SCIENCE. 



321 



SCIENCE: 



A Weekly Record of Scientific 

 Progress. 



JOHN MICHELS, Editor. 



Published at 



229 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 



P. O. Box 3838. 



DECEMBER 31, 1880. 



NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. 



We consider it due to those subscribers who have favored 

 us with their subscriptions, previous to the publication of 

 our club rates, that they should have the privileges of the 

 list. They can therefore send us subscriptions for any or 

 all of the publications named at the reduced double rates, 

 less $4, the subscription price of " Science." 



We have studiously avoided occupying the pages of 

 this journal with personal reference to its progress, but 

 the conclusion of the first volume appears to be an 

 appropriate moment to offer a few words on this sub- 

 ject, and to acknowledge our obligations to those, 

 who, by their subscriptions or literary contributions, 

 have aided in making " Science " a success. 



A selection from the letters addressed to us by sci- 

 entific investigators, approving of the management of 

 the journal, or containing congratulations for the 

 future, would fill the pages of this number • having 

 only a column at our service, we make but one refer- 

 ence, which appears to epitomize all previous com- 

 munications. 



In a letter recently received from the last President 

 of the Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 Professor George F. Barker, are these words : 



" I take this opportunity to congratulate you on the 

 success of " Science." The numbers which I have 

 seen have been creditable to all concerned." 



With this testimony to the standing of the journal 

 from so severe a critic and one so eminently capable 

 of forming an opinion of. what a scientific journal 

 should be, we might be well content to rest, but being 

 fully aware that better results may be attained, our 

 unremitting efforts in the future will be directed to 

 secure a still higher standard, and more perfect devel- 

 opment of the various departments. 



We would remind specialists, who desire to see cer- 

 tain branches more fully represented in " Science," 

 how much may be accomplished by individual efforts, 



As an instance, we may refer to our astronomical de- 

 partment, which already reflects the high attainments 

 and esprit de corps of those following this line of re- 

 search. 



Twenty-six weeks only have elapsed since our first 

 number was issued, of which period the first half was 

 a time of recreation and rest, when few were within 

 reach of our announcements; it is therefore a subject 

 of congratulation that in so short a time our pages 

 show a vitality indicative of a journal which has ex- 

 isted years rather than a few weeks. 



It is a pleasure to find on our subscription list the 

 names of so many representative scientific men, both 

 of the United States and Canada, while all the leading 

 Universities and Colleges of this country receive 

 ''Science" through members of their faculties. This 

 journal is also now circulating in England, France, 

 Germany and Italy. 



We have placed several pages weekly at the service 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, and are willing to in- 

 crease the number of our sheets as the matter awaits 

 publication. This offer has been so far accepted, that 

 arrangements are in progress, by which the difficulty of 

 compilation may be overcome. 



We have demonstrated that a really scientific week- 

 ly journal can be conducted without conflicting with 

 the old established monthlies, which have their special 

 field of usefulness, and when the editor of the Amer- 

 ican Journal of Science (which may be considered 

 one of the institutions of this country) sent us his 

 good wishes for success, we accepted his greeting in all 

 sincerity. 



England, France, Germany and Italy, have each their 

 representative weekly scientific journal. Is there an 

 American scientist with so poor an opinion of the sci- 

 entific work of his country, or of his fellow workers, 

 as to think the same convenience for the United States 

 superfluous ? 



" Science " has received a welcome and strong sup- 

 port far beyond the expectations of the editor ; but it 

 must be apparent to all that the personal co-operation 

 of every scientific man, in the future, will not only in- 

 sure the permanency of the publication, but increase 

 its usefulness and value ; let all, then, who are inter- 

 ested in the promotion and advancement of science 

 in the United States, whether professionally engaged 

 or as student, or amateur, feel that one and all are in- 

 vited to assist in the work. 



Those who are acquainted with journalism must be 

 aware that the capital employed in this enterprise has 

 been advanced for the best interests of science rather 

 than for speculative purposes. The editor, therefore, 

 in making this appeal for general co-operation, feels 

 that he may do so without danger of misinterpretation 

 I of his motives, 



