Geological Society. 411 



hypotheses with natural laws. Some have even gone the length 

 of imagining that we know more about the atom, of whose exist- 

 ence we have no direct experimental evidence, than we do about 

 sensible matter. Such a statement is true in the sense that the 

 atom possesses only those properties which we ascribe to it. But 

 after all, it is merely a creation of the imagination ; whereas if 

 science is to exist at all, sensible matter must be regarded as having 

 an objective existence. Descartes, Poincare, J. J. Thomson, 

 Larmor, Lorentz, Einstein, Minkowski, and others are cited as 

 having in greater or less degree fallen into this kind of fallacy. 

 The contradictions and inconsistencies show that there is some- 

 thing wrong. One denies the existence of an aether, another speaks 

 of matter as being probably a hole in the aether. In a universe in 

 which all motion is purely relative, light is assumed to have an 

 absolute constant velocity in all regions devoid of matter. The 

 ratio (elm) of the charge on an electron to the mass associated 

 with it is found to vary with the velocity. The general assumption 

 is that the charge is constant — an assumption suggested by the 

 facts of electrolvsis ; hence it must be the mass which varies. But, 

 asks Professor More, why should we not assume the charge to 

 vary and the mass to remain constant ? These remarks will give 

 some idea of the purpose and scope of the book. It is well and 

 clearly written, and is an appeal to scientific men to give philo- 

 sophical thinking a place in their physical and metaphysical 

 scheme. True science has its limitations ; and whatever scientific- 

 readers may think regarding some of the arguments advanced, the 

 great majority will be in thorough sympathy with the sane outlook 

 of the author in respect of the so-called science of Eugenics, as 

 shown forth in the last chapter. 



XLIX. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



[Continued from vol. xxx. p. 448.] 



March 24th, 1915.— Dr. A. Smith Woodward, F.R.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 



rpHE following communication was read : — 



' The Stratigraphy and Petrology of the Lower Eocene Deposits 

 of the North-Eastern Part of the London Basin.' By Percy G-eorge 

 Hamnall Boswell, B.Sc, E.G.S. 



The following divisions of the Lower Eocene occur in the 

 area : — 



London Clay — Basemen+-bed only 

 The Pebble -Beds and accompanying- sands. 

 Beading Beds. 

 Thanet Beds. 

 The unconformity of the Eocene upon the Chalk is discussed, 

 and reasons are given for regarding the layer of green-coated flints 



