March 18, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



479 



Conference of Colonial Premiers in London in 

 favor of the adoption of a metric system. The 

 replies received are thus summarized. The 

 metric system is already used in Mauritius 

 and Seychelles. The following are favorable 

 to its adoption: Australia, New Zealand, Cape 

 of Good Hope, Transvaal, Orange River Col- 

 ony, Southern Rhodesia, Gambia, Northern 

 Nigeria, Gibraltar, British Guiana, Trinidad, 

 Leeward Islands, Windward Islands. Also, 

 with a reservation that it must also be adopted 

 in the United Kingdom or in the empire gen- 

 erally. Sierra Leone, Southern Nigeria, Cey- 

 lon and Falklands. Hongkong would take 

 common action with other colonies. The 

 states of New South Wales, Victoria and 

 Western Australia are also favorable, but, to- 

 gether with South Australia and Tasmania, 

 consider that the matter is one for the Com- 

 monwealth Government. Fiji is doubtful, but 

 must follow Australia and New Zealand. 

 British New Guinea would go with Australia. 

 Jamaica and British Honduras need the adop- 

 tion of the system in the United States of 

 America. The practise of India is important 

 to the Straits Settlements, which would be 

 followed by Labuan; and the Bechuanaland 

 Protectorate would follow the rest of South 

 Africa. St. Helena, Cypriis, Lagos, Wei-hai- 

 wei, Barbados and Bahamas are on the whole 

 unfavorable. The Gold Coast Colony and the 

 state of Queensland are prepared to adopt the 

 system, but consider that inconvenience would 

 occur. Natal can not consider the matter 

 until some general lines of legislation have 

 been agreed upon. No definite answer has 

 been given by Newfoundland, Malta or Ber- 

 muda. Canada has not yet replied. 



The forthcoming annual volume of ' Min- 

 eral Resources ' published by the U. S. Geo- 

 logical Survey will contain a report of Mr. 

 F. H. Oliphant on the production of petro- 

 leum in 1902. Seven facts with reference to 

 the petroleum industry of 1902 are empha- 

 sized in this report. (1) The production of 

 crude petroleum, which amounted to 88,757,- 

 395 barrels, was greater than that of any pre- 

 vious year. (2) The great increase was due 

 principally to the development of an inferior 



grade of petroleum in Texas, California and 

 Louisiana. (3) There was a slight decrease 

 in the production of the Appalachian field and 

 a slight increase in the Lima-Indiana field, 

 caused by the increased production in the 

 state of Indiana. (4) The general average 

 price paid for the crude petroleum produced 

 was less than in any year since 1898, although 

 the average price for the better grades pro- 

 duced in the Appalachian and the Lima- 

 Indiana fields was four cents greater in 1902 

 than in 1901. (5) Stocks held in the Appa- 

 lachian and Lima-Indiana fields showed a con- 

 siderable decrease, principally in the Appa- 

 lachian field. (6) The amount of refined and 

 crude petroleum exported in 1902 was slightly 

 less than that of 1901. There was an increase 

 in the amount of crude petroleum and re- 

 siduum exijorted, a decrease in illuminating 

 petroleum, and an increase in lubricating pe- 

 troleum. While the quantity of exports of 

 all grades decreased only 1.37 per cent., the 

 value decreased 5.62 per cent. The home con- 

 sumption has been increasing more rapidly in 

 the last three years than it did in former 

 years. (7) No new pools were discovered in 

 1902. Indications point to the existence of 

 a new source of petroleum supply in Alaska. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



The College of Pharmacy of the City of 

 New York, established in 1831, and possessing 

 a well-equipped building on Sixty-eighth St., 

 has become a part of Columbia University. 

 President Butler becomes president of the 

 college, which, however, remains a separate 

 corporation, its finances being managed by 

 its own board of trustees, as is the case with 

 Teachers College and Barnard College. It is 

 also announced that Columbia University has 

 received an additional sum of $50,000, making 

 $350,000 in all, for Hartley Hall, and will 

 proceed to erect this and another dormitory 

 on the Amsterdam side of South Field. 



Princeton University has received gifts 

 of the value of $35,000, including $15,000 

 from Mr. Morris K. Jesup, to increase the 

 endowment fund bearing his name. 



