000 



47,000 



1,250 



1,000 

 600 

 100 



1,600 

 500 

 500 

 500 

 200 



8,900 



4,000 



20,000 



3,000 



4,000 



