October 14, 1887.] 



SCIENCE. 



measures are promptly taken to remove them, the disease will be 

 less likely to attack a community so prepared, and, if attacked, such 

 a community will be better able to cope with the disease and to 

 reduce its ravages to a minimum. 



Public Health Association. — The American Public Health 

 Association will hold its fifteenth annual meeting at Memphis, 

 Tenn., on Nov. 8, 9, 10, and ii. The following topics have been 

 selected by the executive committee for consideration at the meet- 

 ing : I. The pollution of water-supplies; 2. The disposal of 

 refuse matter of cities ; 3. The disposal of refuse matter of villages, 

 summer-resorts, and isolated tenements ; 4. Animal diseases 

 dangerous to man. The president, Dr. George M. Sternberg, will 

 in his address refer to the results of his investigation of yellow-fever 

 in Brazil and Mexico. In view of the possible existence of this 

 disease at Tampa, Fla., referred to elsewhere, this subject will be 

 of absorbing interest. The committee on disinfectants will present 

 a report embodying the researches and experimental work of that 

 committee during the past year. Clergymen, teachers, engineers, 

 architects, builders, and all interested in the practical work of the 

 association, are cordially invited to be present. 



EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL. 

 Manchuria. 



In Science of May 6, 1887, we mentioned the journey of three en- 

 terprising Englishmen through Manchuria. In a lecture delivered 

 before the Royal Geographical Society of London, Mr. James, one 

 of the travellers, gave a sketch of the country they traversed, from 

 which we take the following notes : The most interesting part of 

 the journey was that in the Chang Pai Shan (the ' Long White 

 Mountains'). These were supposed to be more than 10,000 feet 

 high, but the measurements of the travellers show that the loftiest 

 peak is not more than 8,025 feet high. They are supposed to be 

 sacred to the ancestors of the reigning dynasty of China, and it is 

 sacrilege to trespass on them. Nevertheless the country has been 

 rapidly settled in recent times. The colonists have formed them- 

 selves into associations or guilds for protecting their life and property 

 against robbers, who infest all parts of Manchuria ; and in this they 

 have been so successful that their territory is the only one enjoying 

 perfect security. Here the travellers learned that the highest peak 

 of the mountains is the Lao Pai Shan (or ' Old White Mountain'). 

 The road to this point led through thick forests and over bogs 

 which were absolutely impassable for any beast of burden whatso- 

 ever : therefore they had to leave their mules behind, and continue 

 their march by foot. The peak rises from a grassy plateau dotted 

 with trees, through which subterranean streams make their way. 

 The ascent to the summit was not very difiicult ; and here a crater 

 350 feet deep was found, at the bottom of which there was a beau- 

 tiful blue lake, from which, according to the legend, the Manchu 

 race sprang. The white color of the mountain is due to the color 

 of the disintegrated pumice of which it consists. The principal 

 rivers of Manchuria have their source in the Chang Pai Shan. 



The Welle. — We may expect that the problem of the Welle, 

 which has baffled geographers for a long time, will soon be solved. 

 Le Moicvement GeograpJiique says that the government of the 

 Kongo Free State has charged Captain Van Gfele with the explora- 

 tion of this river. The results of Van Gale's ascent of the Obangi 

 in the ' Henry Reed ' are shown in the sketch-map in Science, No. 

 233. As the rapids of this river hindered his further progress, an- 

 other route had to be adopted, and Van G^le has decided to take 

 that of the Itimbiri (Lubi). The sketch-map shows that the rapids 

 of the Lubi are only about thirty miles distant from the Welle, and 

 that Junker's Alikobo, the most western point reached by him, is 

 only a few days' march from that point. Van Gele's expedition 

 started on July I, in the ' Henry Reed ' and 'A. I. A.,' to ascend 

 the Lubi, and proposed to cross the country in a north-westerly direc- 

 tion. Having reached the Welle, he intended to follow it to its 

 mouth, and thus to ascertain whether it is identical with the Obangi 

 or not. 



