May 3, 1901.] 
Mr. E. S. NETTLETON, connected with the 
Department of Agriculture as an expert on irri- 
gation, died at Denver on April 22d, at the age 
of sixty-nine years. 
SHORTLY before the lamented death of Pro- 
fessor H. A. Rowland, his mechanician in the 
Physical Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins 
University, Mr. Theodore C. Schneider, died. 
He had been connected with the Laboratory 
ever since the founding of the University. 
Under Professor Rowland’s personal super- 
vision, he constructed the three machines used 
for ruling the spectrum gratings made at this 
laboratory and used in all parts of the world 
where exact measurements in spectroscopy are 
attempted; and for several years he has had 
exclusive charge of selecting and of adjusting 
the diamond points to the machine, and of rul- 
ing the gratings. The construction of these 
ruling machines involved the grinding of screws 
a foot or more in length, which should be as 
perfect as possible throughout their lengths. 
Mr. Schneider ground four of these screws which 
under the most severe tests to which they can 
be put have as yet shown no appreciable error. 
They are without doubt the most perfect screws 
in the world. 
Dr. GUILIO BIzzozERO, professor of general 
pathology in the University of Turin, died on 
April 8th at the age of fifty-five years. He was 
the author of numerous important papers on 
changes in minute anatomy produced by disease 
and, more recently, on State medicine. 
M. PAuL CHAIx, for many years professor of 
geography in the University of Geneva, has 
died at the advanced age of ninety-three years. 
He had traveled much and was the author of 
various works on geography. ‘ 
WE also regret to announce the death of Dr. 
John Kloos, professor of geology and mineral- 
ogy inthe Technical Institute at Braunschweig, 
at the age of fifty-eight years ; and of Dr. Daniel 
Wierzbicki, astronomer in the observatory at 
Cracow, at the age of sixty-eight years. 
THE first conversazione of the Royal Society 
will take place on Wednesday, May 8th. 
THE Government of Norway aud Sweden has 
called a conference of representatives of coun- 
tries interested in marine exploration to meet 
SCLENCE. | 
717 
in Christianiain May. Germany, Great Britain? 
Denmark, Holland and Russia, besides Nor- 
way and Sweden, have indicated their intention 
to send delegates, and it is expected that other 
countries will be represented. 
A TELEGRAM was received at the Harvard 
College Observatory, on April 26th, from Pro- 
fessor Kreutz, at Kiel Observatory, stating that 
avery bright comet, discovered by Halle at 
Queenstown, April 23d, was observed at Cape- 
town by Gill, April 24d.712, Greenwich 
mean time in R. A. 1h. 30m. 4s. and Dec. + 38° 
27’. The comet was observed by Professor H. 
B. Frost at the Yerkes Observatory on the 27th, 
just before sunrise and close to the sun. 
GOVERNOR ODELL has signed the bill which 
permits New York City to accept the $5,200,000 
gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie for a free library 
system. The bill was drawn by Corporation 
Counsel Whalen and authorizes the city to pur- 
chase, erect and maintain libraries, and to enter 
into a contract with Mr. Carnegie to accept his 
gift under the conditions named by him. 
THE workshop for the grinding of lenses and 
construction of telescopes, established by Mr. 
Alvan Clark, which was purchased from the 
heirs by one of his daughters, Mrs. William H. 
Grogan, Jr., and conducted by Mr. Grogan 
until his death last July, has been sold to the 
Alvan Clark and Company corporation. 
BEGINNING on about the fifteenth of May, 
1901, the Biological Department of the Univer- 
sity of California will commence a systematic 
biological survey of the coast of that State. 
Temporary headquarters are established at San 
Pedro, and the work for the first summer will 
be carried south from Pt. Conception toward 
San Diego. A gasoline launch, which has been 
obtained for the season, will be fitted out with 
apparatus for dredging, sounding and making 
observations on temperature, salinity, specific 
gravity, ete. The work will be carried on by 
the members of the Department and graduate 
students, together with a number of investi- 
gators who have already interested themselves 
especially in west coast faunas. The funds to 
be used in the work were raised by Mr. W. 
H. O’Melveny, a graduate of the University, 
among the citizens of Los Angeles. 
