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SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 
The Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 
for 1877 was held at Plymouth, under the Presidency of Prof. Allen Thomson, 
M.D., LL.D., F.R.S. The attendance at the meeting was below the average, 
only 1217 tickets being issued. Several papers of great scientific interest 
were, however, read : we may mention in particular Sir William Thomson’s 
paper on “ The Possibility of Life on a Meteoric Stone falling on the Earth,” 
and Mr. Preece’s paper on “ The Telephone,” both read in Sedion A. Great 
amusement was caused by Sir William Thomson saying that, though the out- 
side shell of a meteoric stone might be incandescent from the fridion caused 
by its flight through the terrestrial atmosphere, yet within a crevice of that 
stone might be concealed a Colorado beetle, which, falling on the earth, might 
become the father of a large and prosperous family. The ledure to working 
men was delivered by Mr. Preece, the subjed being “ Telegraphy.” At the 
conclusion of the ledure the telephone was conneded with the Plymouth and 
Exeter Post-offices, and ordinary telegraphic operations were suspended, in 
order that the respedive places might be communicated with through the 
telephone. The experiments were conduded by the President, Mr. Preece, 
and Sir William Thomson, the latter gentleman remarking that the sounds 
came more perfedly than he had ever heard through a speaking tube. At the 
final meeting of the Mechanical Science Sedion the telephone was also exhi- 
bited and described by the inventor, Mr. Graham Bell, who arrived from the 
United States during the meeting of the Association. Mr. Bell, after ob- 
serving that many years ago his attention was direded to the vibrations 
occasioned in the air by vocal utterances, gave a history of the experimental 
researches which he had conduded with the view of discovering means by 
which the sound of the human voice could be successfully conveyed to what- 
ever place was desired, and which had led to the invention of the telephone. 
He had four different kinds of instruments, and was uncertain which was the 
best ; but experiments were being conduded at the present time for the pur- 
pose of making improvements and developments. The invention was therefore 
still in embryo. Mr. Bell then announced that he had brought with him his 
telephonic organ, which resembled a harmonium or parlour organ. The reeds 
were conneded with a battery, and in front of each reed there was a little 
screw with a platinum point. When the instrument was blown the reeds 
vibrated against the screws, which were conneded with a telegraph wire, and 
on contad being made the music was conveyed. The organ was at the 
Guildhall, and was conneded by a telegraph wire with both the room and the 
Post-office, the battery being at the latter place. Mr. Preece then attached 
the telegraph wire to a telephone, and inquired if his assistant, Mr. Harris, 
was at the Post-office. The immediate reply was “ Yes, sir.” Mr. Preece 
then said, “ Will you put the wire through to the Guildhall, and ask the player 
there to give us a tune ?” “ Right ; I will do it at once,” was the answer. 
After a few moments the strains of “ God Save the Queen ” were distindly 
heard by the audience. Mr. Bell explained that the sounds had been produced 
by a voltaic battery, and the music should next be without the aid of a battery. 
The sounds would be much fainter, but might be audible to those who were 
near the platform. The “ National Anthem ” was again played, but less dis- 
tindly than before. At the request of the professor Mr. Harris sang a song 
through the telephone from the Post-office, and “ Auld Lang Syne” was heard 
with great clearness. 
At the end of the Plymouth Meeting of the British Association, Sir William 
Thomson alluded to the great loss the Association has sustained in the death 
YOL. VII. (N.S.) 
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