ENGENEEBING AND ABCHITECTTJBE. 199 



unaccompanied by any noise. The lower parts then disappeared, leaving the 

 haze in the form of a bright oblong cloud, which gradually diminished in brilliancy 

 for nearly ten minutes, when it had entirely disappeared. Its position was nearly 

 due south. 



COPLEY AND ROYAL MEDALS. 



The Council of the Royal Society of London has awarded the Copley Medal for 

 1855 to M. Leon Foucault, for his various researches in Experimental Physics. 

 One of the two Royal Medals for the year has been conferred on Mr. John Russell 

 Hind, for his discovery of ten planetoids, the computation of their orbits, and vari- 

 ous other astronomical discoveries. Mr. Wettwood, the Entomologist has received 

 the other Royal Medal. 



PHOTOGRAPHIC MAGNETIC APPARATUS. 



A Photographic Magnetic Apparatus, constructed by Mr. Brooke, similar to that 

 in use in the Greenwich Observatory, has been placed by Dr. Whewell at the dis- 

 posal of the Syndics of the Cambridge Observatory. The apparatus exhibits and 

 records the changes of the direction, and the horizontal and vertical intensity of 

 the magnetic force at the place of observation. The barometric and thermome- 

 tric variations are also marked by a photographic self-register. — London Literary 

 Gazette. 



ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE. 



ENGINEERING CONTRIBUTIONS. 



When the Canadian Institute was established in 1849 by a few individuals con- 

 nected with the three professions — engineering, architecture and surveying — they 

 were encouraged in their efforts by a strong hope that the advantages which such an 

 Institute, by concentrating and comparing the experience gathered from the exten- 

 sive public works progressing in all parts of the Province, would manifestly afford 

 to its members, could not fail to secure the cordial cooperation of their brethren. 

 These reasonable expectations, however, were not realised, and in order to save 

 the Institute from extinction, ic became necessary to change its strictly professional 

 character for one which should admit to membership all who desired by their 

 countenance and support to forward scientific pursuits. 



This change, however, did not necessarily lessen the importance of the Insti- 

 tute to the members of those professions with whom it originated. On the con- 

 trary, it was believed that by establishing the Canadian Journal — a measure de- 

 termined upon by the Institute during the first session after its incorporation, — a 

 convenient medium would be afforded for recording the progress of those import- 

 ant professions which would not fail to secure many valuable contributions from 

 those who desire to see the professions take that rank to which their importance 

 in the material progress of the country so justly entitles them, and that by 

 means of its pages the obstacles which opposed themselves to the progress of the 

 Institute at an early period of its existence, and which appeared chiefly to consist 

 in the dispersion of its members over so wide an extent of country as to prevent 

 their attendance at its meetings, would be surmounted, and that a reservoir would 

 be created in which all would deposit the stores of experience and observation for 

 the general advancement of the professions. Whether the labours of our bretheren 

 have been too onerous to admit of literary pursuits, — their professional prosperity 

 bo great as to make them indifferent to the spread and increase of that knowledge 



