110 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 82 



eflforts of individual volunteers, each discrimi- 

 natingly directing his work in accordance with 

 his means and situation. Such a satisfactory- 

 result could hardly have been reached so eflPec- 

 tively by a formal organization of work, di- 

 rected from headquarters prescribing and cir- 

 cumscribing the operations of each participant, 

 and destroying, by its benumbing influence, the 

 enthusiasm which springs from the individual 

 initiative of the observers themselves." 



We are inclined to ascribe this paragraph to 

 Dr. Chandler's modesty, for there can be no 

 doubt that the satisfactory progress of variable 

 star astronomy in the United States has been 

 the result of just such cooperation as Dr. 

 Chandler mentions. And the supervision of 

 the whole work has been largely in his own 

 hands. We do not think he has had a ' be- 

 numbing influence ' on the observers. Variable 

 star astronomy furnishes a conspicuous example 

 of the benefits to be derived from intelligent" 

 cooperation, acting with the advice or informal 

 direction of a competent central authority. 



Prof. Helmert, director of the Central Bu- 

 reau of the International Geodetic Commission, 

 has issued a circular concerning the proposed 

 operations for the more complete study of the 

 variation of terrestrial latitudes. It will be re- 

 membered that the International Commission 

 has had under consideration a project for the 

 establisliment of four latitude stations on the 

 same parallel of latitude, but distributed in long- 

 itude as nearly as possible equally around the 

 earth. No definitive decision has been reached 

 in the matter, but the present circular is ac- 

 companied with a carefullj'' prepared j)aper by 

 Prof. Albrecht, dealing with the question of the 

 best possible selection of stations for the pro- 

 posed work. It appears from Prof. Albrecht' s 

 paper that the best results will be secured if 

 two of the stations are located in the United 

 States, one in Japan and the other in or near 

 the island of Sicily. H. J. 



THE DAVY-FARADAY RESEARCH LABORATORY. 



In the issue of Nature of July 2d will be found 

 an account of the laboratory for research in 

 physics and chemistry presented to the Eoyal 

 Institution by Dr. Ludwig Mond. Dr. Mond 



formally transferred to the managers of the 

 Eoyal Institution, on June 12th, a building ad- 

 joining the Institution which has been arranged 

 and equipped with the necessary apparatus for 

 the most exact investigation. - 



The Laboratory contains on the basement a 

 room for thermochemical research ; a room for 

 pyrochemical research ; mechanics' workshop ; 

 room for electrical work ; battery of twenty- 

 six accumulators ; constant temperature vaults ; 

 boiler-house and store-rooms. On the ground 

 floor, a room for research in organic chemistry ; 

 a room for research in inorganic chemistry ; a 

 fire-proof room for experiments in sealed tubes ; 

 a balance room ; entrance hall and cloak room. 

 On the first floor, the Honorary Secretary's 

 roOm ; a large double library connected with 

 the library of the Royal Institution. On the 

 second floor, a museum of apparatus. On the 

 third floor, seven rooms for research in j)hysical 

 chemistry. On the fourth floor, a room for in- 

 organic preparations ; a room for organic prep- 

 arations ; a photographic room ; four rooms for 

 researches in physical chemistry, On the roof, 

 an asphalted flat with a table, gas and water. 



Dr. Mond has not only furnished the labora- 

 tory with the most modern instruments and ap- 

 pliances for research in pure and physical 

 chemistry, but he has also placed in the hands 

 of the managers of the Royal Institution an 

 ample annual endowment, so that the labora- 

 tory may be maintained in a state of thorough 

 efiiciency, the object of the donor being to give 

 every assistance and encouragement within the 

 limits of the endowment to scientific workers. 

 The laboratoiy (the affairs of which will be 

 managed by a laboratory committee appointed 

 by the managers of the institution) will be un- 

 der the control of two directors, who will be 

 aided in the work by competent assistants. The 

 managers of the Royal Institution have ap- 

 pointed as directors Lord Rayleigh and Prof 

 Dewar. It is intended to open the laboratory 

 for work by the middle of October. The trust 

 deed provides that no person shall be admitted 

 to the laboratory as a worker who has not al- 

 ready done original scientific work, or in the 

 alternative, who is not, in the opinion of the 

 laboratory committee, fully qualified to under- 

 take original scientific research in pure or 



