statistics relating to British colonies and dependencies, and replies to numerous meteorological inquiries from all sources; (4) the discussion of automatic registers received from the observatories and other stations in connection with the office. The library contains weather maps and other publications received from all parts of the world, and these are available to all persons wishing to consult them.

PART X. of the Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture of Jamaica contains an interesting article by Mr. H.-H. Cousins, the Government chemist, on the possibility of manufacturing starch from cassava on such a scale as to undersell German potato starch in the English market. The high proportion of starch in cassava makes the latter twice as valuable as the potato as a raw material, and cassava has the additional advantage that it is not liable to fungoid diseases such as produce extraordinary variations in the annual potato crop in Germany. The seasons of its growth and harvest are, moreover, perfectly unrestricted.

SOME apparatus left by the late M. Félix Worms de Romilly has been offered by the French Physical Society for distribution to its members.

THE Association of Engineers of the School of Liège is organising, under Government patronage, a congress of mining, metallurgy, applied mechanics and geology, to be held at Liège from June 26 to July 1, 1905, on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition.

IN the Physikalische Zeitschrift for December 1 Mr. Hermann Bonin contributes an interesting report on steam turbines, based on the writings of Stodola, Feldmann, Gutermuth, and Boveri. In it the Laval, Curtis, Rateau, Zölly, and Parsons turbines are figured, and their peculiar features discussed.

PROF. R. W. WOOD contributes a paper on n-rays to the Physikalische Zeitschrift for December, and suggests that those experimenters who obtain positive and those who obtain negative results should arrange to make a series of joint experiments in the way that has been done in a similar case by Crémieu and Pender.

We have received a thesis by Messrs. H. C. Crowell and G. C. D. Lenth on the "Doble " needle-regulating nozzle for fire hoses and other jets. This nozzle is furnished with a convergent mouth-piece in the centre of which is a peculiarly shaped "needle," the effect of which on the stream lines is to obviate the spraying noticeable with ordinary jets, and thus to increase the efficiency. The paper is printed by permission of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

PROF. N. UMOW contributes to Terrestrial Magnetism and Applied Electricity an ingenious method of constructing magnetic charts. It consists in developing the magnetic potential in a series of spherical harmonics, and representing on a Mercator's chart the poles of the various harmonics and curves showing their zeros and so forth. The advantage of this system is that instead of drawing a large number of magnetic curves, it is possible to convey more exact information by drawing a comparatively small number of curves indicating the various terms in Gauss's expansion.

IN a paper read before the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on November 18 Messrs. A. E. Seaton and A. Jude emphasise the need of testing materials which are to be subjected to rapidly repeated or to alternating loads by other methods than by merely determining the tensile strength and elastic limit. A form of apparatus is described by means of which the ability of a notched bar of the

material to withstand impact can be measured, and it is shown that although a high tensile strength may be accompanied by a small resistance to shock, a bar which responds satisfactorily to the impact test always has sufficient tensile strength and elasticity. The best results as regards resistance to shock are obtained with those steels which contain only a small proportion of carbon, an extraordinarily rapid increase of brittleness occurring with an increase in the percentage of carbon. The line of fracture of the metal follows the direction of the ferrite and avoids the perlite. Oil quenching has the effect of increasing the shock strength of steel to a value which is 500 per cent. to 600 per cent. greater than that of the natural steel in its best condition.

A NEW and revised edition of stage iii. of Mr. Vincent T. Murché's "Object Lessons in Elementary Science based on the Scheme issued by the London School Board "has been issued by Messrs. Macmillan and Co., Ltd.

IN the November, 1904, issue of the Central, the magazine of the Central Technical College Old Students' Association, Prof. H. E. Armstrong, F.R.S., continues his papers on the mechanism of combustion, and there is an illustrated description of the Manhattan railway power station of New York, contributed by Mr. W. A. Del Mar.

In addition to the enumeration of classes and other administrative matter, the Johns Hopkins University Circular for November, 1904, contains one or two original papers. Among these may be mentioned one by Prof. W. B. Clark on the Matawan formation of Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, and its relations to overlying and underlying formations.

THE Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland has issued a pamphlet entitled "Notes for Manual Instructors." Manual instruction is comparatively new in Ireland; the conditions are different from those in other countries, and there are initial difficulties to be overFor these reasons the notes here brought together should be of real assistance to teachers of the subject.

come.

