802 Proceedings of Societies. 
tion that the present geographical condition of the earth’s surface was 
anterior to, or at least co-existent with, the origin of such species. The 
Andamanners were, perhaps, the most primitive and lowest in the scale 
of civilisation of the human race. The animal appetites were gratified 
in the simplest animal fashion. They were not cannibals. Implacably 
hostile to strangers, they had made no advance in the few centuries dur- 
ing which their seas had been traversed by ships of higher races. En- 
joying the merest animal life for centuries, why might they not have so 
existed for thousands of years? Antecedent generations of the race might 
have co-existed with the slow and gradual geological changes which had 
obliterated the place or continent of their primitive origin, whatever were 
the hypothesis adopted regarding it. The Andamanners approached the 
orangs and chimpanzees only in their diminutive stature; and this was 
associated with the well-balanced human proportions of trunk to limbs. 
On Saturday evening a Telegraphic Soiree was held in the Free Trade 
Hall, which, as might be expected, attracted a numerous and brilliant 
gathering. The president introduced Mr Grove to the meeting, who gave 
a lecture on the History of Electric Telegraphs and Telegraphic Apparatus. 
This was followed by specimens of the working of telegraphs stationed in 
the hall, which came off with great eclat. The first telegram was in these 
terms :—Question. 8.32 p.m. ‘* The Prince Consort, Balmoral, to the Pre- 
sident of the British Association Meeting, Manchester. Is the meeting 
of the British Association successful ?” Reply. 8.45 r.m. ‘“ The President 
of the British Association, Free Trade Hall, Manchester, to H.R.H. 
the Prince Consort at Balmoral. Your Royal Highness will be pleased to 
hear that the meeting is a great success. Upwards of 3000 members 
and associates.” Another was sent to St Petersburg, and answered in one 
minute. Question. 8.51 p.m. ‘* What is the weather, and how is the 
time?” Reply. 8.52P.m. “ Weather beautiful, sky clear, time 10,52 P.m., 
temperature 123 Reaumur.” After this the Moscow and Odessa lines 
were joined up, and answers obtained in one minute from the former city, 
in two minutes from the latter. It was intended to extend the line to 
Taganroc on the Sea of Azoff, which would have been a traverse of 
3100 miles, but some electric storm prevented for the time transmission 
beyond Nicolaief. The company did not separate till nearly 11 o’clock. 
On Monday evening there assembled in the Free Trade Hall perhaps 
the largest audience that ever science brought together, to hear a lecture 
by the Astronomer-Royal, on the Great Solar Eclipse of June 18, 1860, 
Happily Mr De la Rue was there to assist with his electric light and his 
magnificent photographs of the sun, which we have already mentioned, 
for Mr Airy’s voice was quite inaudible save to a few around him. © This 
is the more to be regretted, because the lecture was really popular and 
highly instructive. Having explained the causes of eclipses in general, 
and given historical notices of the more eminent eclipses of the sun, he » 
proceeded to discuss the points of greatest scientific interest in connection 
with the eclipse of last year. 
Referring to large diagrams he had prepared, he commenced by de- 
scribing the appearances of the corona, and he said he must confess that 
the various accounts presented great discordances. He particularly 
pointed out two drawings—namely, that of Mr Bonomi and that of Lieut. 
Oom, an officer in the Portuguese navy, but at present attached to the. 
Imperial Observatory of Pulkowa, in Russia. These two drawings were, 
he considered, corroborative one of the other, and extremely fair repre- 
sentations of the corona; and both were, moreover, confirmed by the 
drawings of Mr Weedon, a talented engineer on Mr Vignoles’ staff. 
The corona was very bright near the edge of the dark moon, and gra- 
dually diminished until its outline vanished in the surrounding darkness; 
