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SCIENCE. 



[Vol. VII. , No. 175 



Many Americans who have been in Japan will 

 learn with regret that Mr. H. Kato, who has been 

 in the responsible position of the president of the 

 university for the last nine years, is no longer con- 

 nected with the university, having lately been 

 transferred to the senate (Genroin). During his 

 presidency, the university grew up from a very 

 insignificant institution to be one of the great 

 seats of learning in the world. Mr. Kato's ser- 

 vices will long be remembered in the university. 

 The president of the new Imperial university is 

 Mr. H. Watanabe. He has occupied with success 

 many positions of responsibility under the govern- 

 ment, and was latterly very popular as the mayor 

 of Tokyo. His appointment to the university is 

 considered by all to be eminently fitting. 



Mr. Goodridge has another article in a recent 

 Scientific American on ' Modifying the climate by 

 closing the Straits of Belle Isle,' in which, as be- 

 fore, his argument is based on the error that the 

 great body of the Labrador current comes to us 

 through these straits instead of around the eastern 

 coast of Newfoundland. He gives no evidence in 

 support of this assertion, but vaguely discusses 

 the question of the origin of ocean-currents, which 

 has nothing to do with his climatic problem. Re- 

 ferring to the objection pointed out in Science 

 some months ago, that our cold weather comes 

 from the west and north-west, he grants that this 

 will ' sometimes occur,' as if it were exceptional. 

 He thinks that ' ' if we had not the cold wall be- 

 tween our shores and the Gulf Stream, it is fair to 

 presume that we should have a less stormy coast." 

 This presumption is very questionable indeed ; for 

 in winter, when most of our notable storms 

 occur, they do not originate on the coast, but 

 come from the far west and south-west ; and, 

 moreover, in the winter season, the contrasts in 

 temperature along our shores would be stronger 

 if the warm Gulf Stream flowed close along the 

 cold land. As far as this contrast is effective, our 

 winters would be more stormy then than now. 



THE SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION REPORT. 

 The long - looked - for report of Mr. Allison's 

 commission on the surveys has at last been com- 

 pleted, and submitted to congress. It proves to be 

 even more conservative than was indicated in the 

 summary of the views of the commission, which 

 was given in our issue of May 7. At that time 

 the members of the commission were all of opin- 



ion that the operations of the geological survey 

 should be restricted by law in the direction indi- 

 cated by Mr. Herbert's bill. The majority, com- 

 prising Messrs. Allison and Hale of the senate, 

 and Messrs. Lowry and Wait of the house, now 

 frankly admit that the statements and arguments 

 of Major Powell have led them to modify their 

 views, so that they no longer propose any restric- 

 tion upon the paleontological or other work of 

 the survey. They therefore propose, in lieu of Mr. 

 Herbert's bill, one which only requires that the 

 printing of the survey shall be specifically esti- 

 mated for, — a provison to which no one will ob- 

 ject, and which ought to be extended to other 

 bureaus of the government. The following sen- 

 tences from the report embody the gist of its 

 judgment upon the work of the survey : — 



The commission is of opinion that the adminis- 

 trative part of the bureau is well conducted and 

 with economy and care, and discloses excellent 

 administrative and business ability on the part of 

 its chief. 



The commission expresses no opinion as to the 

 plan of the survey as delineated by the director, 

 as it does not regard itself charged with this duty, 

 nor is it competent to express an opinion on a 

 subject involving so difficult a scientific question. 

 This, in the judgment of the commission, must be 

 left to the criticism of those who are able to do so 

 more intelligently than can the commission, with 

 its limited means of knowledge. 



The commission has no doubt of the wisdom of 

 a geological survey of the whole country, and con- 

 siders the question as to the propriety of its being 

 done by the general government as settled by ex- 

 isting legislation. 



In treating of the coast survey, the commission 

 gives an outline of its history from its inception 

 in 1807 until the present time. The report treats 

 at length of the feasibility of transferring the sur- 

 vey to the navy department, and shows that only 

 a small part of its work is of a kind with which 

 naval officers are legitimately concerned. It also 

 speaks with favor of the geodetic work of the 

 survey, sees no occasion for any other legislation 

 than can be incorporated in the appropriation 

 bills, and concludes that the secretary of the 

 treasury can make all necessary regulations gov- 

 erning it. 



The report on the signal service will disappoint 

 all who have been dissatisfied with General 

 Hazen's management. It recommends no legisla- 



