264 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 191. 



Messes. G. W. and W. D. Hewitt have, as 

 we learn from the Philadelphia Ledger, pre- 

 pared preliminary plans for the buildings it is 

 proposed to erect for the Philadelphia Mu- 

 seums. These plans are elaborate, and the 

 structures contemplated will be enormous in 

 size. The central building will be 208 feet 

 square and 226 feet in height, having a central 

 dome 100 feet in diameter. This will be 

 known as the Administration Building. On 

 two sides of it there will be wings, each 90 feet 

 in width and 384 feet in length, and these will 

 be connected by two other wings, each 80 by 

 300 feet, forming a hollow square. These 

 squares will be roofed over to form immense 

 halls or courts, 296 by 216 feet in dimensions, 

 which it is proposed to use in connection with 

 the other sections of the buildings for general 

 exhibition purposes. The Administration 

 Building, which will contain all the offices, 

 committee rooms, library and a large assembly 

 room capable of seating 1,500, will be six 

 stories high, while the buildings for exhibition 

 will be only three stories high. All the win- 

 dows will be fitted with stationary sashes, and 

 air, which has first been cleared of all dust and 

 impurities, will be introduced by means of fans. 

 The power house, boiler rooms, etc., will be 

 placed along the outer line of the plot, the 

 grade at that point being such that the boiler 

 house roof will be on a level with the grounds 

 of the surrounding buildings. The plans call 

 for granite, with light gray and brick and terra 

 cotta trimmings for the walls of the buildings, 

 and the roofs are to be covered with slate or 

 tile. The interior will be of fire-proof construc- 

 tion, plain, but substantial, especial care being 

 given to exhibition cases and light. The prop- 

 osition is to have the buildings completed in 

 time for the exhibition, which is to take place 

 next May. 



At the recent meeting of the National Trust 

 for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty 

 the annual report stated, according to the Lon- 

 don Times, that during the past year there had 

 been a steady growth of membership. As the 

 aims and objects of the Trust became better 

 known, it was more and more referred to for 

 help and advice in the protection and preserva- 

 tion of places of historic interest or natural 



beauty. The acquisitions of the past year had 

 been two, each representing a different class of 

 property. The members of the Trust had long 

 been anxious that it should secure one of the 

 headlands of Kent or Surrey overlooking the 

 Weald and commanding a view of the hills, as 

 these promontories were being rapidly pur- 

 chased for building, and enclosed. During the 

 past year that wish had been in a measure ful- 

 filled, Mr, and Mrs. Richardson Evans and their 

 relatives having presented to the Trust, in mem- 

 ory of Mr. Frederick Feeney, some land on the 

 spur of Toy's Hill, which afforded an uninter- 

 rupted view to the South Downs. This was 

 the first realization of the idea suggested by the 

 Trust that memorials should sometimes take 

 the form of beautiful scenery or of land com- 

 manding beautiful views dedicated to the mem- 

 ory of the dead. The adjoining piece of land 

 on the spur had been presented to the Trust by 

 Miss Octavia Hill. The trust had also acquired 

 Joiner's Hall, Salisbury, an interesting old 

 building, the impending destruction of which 

 had too often led only to protests and vague 

 regrets. The work of repairing the old clergy 

 house at Alfriston was now nearly complete. 

 A memorial stone had been erected at Barras 

 Head recording its purchase by the Trust and 

 its dedication to the public. With regard to 

 Barmouth Cliif the Council regretted that the 

 negotiations with regard to the addition of cer- 

 tain land to that already possessed by the Trust 

 had fallen through. The sale of the Marquis of 

 Worcester's Monmouthshire estate might possi- 

 bly provide the Society with the opportunity of 

 acquiring Tinturn Abbey, a piece of property 

 of national interest. The Society hoped, as 

 soon as the necessary arrangements could be 

 made for their transfer, to become the trustees 

 of the site of DriiHeld Castle and an old Colum- 

 barium at Garway, near Ross. The report also 

 referred to the action taken by the Society to 

 prevent injury and destruction, especially in 

 regard to the St. John's Improvement and Vic- 

 toria-embankment Extension Bill, the ancient 

 camp atUphall, near Ilford, in Essex, the Glava 

 stones on the banks of the Nairn, Church-row, 

 Hampstead, the old inn at Maiden Newton, 

 the old vicarage at Luton, Christ's Hospital, 

 the monk's barn Peterborough and several 