Delagoa Bay. — Consul H. E. O'Neill gives some interesting 

 information on the state of affairs in Delagoa Bay in the August 

 number of the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society. As 



two important routes to the mining districts of Transvaal start from 

 Delagoa Bay, the latter place has gained considerable importance. 

 Though it belongs to the Portuguese, British trade is rapidly extend- 

 ing over this part of the coast. Upon the roads from Lorengo 

 Marques, which is situated on Delagoa Bay, to the interior. Eng- 

 lishmen are establishing themselves, and begin to monopolize the 

 trade with the Swazi country. Over the inner frontier English 

 gold-diggers are advancing into Portuguese territory, and many 

 claims have already been registered in the secretariat of the govern- 

 ment of Lorenzo Marques. The natives form one of the chief 

 channels for the spread of English influences throughout this dis- 

 trict. They work for a number of years in the English colonies, 

 and then return with what money they have earned. Thus Eng- 

 lish money has become the currency of the country. The Portu- 

 guese are working on a railway from Lorengo Marques to Barberton ; 

 but the work is advancing very slowly, and it will probably be a 

 long time before it will be completed. Delagoa Bay is the first 

 point at which actual contact has taken place between the British 

 and Portuguese in South Africa ; and it will be interesting to see 

 how the latter, who have confined themselves for more than three 

 centuries to the shores of the bay, will resist, or adapt themselves to, 

 the vigorous life that characterizes the former. 



The Samoa Islands. — It will be remembered that in 1886 the 

 United States, England, and Germany sent special commissioners 

 to the Samoa Islands in order to settle the troubles that had arisen 

 from the lively competition of these nations. It was proposed to 

 submit the report of this commission to a conference. The Samoan 

 troubles date from the attempt of the German Government to grant 

 a subvention to a German firm which had plantations in Samoa. At 

 that time the Americans, particularly Colonel Steinberger, made 

 strenuous efforts to give a firm basis to the American influence on 

 the islands, and made a treaty with King Malietoa. The Germans 

 made a treaty with the same king in 1884, while the British consul 

 tried to bring about an annexation of the islands by the colony of 

 New Zealand. In course of time King Malietoa began to favor the 

 Americans, and therefore the Germans supported his adversary, 

 Tamasese. A short time ago the Germans, while the work of the 

 commissioners was still going on, sent four men-of-war to Apia in 

 order to demand compensation for certain plunderings. As Malie- 

 toa refused to pay, five hundred men were landed, and Tamasese 

 was declared king of Samoa. Malietoa, who first intended to resist, 

 followed the advice of the American and British consul, and sub- 

 mitted. It has been said that it is proposed to divide the islands 

 among the three powers, but this seems improbable. The islands 

 are at the present time of great importance, but this will be still 

 more the case when the canal through the American isthmus is 

 open, as they form an important station between Australia and 

 America. 



BOOK -REVIEWS. 

 The Social Question. By J. H. Oerter. New York, E. Glaeser. 

 Dr. Oerter has produced a small volume on the social ques- 

 tion, which is all the rnore interesting because it is from the hand 

 of a theologian. It does not derive any special authority from this 

 fact, but it is indicative of what that profession is beginning to 

 realize in its capacity of public teaching. It signifies the ultimate, 

 although perhaps gradual, emancipation from traditional specula- 

 tions that have no relation to the present sphere of human conduct 

 and duty. Theological speculation, like poetry, may have a place 

 in our fancies and ideals ; it may even exercise a very wholesome 

 influence in stimulating thought and action upon higher planes : but 

 it must not set itself up for fact, nor ignore the existence of facts. 

 No class of teachers needs a knowledge of social questions, facts, 

 and forces more than the ministry, and we are glad to know that 

 the number is increasing of those who find time and interest for 

 studies ''ital to the moral growth of the future. Dr. Oerter's book 

 is one of a number which enable us to measure the possibilities of 

 the ministerial profession in forwarding the cool consideration of 

 scientific facts. Dr. Strong's ' Our Country," although a mission- 

 ary appeal, and Heber Newton's ' Study of Social Questions.' 

 form a kind of companion issue with this in point of general thought. 

 They are not large and thorough treatises from men who have 