A copy of an almanac for the year 1905, compiled at the offices of the Egyptian Survey Department, and published by the National Printing Department at Cairo, has been received. The almanac provides full particulars of the dates of all the important meetings of the various Government departments, and gives information on points in connection with the Government regulations which should be of service to tourists and residents.

In view of the largely increased facilities provided within the past few years by the publication departments of various institutions, and more especially by the Carnegie Institution, for the promotion of original research with its incident publications, the Wagner Free Institute of Science, Philadelphia, has decided to discontinue for the present its work in this department, and to devote its energies more exclusively to other purposes indicated by its founder.

We have received a copy of the "Guide to the Archives of the Government of the United States in Washington," just published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The guide was begun by Mr. C. H. Van Tyne and Mr. W. G. Leland, and completed by the newly organised Bureau of Historical Research. The original purpose of the guide was to gather information of the whereabouts of important historical materials, but as the work proceeded it was found desirable carefully to deal with all administrative records. The work, in fact, developed into a survey of all the branches, bureaus, and divisions of the Federal Government in Washington.

Two new volumes have been added to Ostwald's series of scientific classics, published by Mr. W. Engelmann, Leipzig (London: Williams and Norgate), bringing the number of reprints and translations in the collection up to 145. One of the volumes is a translation, by Herr F. Plehn, of Kepler's "Dioptrice," with an introduction, notes, and sketch of Kepler's life and work. The second volume (No. 145) contains reprints of two papers by Kekulé, edited with notes by Herr A. Ladenburg; the papers are :"Über die Constitution und die Metamorphosen der chemischen Verbindungen und über die chemische Natur des Kohlenstoffs" and " Untersuchungen über aromatische Verbindungen."

THE annual report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year ending June 30, 1903, has been received. As usual, the general appendix makes up the greater part of the volume. The excellent and varied selection of beautifully illustrated papers by men of science of all nationalities, constituting the general appendix, provides a trustworthy indication of the extent and nature of the progress in science during the twelve months with which the report deals. It is impossible here to give even the titles of the fifty-three papers included. Some of the papers have been reprinted from NATURE and other periodicals, some are addresses delivered before scientific bodies, and a few are new contributions. In addition to these works there are a number of translations of papers originally published in other languages. The first place is given to a reprint of the general description of the moon included by Prof. N. S. Shaler in the introductory chapter of his memoir on "A Comparison of the Features of the Earth and the Moon." This paper is illustrated by ten magnificent plates. The work done on radium and radio-activity is chronicled in papers by M. E. Curie, Prof. J. J. Thomson, Sir William Ramsay, Mr. Soddy, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Crookes -the names being mentioned in the order in which the papers are printed. Geographical research is represented by contributions by Captain E. W. Creak, Mr. Alfred H. Brooks, Commander Peary, Sir Clements R. Markham, Dr. Otto Nordenskjöld, M. G. Ts. Tsybikoff, and others. The articles on geographical and zoological subjects are illustrated very profusely, and the volume will make a valuable addition to reference libraries fortunate enough to secure copies of it.

and its movement was in a north-easterly direction. This position is situated on the western boundary of the constellation Hercules, about 44m. east of a Coronæ, which has approximately the same declination (27° 2′), and is favourably situated for observation during the three or four hours preceding dawn.

A second telegram from Kiel informs us that the comet was again observed at Nice on December 18. Its position at 16h. 44m. (M.T. Nice) was as follows:

R.A. = 16h. 17m. 3.4s., dec. =+27° 54' 8". TEMPEL'S COMET (1904 c).-The following details of M. St. Javelle's re-discovery of Tempel's second comet are given in No. 3984 of the Astronomische Nachrichten :—

21 33 24

...

- 20 50

.. 0*32924

...

o'c98

1905

...

Jan. I ENCKE'S COMET (1904 b).-An observation of Encke's comet was made by Herr van d Bilt at Utrecht on December 8. At 8h. 3m. 46s. (M.T. Utrecht) the position of the comet was

a (app.) = 20h. 46m. 22.11s., 8 (app.) = +5° 12′ 29′′.5, and its magnitude was estimated as 7.5. This observation indicated that a correction of +41s., +1'2 was necessary to the ephemeris published by Messrs. Kaminsky and Ocoulitsch in Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 3981 (Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 3985).

