156 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. II. No. 32. 



hensive scheme with the least possible delaJ^ 

 It may be added here that he also urges 

 that in determining the scope of the cata- 

 logue a very wide interpretation should be 

 given to the word ' Science.' 



No very precise information as to the 

 best mode of putting the scheme into oper- 

 ation is to be gathered from the rei^lies as a 

 whole. 



It is generallj^ agreed that the enterprise 

 should be an international one. Many 

 think that international financial support 

 should and would be accorded to it, but no 

 method of securing this is indicated; others 

 express the view that the cost may be met by 

 subscriptions from societies, libraries, book- 

 sellers and individuals without government 

 aid, and this is, perhaps, on the whole, the 

 prevailing feeling among those who have 

 discussed the matter from a financial point 

 of view. But in no case is any attempt 

 made to form any exact estimate of the 

 cost. 



A niimber of scientific bodies and institu- 

 tions express themselves prepared to work 

 in such a cause. The Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution suggests that, as the 

 Institution receives all the serials and in- 

 dependent works published in America, a 

 branch ofiice might be established there, and 

 that it is not impossible that a sum of money 

 might be given yearlj' in aid. The Eoyal 

 Danish Academy is willing to render as 

 much assistance as possible. It would 

 charge an official of one of the Danish chief 

 libraries in receipt of all Danish publications 

 with the task of editing slips, and would 

 defray the cost of this work. The Societe 

 des Sciences of Helsingfors Avould furnish 

 the central office with information as to the 

 scientific work done in Finland. The 

 Kongl. Vetenskajis Akademie of Stockholm 

 would organize a Committee for Sweden. 



As regards language, there appears to be 

 more unanimitj' than could have been ex- 

 pected. Over and over again the opinion 



is expressed that English should be the 

 language of the subject catalogue. Fre- 

 quent reference is made to the impoz'tance 

 of quoting titles in the original language, 

 although some suggest that this should be 

 done onlj^ in the case of those published in 

 English, French or German, and perhaps 

 Italian. 



Some form of card catalogue appears to 

 be generally favored, especially in America, 

 as the basis of the scheme; the Committee 

 of Harvard University, whose reply is very 

 full, in particular discuss this point in de- 

 tail. 



In an interview with the Committee in 

 March last, Professor Agassiz sjjoke very 

 warmly in favor of the scheme, and of the 

 support which it would meet with in the 

 United States, especially from libraries. 

 As others have done, he urged that the co- 

 operation of booksellers and authors should 

 be secured. Professor Agassiz also ex- 

 pressed the view that the regular issue, to 

 libraries and scientific workers, from the 

 central office, of cards or slips which would 

 afford the material for the construction of 

 card catalogues would foi'm an important 

 source of income, at all events in his coun- 

 try. 



From various sides it is urged that an 

 International Congress should be held to 

 discuss plans. This is advocated as a first 

 step in a replj^ received from the Konigl. 

 Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften in Gottin- 

 gen, a reply to which, not only as regards 

 this point, but also in resj)ect to the whole 

 matter, the Committee attach very great 

 weight, since it embodies in an official form 

 views arrived at by the Academies of Vien- 

 na and Munich, and by the scientific socie- 

 ties of Leipzig and Gottiugen, who have 

 considered the matter in common. Pro- 

 fessor Agassiz strongly urged the calling of 

 a conference, and among others who share 

 this view, Dr. Gill, of the Cape Observa- 

 tory, in his letter particularly dwells on 



