PREFACE 



The Journal of the Science College of the Im- 

 perial University of Japan, the first part of Avhich 

 no^w makes its appearance, may be regarded under 

 some aspects as a continuation of the Scientific 

 Memoirs Avhich had been from time to time pub- 

 lished by the Tokyo University. For this reason 

 the Journal, in shape and size, is made uniform 

 ^vith these. 



Outside the mere fact, hoAvever, of both be- 

 ing scientific publications of the highest existing 

 Science School in Japan, there is little or no simil- 

 arity. Each Scientific Memoir was, in itself, a dis- 

 tinct monograph on a particular scientific subject. 

 The Journal, on the other hand, in each of its 

 Volumes or Parts, is quite unrestricted us to the 

 length and character of the papers or notes therein 

 published. Many an interesting fact, in itself too 

 small to make a formal memoir, may thus be saved 

 from the oblivion that v/ould almost certainly be 

 its fate, -were no ready means of publication at 

 hand. 



As the name itself all but implies, this Journal 

 is intended to be the channel through which the 

 v^orld at large may receive Japan's o^vn contribu- 

 tions to the progress of Science. A glance at the 



