470 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. I. No. 17. 



determine the best condition for each ex- 

 periment, and in many cases the directions 

 given are undoubtedly better than those 

 given in my (E's) book." Frequently, 

 however, the only difference in the direc- 

 tions is that in the text-book they are more 

 or less general, whereas in the manual thej' 

 are given in great detail and, though the 

 student may thus fail less frequentlj^ the 

 first time he tries to make a substance, the 

 educational value is diminished. Often 

 more is learned by failure than success. 

 The student must determine the necessary 

 conditions himself. Thus he becomes self- 

 reliant and learns to think chemically. 

 This fault of the manual is to some extent 

 compensated by the questions asked on 

 almost every page. On the whole, the book 

 will be fovind a valuable aid, especially in 

 those laboratories in which the instructor 

 can not devote much time to each student. 

 Felix Lengfeld. 

 University of Chicago. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



INVESTIGATION OP THE GOLD AND COAL BE- 



SOUECES OF ALASKA. 



Congress at its last session ordered a 

 special investigation of the gold and coal 

 resources of Alaska, appropriating $5,000 

 therefor. The investigation will be made 

 under the direction of the U. S. Geological 

 Survey, and will be under the immediate 

 charge of Dr. George F. Becker, the well 

 known gold expert. "With Dr. Becker will 

 be Dr. Wm. H. Dall, paleontologist, who 

 has a superior knowledge of the geography 

 and the general geology of the region. 

 These experts and a single geologic assistant 

 will comprise the party. 



The party will leave Washington City, 

 May 15, and it is proposed, with the sum 

 available, to spend three months in actual 

 field work, spending a month in each of 

 three distinct districts along the Alaskan 



coast. Work will be begun in the Sitka 

 area, where both gold and coal are known 

 to occur. Transportation into and about 

 the various inlets and bays to the north 

 and west of Sitka will be furnished, through 

 the courtesy of Secretary Herbert of the 

 Navy, by the TJ. S. S. Pinta, which will be 

 stationed in those waters. From the Sitka 

 region the party will go to Kadiak Island 

 and Cook's Inlet by mail steamer. In this 

 region both gold and coal will be looked for 

 also. The district to be visited last is 

 Shumagin, to be reached by mail steamer 

 fi-om Kadiak. In the last named region, 

 as in the other areas, gold and coal will 

 be the main objects of inquiry, though the 

 district is otherwise of very considerable 

 geologic interest on account of its fossil re- 

 mains and the presence of an active volcano. 



The search for coal is one of especial in- 

 terest to the IS'avy Department; if coal 

 suitable for use as fuel in the war vessels 

 and revenue cutters in the Pacific were 

 found to be available in quantities, it would 

 be of incalculable advantage to the Govern- 

 ment. 



It will not be feasible with the limited 

 fund available to carry this investigation of 

 gold and coal resources as far as might be 

 desired. There is demand, for example, 

 for an investigation of the gold placers of 

 the Yucon river, but to do this work effec- 

 tively the geologist will have to remain in 

 the Yucon region through one summer and 

 through the ensuing winter. 



A EEDFIELD MEMOEIAL. 



The botanical section of the Academy of 

 l^atural Sciences, of Philadelphia, which 

 had under consideration the subject of a 

 monument commemorative of the services 

 to botanical science of the late John H. 

 Redfield, Conservator of the herbarium of 

 the Academy, has issued a circular, saying: 



" It has been decided that no better 

 monument to the memoiy of John H. Red- 



