September 12, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



361 



schools teaching manual training and domestic 

 science a grant of £70,000 a year for ten years 

 is recommended. The report also proposes the 

 establishment in each province of a board 

 qualified to carry on industrial training. It 

 advocates the provision of suitable and ade- 

 quate apparatus and equipment for teaching 

 purposes, the foundation of scholarships for 

 students, the engagement of experts with ex- 

 perience in industrial training, and the crea- 

 tion of central institutions to supplement the 

 work carried on by the provincial and local 

 authorities. Workers in factories whose main 

 task is to attend or to operate machines should, 

 it is suggested, receive instruction which would 

 develop all-round skill and increase their in- 

 terest beyond the routine of automatic opera- 

 tions. Such training should be provided as 

 will conserve and develop occupations in which 

 skilled handicraft is required. The interests 

 of the rural population should be preserved so 

 far as possible by industrial training and tech- 

 nical education suitable to the needs of its 

 workers. The needs of girls and women for 

 organized instruction and training in house- 

 keeping and home-making under modern in- 

 dustrial conditions should be recognized. The 

 report also recommends that schools for fisher- 

 men should be established, and that provision 

 be made for instruction in packing and curing. 

 The distinguishing characteristic of the re- 

 port is the attention which it gives to the 

 problems of the rural communities. 



The U. S. Geological Survey has just is- 

 sued, as an advance chapter from " Mineral 

 Eesourees of the United States," a report by 

 Alfred H. Brooks on the mine production of 

 precious and semi-precious metals in Alaska 

 in 1912. Metalliferous mining in Alaska, says 

 Mr. Brooks, made important advances last 

 year. Although the output of gold placers 

 was less than in 1911, the installation of large 

 plants, notably of dredges, in many districts 

 is encouraging for the future of this industry. 

 More important was the progress made in lode 

 gold mining, the output of which was greater 

 than in previous years. Copper mining also 

 advanced, partly because several large plants 



increased their output, partly because a num- 

 ber of small mines were developed on account 

 of the high price of copper. The development 

 of the coal fields still awaits the establishment 

 of a definite policy in regard to the disposi- 

 tion of the public coal lands. The delay in 

 securing cheap fuel for the territory has now 

 for many years caused a stagnation in many 

 industries. Railway construction and, to a 

 certain extent, railway operation have stopped 

 and many mining enterprises have been ham- 

 pered if not entirely abandoned on account of 

 the uncertainty as to the fuel problem. Very 

 few Alaskans have any direct interest in coal 

 claims or in mining, but the entire population 

 of the territory is desirous of seeing the coal 

 fields developed, because it is believed that 

 this will bring about advancement in many 

 other industries. Above all, it will encourage 

 the operation and the construction of rail- 

 ways, which are all important to the territory. 

 The total mine production of gold, silver and 

 copper in Alaska in 1912 was valued at $22,- 

 285,821, against $20,505,664 in 1911, an in- 

 crease of $1,780,158. The value of the gold 

 production of Alaska last year is estimated at 

 $17,145,951, that of silver at $316,839. The 

 copper output of Alaska for 1912 was 29,230,- 

 491 pounds, valued at $4,823,031, an increase 

 from 1911 of 1,962,613 pounds. 



UNIVEBSITT AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS 



The Florida legislature has made the fol- 

 lowing appropriations for the support and 

 maintenance of the state institutions for 

 higher education for the coming biennium: 

 For the University of Florida at Gainesville, 

 $173,500, which includes $30,000 for new law 

 building, $23,000 for farmers' institutes and 

 publishing bulletins, $15,000 for laboratory 

 equipment and farm buildings for college of 

 agriculture, $10,000 for equipment and ma- 

 chinery for college of engineering, $7,000 for 

 heating plant to supply five new buildings; 

 $5,000 for sewerage and disposal system. For 

 the Florida State College for Women at Talla- 

 hassee, $148,000, of which $30,000 is for din- 

 ing hall and equipment, $5,000 for domestic 



