April 18, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



631 



American physicist, including those who are 

 either ashamed of their birthright, or of so 

 vast a stature and cast in such an heroic mould 

 that they must seek their compeers abroad— 

 if all American physicists were to unite to pub- 

 lish in a national journal only, I believe the 

 result would mark an epoch in the history of 

 the importance of American contributions to 

 physics. Carl Barus. 



Brown •Univeksity, 

 Providence, R. I. 



THE CENTENARY OF HUGH MILLER. 



On the 10th of October, 1802, Hugh Miller 

 was born at Cromarty, Scotland. 



The folk of that picturesque town, whose 

 surroundings were the inspiration of Hugh 

 Miller's remarkable achievements in science, 

 literature and philosophy, and the Scottish 

 people generally, have proposed to commemo- 

 rate this one-hundredth anniversary of the 

 birth of their distinguished countryman by 

 erecting in the town of his birth a permanent 

 memorial of his work and worth. 



It is now hoped that this proposition will 

 meet a response sufficiently cordial and gen- 

 erous to justify the foundation of a Hugh 

 Miller Institute which will serve, not alone 

 as a resting place for the personal relics of the 

 man, but the home of scientific collections and 

 a library. The anniversary day, October 10, 

 1902, will also be commemorated by special 

 ceremonies. 



The local committee to carry into effect the 

 centenary project has issued a circular in 

 which the foregoing propositions are set forth, 

 and which also contains this statement: 



"The proposal has the support of the fol- 

 lowing : 



"Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Secretary for Scot- 

 land; Sir Archibald Geikie, F.R.S., LL.D.; Pro- 

 fessor Masson, LL.D.; Sir Walter Foster, M.P.; 

 Sir John Long, M.P.; C. J. Guthrie, K.C., Sheriff 

 of Ross and Cromarty; W. C. Smith, LL.B.; W. 

 Robertson Nicoll, LL.D.; Arthur Bignold, Esq., 

 M.P.; Principal Rainy, D.D. ; Alexander ^^Tiyte, 

 D.D.; Colonel Ross, C.B., of Cromarty; The 

 Provost and Magistrates of Cromarty; Mr. James 

 Barron, Inverness Courier." 



No American geologist of the generation 

 now in the full swing of its activity can have 



failed to come, in his early days, under the 

 inspiration of this unique man. When text- 

 books of geology were few and dull, Miller 

 portrayed in most delightful tints the beauties 

 of the science and the charm of its philosophy. 

 To intelligent readers of English-speaking 

 peoples he unfolded the science in a new light ; 

 in diction his writings are a model still unat- 

 tained and seldom approached by his success- 

 ors ; in vigor, relentless sequence, charm of 

 anecdote and reminiscence they will never lose 

 attractiveness and influence. 



The undersigned has been asked by Mr. J. 

 Bain, Hon. Secretary of the Hugh Miller 

 Centenary Committee, to act as its agent in 

 soliciting and receiving subscriptions in the 

 United States for the end stated. Remit- 

 tances will therefore be gladly received by the 

 undersigned and acknowledgment of the same 

 will be made by the Hon. Secretary. Checks 

 or other orders may be made payable to 



John M. Clarke, 

 For the Committee. 



State Hall, Albany, N. Y. 



the american association for the advance- 

 ment of science. section b, physics. 

 Attention is called to the coming meeting 

 of the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, in Pittsburg, Pa., June 28 

 to July 3. The accessibility of Pittsburg 

 from all parts of the country and the interest 

 which attaches to the great manufacturing 

 industries located there, add much to the 

 already favorable prospects for a large and 

 important meeting. The proposed meeting 

 of the American Physical Society in affiliation 

 with the American Association offers an addi- 

 tional attraction to physicists. 



It is hoped that a full and interesting pro- 

 gram may be secured in Section B and to this 

 end you are requested to send titles and ab- 

 stracts of papers, available for this purpose, 

 to the Secretary of the Section. Titles should 

 be sent in time to appear in the preliminary 

 program which will be issued several weeks 

 X)rior to the meeting. 



E. F. Nichols, Secretary, 



Hanover, N. H. 



W; S. Eranklin, Vice-President, 



South Bethlehem, Pa. 



