1867.] The Progress of Science Abroad. 363 



will ! " Bead Don (or Doctor, we don't know which) Norverto de 

 Areas Benitez, and forsake the errors of your ways. We confess 

 that we are not much flattered by the very small influence that the 

 ' Quarterly Journal of Science ' seems to have exercised on the blue 

 blood of the Yalentian savant. 



From Valencia to Pisa is no great step ; and thence we receive, 

 " with the author's compliments," another little pink pamphlet (this 

 time beautifully printed in English, by G. Barbera, Florence), on 

 "Geology and Agriculture," by E. St. John Fairman, F.G.S., 

 F.K.G.S., &c, whose object in publishing his essay appears to be 

 to induce the Italian Government " to help by every means in its 

 power the people to supply the expenses necessary for carrying on 

 the business of the country."* " Agriculture," he says, " is more 

 attended to in Piedmont than in any other part of Italy ; but 

 although Sardinia abounds in mountains, mining is little practised, 

 and the mineral wealth of the country, notwithstanding that it is 

 believed to be great, has never been ascertained. In those parts of 

 Italy where the principal occupation of the people is agriculture, 

 it is allowed on all hands that it is not skilfully conducted." f 

 " The Government, aided by men of science, should give their atten- 

 tion to this." 



We must now wing our flight to Australia, but on the way let 

 us take a glance at what is doing in India. 



David Waldie, Esq., F.C.S., &c, sends us a paper reprinted 

 from the ' Journal of the Asiatic Society ' of Bengal, describing his 

 " Experimental Investigations connected with the Supply of Water 

 from the Hooghly to Calcutta." 



" The subject has been under the consideration of the municipal 

 authorities of Calcutta, who, as is well known, have organized a 

 scheme for the supply of the town from the Kiver Hooghly, for 

 the carrying out of which arrangements are now in progress ; "f 

 and Mr. Waldie has arrived at the conclusion that " as regards its 

 organic constituents, the Hooghly water taken near Calcutta is 

 at least as pure as any of the waters supplied to London ; " " during 

 the hot season it is mixed with sea- water under the influence of the 

 tides, and thereby rendered brackish ; this can be avoided by taking 

 the supply of water from further up the river."§ Well, we sup- 

 pose in the matter of beverages the good people of Calcutta cannot 

 afford to be over particular ; but to us the testimony in favour of the 

 Hooghly water seems to be at least questionable. 



The ' Geological Survey of India ' send us some more of their 

 magnificent publications, but those we must leave to our Chronicler, 

 and continuing our flight, we will settle down for a moment or 

 two at — 



Melbourne, whence Mr. E. Brough Smyth, F.G.S., sends us 

 * P. 5. t P- 6. j P. 1. § Pp. 32, 33. 



2 b 2 



