410 Progress in Science, [J u ty> 



nection between the direction of the Geological Survey of Great Britain and 

 Ireland and the government of the Royal School of Mines. The Royal School 

 of Mines and the Royal College of Chemistry, which practically constitute one 

 school of pure and applied science, are not organised in such a manner as to 

 enable them to perform efficiently the work for which they were originally, or 

 are, at present, intended. This conclusion is based upon three grounds : (a) 

 the absence of a chair of mathematics ; (b) the absence of physical or biological 

 laboratories in which students can receive practical instruction ; (c) the in- 

 sufficiency of accommodation in the Royal College of Chemistry. After enu- 

 merating the various inconveniences attending the present arrangement, the 

 commissioners recommend: (a) That the building in Jermyn Street be given 

 to the Survey and to the Museum, with the reservation that the lectures to 

 working men be delivered as heretofore in the theatre ; (b) That the building 

 in Oxford Street be vacated by the Royal College of Chemistry ; and (c) That 

 the Mining Record Office be lodged with the statistical department of the 

 Board of Trade, or, failing accommodation there, in the building now occupied 

 by the Royal College of Chemistry. The commissioners also recommend that 

 the Royal School of Mines and the Royal College of Chemistry be consoli- 

 dated; that mathematics be added to the courses of instruction now given; and 

 that sufficient laboratories and assistance for giving practical instruction in 

 physics, chemistry, and biology be provided. The institution thus formed 

 (hereinafter called the "Science School") may be conveniently and efficiently 

 governed by a council of professors, one of that body acting as dean. Attention 

 is drawn to the buildings at South Kensington, now nearly completed, and in- 

 tended for the reception of a projected school of naval architecture and science; 

 and a recommendation is made that the science school should be accommo- 

 dated in these buildings. Concerning the Royal School of Naval Architecture 

 and Marine Engineering, now conducted at South Kensington, they recom- 

 mend that the theoretical instruction of that school should in future be given 

 in the science school, the general instruction in mathematics, physical science, 

 and mechanical drawing thus becoming common to both schools. They also 

 recommend that no additional buildings, and no reconstruction of the temporary 

 buildings at present occupied by the Royal School of Naval Architecture and 

 Marine Engineering, should be undertaken until a further report has been re- 

 ceived from this commission. Referring to the system of teaching elementary 

 science under the science and art department, the commissioners are of opinion 

 that the quality of the instruction given under this department would be greatly 

 improved if the teachers received practical instruction in elementary science. 

 Such instruction has, indeed, already been given with marked advantage, 

 although only to a limited extent. The science school will be available for the 

 instruction of many science teachers throughout the country. 



From a lengthy series of researches by Dr. A. Schwarzer on the conversion 

 of starch into sugar by the action of the diastase of malt, it appears that — (i) 

 the conversion of starch is quickened by an increased quantity of diastase, as 

 well as a higher temperature ; (2) that when starch fails to be detected by 

 iodine, the formation of sugar is nearly finished; (3) at all temperatures from 

 6o° C. to o° downwards, and the application of varying quantities of diastase, 

 there are formed always from 50 to 53 per cent of sugar; (4) at temperatures 

 above 6o° less sugar is formed than at temperatures below that degree ; (5) a 

 temperature of 70 impairs, and in some instances destroys, the activity of 

 diastase. 



Vulcanised rubber has been long an object of study and experiment, to see 

 what use could be made of the waste pieces and cuttings ; after the sulphurhad 

 been added, it was thought that it could not be worked over again, and this 

 being the case, the price was likely to remain high for many years. Fortunately, 

 the difficulty has yielded to the researches of practical men, and a process has 

 been discovered by which the old rubber can be mixed with the fresh in certain 

 proportions, and thus changed to a useful article. 



Dr. Grager has proposed a new method for the regeneration of waste nitrate 

 of silver solutions used in photography. After first referring to the generally 



