Maech 13, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



437 



issued by the Observatory and the Nautical 

 Almanac Office. 



A large part of his energies was devoted 

 through many years to service as a member 

 of the Transit of Venus Commission. 



During the past year it has been a special 

 cause of regret to him that feebleness of body 

 should compel him to forego participation in 

 scientific work; meanwhile continually hoping 

 soon to recover strength sufficiently to per- 

 mit his return to Washington to complete 

 various pieces of scientific work. 



His energy and faithfulness should be 

 emulated by all. His example should spur 

 us on to greater faithfulness, activity and 

 zeal in carrying on labors commenced by him 

 and providentially committed to us to con- 

 tinue. 



By unanimous vote it was resolved that 

 the superintendent of the Naval Observatory 

 be requested to place the above tribute to the 

 memory of the late Professor William Hark- 

 ness on the records of the Observatory, and to 

 transmit a copy to the members of his family. 



The foregoing minute having been read Mr. 

 Thomas Harrison, the oldest associate of Pro- 

 fessor Harkness at the observatory, made the 

 following remarks, which by unanimous vote 

 were appended to the minutes : 



On this sad occasion, Mr. Chairman, I can 

 not forbear to say a word, though it be only 

 to regret my inability adequately to express 

 the regard I have for many years entertained 

 for the man whose memory we have met to 

 honor. 



It would be unbecoming in me to speak of 

 his great and valuable labors at the Naval Ob- 

 servatory, the results of which have done so 

 much to sustain the high reputation in this 

 country and abroad that is now enjoyed by the 

 Institution with which his name has been 

 so long associated. These labors fall ap- 

 propriately under the notice of those present 

 who were his colaborers in the same field, and 

 who can more readily than myself comprehend 

 their magnitude and their value. But a 

 personal reference may be allowed. 



Professor Harkness came to the Observa- 

 tory during the stirring events of 1862, when 

 in the vigor of early manhood. He was as- 



signed at once to the rank among scientists 

 due to his varied attainments; and his life 

 work then auspiciously begun, continued, ever 

 widening in scope and influence, to the day 

 of his death, which has just been announced. 



The fact that I was permitted to enjoy his 

 friendship will always be classed with the 

 happy circumstances of my official life — a 

 friendship which began 41 years ago, and 

 continued to the moment he was stricken by 

 the hand of death. 



The often-quoted lines of Horace on the 

 ' Just Man,' may well be applied to William 

 Harkness. 



March 2, 1903. 



SCIENTIFIC N0TE8 AND NEWS. 



A Nobel Prize Committee has been organ- 

 ized in Great Britain with Lord Avebury as 

 chairman. 



Mr. William R. Meeeiam has resigned the 

 directorship of the census. 



M. Leon Labbe, the surgeon and anatomist, 

 has been elected a member of the Paris Acad- 

 emy of Sciences. 



The University of Glasgow will on April 21 

 confer the degree of LL.D. on Sir William 

 Tennant Gairdner, emeritus professor of 

 medicine in the University of Glasgow; Sir 

 Norman Lockyer, F.E.S., director of the Solar 

 Physics Observatory, South Kensington; Dr. 

 Thomas Oliver, professor of physiology in the 

 University of Durham and Mr. Philip Watts, 

 F.R.S., director of naval construction. Ad- 

 miralty, London. 



The University of Edinburgh will confer 

 the LL.D. degree on Dr. Arthur Gambee, 

 emeritus professor of physiology, Owen's Col- 

 lege, Manchester; on Sir Norman M'Laurin, 

 M.D., chancellor of the University of Sydney, 

 and on Mr. Benjamin Peach, of the Scottish 

 Geological Survey. 



Dr. William E. Brooks, director of Smith 

 Observatory and professor of astronomy in 

 Hobart College, has been awarded the Comet 

 medal of the Astronomical Society of the 

 Pacific for the discovery of his twenty-third 



