SCIENCE. 



169 



SCIENCE: 



A Weekly Record of Scientific 

 Progress. 



JOHN MICHELS, Editor. 



Published at 

 229 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 



P. O. Box 3888. 



SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1881. 



We present in another column a communication 

 from Professor Alexander Winch ell, of the University 

 of Michigan, who, in response to a request from 

 ourselves, has presented a very clear statement of his 

 views relating to some conditions of primitive matter. 

 This subject was introduced in "Science" by Mr. 

 Larkin (March 26), and followed by Mr. Morris in 

 our last issue. 



Much difference of opinion exists on this subject, 

 which is one of the highest interest, and we trust that 

 the open discussion we have permitted may elicit 

 some truth, and lead to a removal of many of the 

 difficulties which underlie this question. Without 

 anticipating our -opinion on the merits of the respec- 

 tive arguments which have been adduced or the con- 

 clusions to which they lead, we may state that both 

 Mr. Larkin and Mr. Morris, in speaking of 

 gravity, magnetism, heat, light, electricity, motion, 

 etc., etc., appear to make statements which do not 

 accord with the standard authorities on these subjects. 



That such difference of opinion should exist on 

 what may be considered fundamental points, should 

 cause no surprise, when even the nomenclature of the 

 physical sciences is in a state of confusion. On this 

 subject we refer our readers to an able article by Pro- 

 fessor A. E. Dolbear, published in " Science " last No- 

 vember (Vol. 1, page 238) ; this paper demands the 

 careful study of all who would take part in this dis- 

 cussion, and affords a basis on which it may be con- 

 ducted with profitable results. 



We make no apology for introducing this subject 

 to our readers, especially as it has been recently 

 mentioned in popular and scientific books, in connec- 

 tion with philosophical, ethical and theological ques- 

 tions. The objective point of Mr. Larkin's arguments 

 appears to be directed against the Nebular hypothesis 

 of Laplace. 



Professor H. Helmholtz, whose lecture on this sub- 

 ject has been recently published by Messrs. Appleton & 

 Co., makes a stout defence of this hypothesis. He 

 asserts that " science is not only entitled, but is be- 



holden, to make such an investigation. For her it is a 

 definite and important question, as it involves the 

 existence of limits to the validity of the laws of na- 

 ture, which rule all that now surrounds us ; the ques- 

 tion whether they have always held in the past, and 

 whether they will always hold in the future ; or 

 whether, on the supposition of an everlasting uniform- 

 ity of natural laws, our conclusions from present cir- 

 cumstances as to the past, and as to the future imper- 

 atively lead us to an impossible state of things ; that is, 

 to the necessity of an infraction of natural laws, of a 

 beginning that could not have been due to processes 

 known to us." 



As Mr. Helmholtz observes, to commence such an 

 investigation as to the possible or probable primeval 

 history of our present world considered as a question 

 of science, is no idle speculation, for it is a question 

 as to the limits of its methods, and as to the extent 

 to which existing laws are valid. 



We have received several interesting letters on this 

 subject which will be found in our next issue. 



THE SEA-SIDE LABORATORY. 



The liberality and co-operation of the Woman's 

 Education Association enables the Boston Society of 

 Natural History to announce that a Sea-side Labora- 

 tory, under the direction of the Curator, and capable 

 of accommodating a limited number of students, will 

 be open at Annisquam, Mass., from June 5th to Sep- 

 tember 15 th. 



Annisquam is situated on an inlet of Ipswich Bay, 

 on the north side of Cape Ann, and is about three 

 and a half miles by coach from the Eastern Railroad 

 Company's station in Gloucester. 



The purpose of this Laboratory is to afford oppor- 

 tunities for the study and observation of the develop- 

 ment, anatomy and habits of common types of marine 

 animals under suitable direction and advice. There 

 will therefore be no attempt, during the coming sum- 

 mer, to give any stated course of instruction or lec- 

 tures. 



It is believed that such a Laboratory will meet the 

 wants of a number of students, teachers and others 

 who have already made a beginning in the study of 

 Natural History. Those who have had some limited 

 experience in a laboratory, or who have attended the 

 practical lessons given by the Teachers' School of 

 Science of the Boston Society of Natural History, are 

 sufficiently qualified to make use of this opportunity. 



The work in the Laboratory will be under the im- 

 mediate care of Mr. B. H. Van Vleck, Assistant in 

 the Museum and Laboratory of the Boston Society of 

 Natural History, a thoroughly competent instructor, 

 and one who has also had long experience in collect- 

 ing and observing at the sea-side. 



Those who would avail themselves of this excellent 

 opportunity to study living objects at the sea-shore 

 should make application to Mr. Alpheus Hyatt, 

 Curator of the Boston Society of Natural History, 