OBSERVATIONS OF OCCULTATIONS BY PLANETS.-Dr. T. J. J. See, writing to the Astronomische Nachrichten (No. 3984), explains the futility of making observations of occultations by planets for the purpose of determining the extent of the planetary atmospheres. He points out that the extent of the irradiation about a planet's disc, at night time, in every case exceeds the probable extent of the planet's atmosphere, so that the star is lost in the irradiation zone before the interposition of the atmosphere between it and the observer.

Thus observations of this character, made during the hours of darkness when the irradiation affects the observation, can never succeed in determining the amount of refraction suffered by the star light in passing through the planet's atmosphere, because the star is always hidden before it reaches even the outer limit of that atmosphere.

RELATIVE DRIFT OF THE HYADES STARS.-In a paper communicated to the British Astronomical Association Dr. Downing, F.R.S., discusses the resulting values obtained by Herr Weersma, and published in No. 13 of the Groningen Astronomical Laboratory Publications, in order to determine the relative drift of the sixty-six Hyades stars dealt with by the latter observer.

The results of the discussion show that these stars may be arranged in three chief groups as regards the amount and direction of their annual motion. The first group contains thirty-eight stars, including most of the bright ones except Aldebaran, having a mean motion of o".096 per year in the mean direction 106° from north towards east. In the second group Aldebaran and three faint stars are included, and the annual mean motion is as much as o".160 in the mean direction 160°. In both these groups the magnitudes are in no way related to the amounts of movement, some of the fainter stars, in fact, having a greater apparent motion than the brighter ones in the same group. The values for the third group are o" 036 and 254° respectively, and it is reasonably conjectured that this group is at a greater distance from our system than the others (Journal British Astronomical Association, No. 1, vol. xv.).

DESIGNATIONS OF THE VARIABLE STARS DISCOVERED DURING 1904. In No. 3984 of the Astronomische Nachrichten the Variable Star Commission of the Astronomischen Gesellschaft publish a catalogue of fifty-eight new variables, discovered by various observers during the present year. They give for each star the number by which it will in future be known, the temporary designation which this replaces, its coordinates and the amount of precession in each coordinate, for 1900, and the magnitude. The catalogue is followed by a detailed account of the discovery, variations, and general characteristics of each variable.

sphere, owing to the emanations of volcanoes, is also touched on as one of many other causes controlling the supply of carbon dioxide.

Plates xviii. and xix. are valuable for the comparison they afford between the landscapes formed by the uniform

1 "The Glacial Geology or New Jersey." By Rollin D. Salisbury. Vol. v. of the Final Report of the State Geologist. Pp. xxviii+ 802; plates and folding maps. (Trenton, N.J.: MacCrellish and Quigley, 1902.)

THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND.1

IT is to the credit of the Anatomical and Anthropological Society of the University of Aberdeen that it can issue Proceedings in a form far superior to those of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland-the only other anatomical society in this country. Even in the contents of its Proceedings the younger society, founded and fostered by the professor of anatomy in the university, compares not unfavourably with the older society.

Naturally one turns first to those papers which deal with the people in the north-east of Scotland. By common repute they are a shrewd, "hard-headed" race. In a well written paper on the contents of short cists found in Aberdeenshire and neighbouring counties, Dr. Alexander Low tells all that can at present be known of their ancestors, the prehistoric inhabitants of this part. The picture drawn by Dr. Low is founded on the broken skeletons of eight men and

1 Proceedings of the Anatomical and Anthropological Society of Aberdeen University, 1902-04. Pp. 155, 28 plates, 22 figs. in text. (Aberdeen: University Press, 1904.)

two women which, owing to the foresight of the late Prof. Struthers and of Prof. Reid, have been slowly accumulated and safely preserved in the anatomical museum of the university. These prehistoric Aberdonians were of low stature (5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 4 inches), with rounded heads which measured in breadth from 82 per cent. to 85 per cent. of their length. One can see, by referring to "An Analysis of Anthropometric Statistics,' a contribution made to this volume of the Proceedings by Mr. John Gray, that only about 12 per cent. of the present inhabitants of Aberdeenshire possess heads which, in the proportion of their diameters, resemble those of the prehistoric race. Further, it is evident that the present inhabitants of Aberdeenshire stand, as regards the diameter of the head-the only racial characteristic that can be dealt with-in an intermediate position between the long-headed highlanders of the west of Scotland and the short-headed prehistoric people of the east coast. The natural inference appears to be that the present race of the north-east of Scotland is the result of a fusion of the east and west types-but the west has exerted the stronger influence. One of the two female skulls described by Dr. Low is that of a woman who, in shape of head, belonged to the west rather than to the east type. She may have been an exceptional member of the shortcyst" race, but it is more probable that she was a western woman captured by the eastern invaders. Those who seek to discover the factors which determine the shape of the head will find most valuable material in the fourteen plates contributed by Prof. Reid. They represent serial sections of the heads of two subjects which had been very successfully prepared.

