338 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. ir. No. 37. 



the possibility of two more before the year 

 closes. 



The mid-wiuter meeting will be held at 

 Cleveland, Ohio. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 

 RAILWAY SPEED IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



Mr. Charles Eous-Maetin, an English 

 authority on railway working, published a 

 paper in the London Engineer of August 

 9th, in which he discusses what has come 

 to be called ' the railwaj^ race to Aberdeen,' 

 between the East and the West Coast routes. 

 It began July 1st by the reductions of the 

 schedule time from 11 h. 35 m. and 11 h. 

 50 m. to 11 h. 40 m. by the West Coast 

 line. East Coast, then, came to 11 h. 20 

 m.; then West Coast to 11 hours. Next 

 East Coast made the 523 miles in 10 h. 45 

 m., July 22 and, the same day. West Coast 

 543 miles in 10 h. 45 m. The last figures 

 to date were 10 h. 25 m. and 10 h. 20 m. 

 The running speed ranges between 60 and 

 75 miles an hour, which figures have been 

 repeatedly bettered, previously, for short 

 distances, by local trains. The higher the 

 speed, the steadier was the motion of 

 the train. The present writer came 

 up from Perth to Edinboro' on such trains 

 and can report extraordinarily easy and 

 smooth motion of engine and carriages at 

 speeds estimated to be much above seventy 

 miles for considerable distances. It is con- 

 cluded that the American system of ' bogie ' 

 or ' truck ' is much better than the old 

 English six-wheeled rigid type of carriage. 

 The East Coast Une employed single drivers 

 7 ft. 7 in. to 8 ft. 1 in. diameter and the 

 West Coast two pairs coupled of 6 ft. 6 in. 

 diameter. Speeds of 80 miles were some- 

 times touched; but rarely were the velocities 

 considered extraordinary. The engines 

 were in some cases simple, sometimes com- 

 pound. All did magnificent work. The 

 loads were 180 to 200 tons. E. H. T. 



royal society of new south wales. 



The Society offers its Medal and £25 for 

 the best communication (provided it be of 

 suflBcient merit) containing the results of 

 original research or observation upon each 

 of the following subjects : 



Series XV. — To be sent in not later than 

 1st May, 1896. On the origin of Multiple 

 Hydatids in man. On the Occurrence of 

 Precious Stones in New South Wales with a 

 description of the Deposits in which they are 

 found. On the effect of the Australian Cli- 

 mate on the Physical Development of the 

 Australian-born Population. 



Series XVI. — To be sent in not later than 

 1st May, 1897. On the Embryology and 

 Development of the Echidna or Platypus. 

 The Chemical Composition of the Products 

 fi"om the so-called Kerosene Shale of New 

 South Wales. On the Mode of Occurrence, 

 Chemical Composition, and Origin of Ai-te- 

 sian Water in New South Wales. 



The competition is in no way confined to 

 members of the Society, nor to residents in 

 Australia, but is open to all without any re- 

 strictions whatever, excepting to members 

 of Council for the time being. The com- 

 munication to be successful must be either 

 wholly or in part the result of origin obser- 

 vation or research on the part of the con- 

 tributor. The Society is fully sensible that 

 the money value of the Prize will not repay 

 an investigator for the expenditure of his 

 time and labor, but it is hoped that the 

 honour will be regarded as a sufficient in- 

 ducement and reward. The successful 

 papers will be published in the Society's An- 

 nual Volume. Fifty reprint copies mil be 

 furnished to the author free of expense. 

 Competitors are requested to write upon 

 foolscap paper — on one side onlJ^ A motto 

 must be used instead of the writer's name, 

 and each paper must be accompanied by a 

 sealed enveloiie bearing the motto outside, 

 aud containing the writer's name and ad- 

 dress inside. 



