864 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 207. 



liberal and intelligent members of the American Hu- 

 mane Association, wlio joined that organization to 

 prevent cruelty to animals rather than to secure per- 

 sonal notoriety, to stop and consider whether they are 

 called upon to further support and encourage those 

 narrow-minded and intolerant people whose efforts 

 are a hindrance rather than an aid to the cause of hu- 

 manity. 



Assuring you again of my appreciation of your in- 

 vitation, and of my sympathy with every intelligent 

 efiort for lessening the great sum of misery and suffer- 

 ing to which both our own race and the lower ani- 

 mals are subject, I am, etc. 



THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL GEOGEAPHICAL 

 CONGRESS. 



It will be remembered that at the Sixth Inter- 

 national Geographical Congress held in London 

 in 1895 two invitations were presented for the 

 next meeting, one from the United States and 

 one from Germany. The latter invitation was 

 accepted, and the Geographical Society of 

 Berlin, which is assisted by a General German 

 Council, undertook to carry out the necessary 

 preparations. The London Times states that 

 invitations are now being issued to the friends 

 and promoters of geography in all countries, and 

 especially to the members of all geographical so_ 

 cieties and cognate scientific bodies. The meet, 

 ing of the Congress will take place from Thurs- 

 day, September 28, to Wednesday, October 4, 

 1899. Before the beginning and after the close 

 of the Congress excursions will be arranged 

 through such parts of Germany as may be of in- 

 terest with regard to physical or economic geog- 

 raphy. The Geographical Society of Hamburg 

 will issue invitations for a visit to that city 

 under the auspices and with the sanction of 

 the Senate. Further information respecting 

 the organization and the general program of 

 the Congress will be issued as early as possible. 



The subjects which may be treated or dis- 

 cussed at the Congress are embraced in the fol- 

 lowing groups : (1) Mathematical Geography, 

 Geodesy, Cartography, Geophysics ; (2) Physical 

 Geography, Geomorphology, Oceanography, 

 Climatology; (3) Biological Geography ; (4) In- 

 dustrial and Commercial Geography ; (5) Eth- 

 nology ; (6) Local Geography, Exploring Trav- 

 els ; (7) History of Geography and of Cartog- 

 raphy ; (8) Methodology, School Geography, 



Bibliography, Orthography of Geographical 

 Names. It is probable also that some step may 

 be taken to render the work of the Congress 

 more continuous and permanent. Something 

 was done in this direction at the London meet- 

 ing, but, as the committee of the Congress have 

 no funds at their disposal, it is diflScult to carry 

 out any practical work. Some attempt may, 

 therefore, be made to institute a fund out of 

 which grants may be made for special purposes, 

 as is done by the British Association. 



The subscription for membership is £1 for 

 either ladies or gentlemen. Members will re- 

 ceive all publications of the Congress free of 

 charge. Ladies accompanying members are 

 also admitted as associates on payment of 10s. 

 All who wish to contribute communications to 

 the Congress are requested to give notice be- 

 fore April 1, 1899, and to send their manuscripts 

 to print not later than June 1, 1899. The time 

 allowed for each discourse or paper will, as a 

 rule, not exceed twenty minutes, but excep- 

 tions may be made in the case of subjects of 

 general interest or importance. 



According to custom, the English, French, 

 German and Italian languages are admitted as 

 languages of the Congress, and all papers must 

 be written in one of them. All propositions, 

 applications, notifications and manuscripts of 

 papers which are addressed in due time to the 

 Congress will be submitted for examination to a 

 special committee, and, if found suitable, in- 

 corporated in the general program, so far as 

 the time at disposal shall allow. If it is desired 

 that full notice of any communication thus 

 admitted be given in the daily bulletin which is 

 to be published during the meeting, an abstract 

 of it, not exceeding 1,500 words, must be de- 

 livered before August 1st. Any motion to be 

 laid before the Congress must be formulated in 

 writing, and should be transmitted not later 

 than June 1, 1899. All correspondence relating 

 to matters of the Congress is to be addressed 

 ' To the Seventh International Geographical 

 Congress, 90, Zimmerstrasse, Berlin, S. W.' 



STATE OWNERSHIP OF THE TELEGRAPH AND 

 THE TELEPHONE. 



The presidential address given by Mr. W. H. 

 Preece, C.B., F. R. S., before the British Insti- 



