May 1, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



639 



interest as that of signals. So far as is yet 

 known, the natural electric waves reaching 

 wireless telegraph stations in latitudes higher 

 than 50° appear to travel mostly from the 

 south. Thus the greatest changes produced in 

 strays by the eclipse will probably be experi- 

 enced at stations in Scandinavia and Russia, 

 to reach which the waves must cross the path 

 of the umbra. At the same time changes of 

 some kind are to be expected in other districts 

 than these, and it is therefore desirable that 

 statistical observations of natural electric 

 waves be made all over the world, and espe- 

 cially at places within an earth quadrant of 

 southern Eussia. It is also desirable that 

 meteorological observations, including those 

 of atmospheric ionization and potential gra- 

 dient, should be at the disposal of the com- 

 mittee when considering the records of strays 

 and signals. 



The committee proposes to prepare and cir- 

 culate special forms for the collection of sta- 

 tistics of signals and strays, especially within 

 the hemisphere likely to be affected by the 

 eclipse; they will endeavor to make provision 

 for the transmission of special signals at times 

 to be indicated on the forms; and they will 

 offer for the consideration of the authorities 

 controlling stations near the central line a 

 simple program of work. The discussion of 

 the observations, and the comparison with 

 meteorological data, will be carried out by the 

 committee; and digests of the statistics, to- 

 gether with the conclusions drawn from the 

 analysis, will be published in due course. 



The committee would be greatly aided in 

 the organization of this investigation if those 

 possessing the necessary facilities and willing 

 to make observations during the eclipse would 

 communicate with the honorable secretary, 

 Dr. W. Eccles, University College, London, 

 W. C, at the earliest possible date. 



TEE NAPJES TEBCENTENAZT CELEBRA- 

 TION 

 John Napier's " Logarithmorum Canonis 

 Mirifici Descriptio " was published in 1614 ; 

 and it is proposed to celebrate the tercentenary 

 of this great event in the history of mathe- 



matics by a congress, to be held in Edinburgh 

 on Friday, July 24, 1914, and following days. 



The celebration is being held under the aus- 

 pices of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, on 

 whose invitation a general committee has been 

 formed, representing the Royal Society of 

 London, the Royal Astronomical Society, the 

 town council of Edinburgh, the faculty of 

 actuaries, the Royal Philosophical Society of 

 Glasgow, the universities of St. Andrews, 

 Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, the Uni- 

 versity College of Dundee, and many other 

 bodies and institutions of educational impor- 

 tance. 



Through the favor of the editor of Science, 

 the president and council of the Royal Society 

 of Edinburgh have now the honor of giving 

 a general invitation to mathematicians and 

 others interested in this coming celebration. 



The celebration will be opened on the Friday 

 with an inaugural address by Lord of Appeal 

 Sir J. Fletcher Moulton, F.R.S., LL.D. 

 (Edin.), followed by a reception given by the 

 Right Honorable the lord provost, magistrates 

 and council of the city of Edinburgh. On the 

 Saturday and Monday the historical and 

 present practise of computation and other 

 developments closely connected with Napier's 

 discoveries and inventions will be discussed. A 

 memorial service will be held in St. Giles' 

 Cathedral on the Sunday. 



Among many who have expressed a warm 

 interest in the celebration and who hope to 

 take part in the congress, may be mentioned 

 Professor Andoyer, Paris; Professor J. 

 Bauschinger, Strassburg; Professor Hume 

 Brown, Historiographer Royal for Scotland; 

 Professor F. Cajori, Colorado, U. S. A.; Pro- 

 fessor G. A. Gibson, Glasgow; Dr. J. W. L. 

 Glaisher, Cambridge; Professor Lang, St. 

 Andrews ; Professor Macdonald, Aberdeen ; 

 Professor E. Pascal, Naples; Professor Karl 

 Pearson, London; Professor Eugene Smith, 

 New York; Professor Steggall, Dundee; Pro- 

 fessor Whittaker, Edinburgh. 



Merchiston Castle, the residence of Napier, 

 has long been occupied by the well-known 

 public school, which draws pupils from all 

 parts of the British empire. The governors of 



