456 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLV. No. 1167 



corals were conducted to determine their 

 growth-rate, and the share they take in the 

 composition of reef limestones. A statistical 

 ecologic study of the reefs was made, and the 

 reactions of corals to heat and salinity deter- 

 mined. 



COMMITTEES UNDER THE BRITISH BOARDS 

 OF TRADE AND AGRICULTURE 



The president of the Board of Trade has 

 appointed a committee to consider and report 

 what steps should be taken, whether by legis- 

 lation or otherwise, to ensure that there shall 

 be an adequate and economical supply of elec- 

 tric power for all classes of consumers in the 

 United Kingdom, particularly industries which 

 depend upon a cheap supply of power for their 

 development. The members of the committee 

 are: Mr. F. Huth- Jackson (chairman), Mr. H. 

 Booth, Mr. J. Devonshire, Mr. J. Falconer, 

 Mr. G. H. Hume, Mr. J. Kemp, Mr. H. H. 

 Law, Mr. C. H. Merz, Sir Charles Parsons, 

 Sir John Snell, Alderman C. F. Spencer and 

 Mr. A. J. Walter. 



The president of the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries has appointed a committee to 

 consider practical means for increasing the 

 supplies of sea-fish for the home markets and 

 for encouraging the consumption of such fish, 

 whether cured or fresh, in substitution for 

 other foods. The committee has received a 

 grant from the development fund, with author- 

 ity to expend the grant, subject to limitations 

 and conditions recommended by the develop- 

 ment commissioners and approved by the 

 treasury, at their discretion for the increase 

 of the fishing power of vessels other than 

 steam fishing vessels. In general their expen- 

 diture will be confined to assisting fishermen 

 who are owners of their own boats to develop 

 their fishing power and to secure greater 

 quantities of fish. The committee consists of : 

 Mr. Cecil Harmsworth (chairman) ; Mr. H. S. 

 M. Blundell, of the Admiralty War Staff 

 (Trade Division) ; Mr. H. G. Maurice, of the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries; Mr. E. 

 H. Collingwood, of the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries; Mr. Stephen Reynolds, repre- 

 senting the Development Commissioners; Mr. 

 A. Towle, representing the Food Controller. 



The president of the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries has appointed a committee to 

 consider whether any considerable addition to 

 the home food supplies of fish could be pro- 

 vided from the rivers, lakes and ponds of Eng- 

 land and Wales. The committee is requested 

 to have special regard to considerations affect- 

 ing the practicability of any scheme for bring- 

 ing fresh-water fish supplies into consumption, 

 such as transport to market, the food value of 

 the difierent kinds of fish, the probability of 

 its proving acceptable to the consumer, the 

 necessity for interference with private rights, 

 and the risk of damage to more valuable 

 fisheries. Further, the committee will con- 

 sider and report upon measures which might 

 be taken for securing a greater output of eels 

 from the waters of the United Kingdom for 

 home consumption. The members of the com- 

 mittee are: Lord Desborough (chairman), Mr. 

 E. B. Marston, Mr. A. E. Peart, Mr. F. G. 

 Eichmond, Mr. H. T. Sheringham, Mr. A. 

 Tate Eegan, Sir John Wrench Towse. The 

 Hon. A. S. N'orthcote will act as secretary to 

 the com m ittee. 



BASE HOSPITALS ABROAD 



Six of the base hospitals organized by the 

 Am erican National Eed Cross for service with 

 the medical department of the United States 

 Army have been ordered abroad for active duty. 

 The hospitals are: Base hospital ISTo. 2, the 

 Presbyterian Hospital, New York, Dr. George 

 E. Brewer, director; base hospital No. 4, the 

 Lakeside Hospital, Cleveland, Dr. George W. 

 Crile, director; base hospital No. 5, Harvard 

 University, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, 

 Dr. Harvey Gushing, director; base hospital 

 No. 10, the Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadel- 

 phia, Dr. Eichard H. Harte, director; base hos- 

 pital No. 12, Northwestern University Medical 

 School, Dr. Frederick A. Beasley, director; 

 base hospital No. 21, Washington University 

 Medical School, St. Louis, Dr. Frederick T. 

 Murphy, director. Three of the imits are ex- 

 pected to embark at once and the others to fol- 

 low soon. 



The Harvard Uni-"ersity unit includes the 

 following : 