In these Proceedings one can recognise the influence that the Anatomical Society exerts on the medical graduates of Aberdeen. A skeleton of a Chinese coolie sent from Singapore, a Boxer's skull brought from north China, five Wa Kamba skulls and ten Wasoga crania collected in Uganda, provide material for the junior members to examine and report on. A paper contributed by Dr. F. W. Moir contains the results of a prolonged study of the people of Ashanti. Is it not strange that the University of London, in the very centre of the Empire, offers no such stimulus to its medical graduates as is given in Aberdeen? When the board of studies for human anatomy and morphology was recently constituted in the University of London the study of human races was, for all practical purposes, completely excluded.

The eyesight of the people in the north-east of Scotland is remarkably good. Drs. Usher and Stoddart found, from the examination of 400 students, that 15 per cent. were myopic or short sighted; Fuchs found in Germany that 60 per cent. of students at a corresponding age were myopic; Norris and Oliver give 28 per cent. as the corresponding figure for American students. About three in every hundred of the Aberdeen school children are myopic; the proportion in Edinburgh is almost twice that number. Seven per cent. of the Aberdeen police are short-sighted.

In conclusion, it is to be hoped that the oblivion which so frequently overtakes the Proceedings of local societies, because of their inaccessibility to other workers, will spare the Proceedings of which this volume is but one of a series.

HYDROLOGY IN THE UNITED STATES. THE Geological Survey Department of the United States embraces much wider duties than those covered by the similar department in this country, and the following notes upon some of the various matters with which it deals, and of the trouble taken to afford information as to the mineral resources and water supply of America, may be of interest. The United States Geological Survey Department was created by an Act of Congress in 1879. From time to time its duties, as originally set out, have been considerably extended. For administrative purposes the survey is now divided into branches and divisions, comprising geology, topography, hydrography, with offices charged with administration and the publication of maps and reports. The department of the Geological Survey has charge and classification of all public lands; the examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and the products of

the national domains; the survey of forest reserves and the preparation of topographic and geologic maps. The hydrographic and hydrological branch has charge of all investigations relating to the occurrence of water as a mineral and as a source of wealth to the country. It is engaged in making systematic measurements of the rivers and streams throughout the States, and of the flow of water and the supply available, whether for domestic use or as a source of power. It also, through the Reclamation Service, prepares plans for the construction of reservoirs, canals, and other works for the irrigation of arid lands, of which there are very large areas in America, and superintends the carrying out of works that have been decided on for reclamation. To show the thorough way in which the work of the department is carried out and the pains taken to ensure efficiency, recently a conference was called by the chief engineer for the purpose of enabling the heads of the engineering staff of the Reclamation Service (twenty-five in number) to become acquainted with their work, and of exchanging views and information as to the works in hand and those planned for the future, and so secure uniformity of method in carrying out their work. At this conference an address was given by the chief engineer on the duties of the officers engaged in the work, and papers were read by the engineers having charge of the various works in execution. A record of these proceedings, with copies of the papers and other information, is given in one of the State papers issued by the department.'

Nearly two hundred engineers, hydrographers, and topographers are in the employ of the Reclamation Department alone, and comprehensive instructions are issued as to the management of the works, rates of pay for assistants and workmen, and other matters. One condition laid down by the State is that in all constructive work eight hours shall constitute a day's work for all labourers and mechanics.

For the use of the staff engaged in the hydrological department a manual' has been issued containing instructions as to the proper method of taking observations and the best form of float and current meters to be used under different conditions, with illustrations of the different kinds of meters in use and the method of using the same from bridge, cable, and boat stations; forms of reports, diagrams of discharge and current observations; with formula and tables to be used in computations.

run

From time to time the reports sent in by the staff as to the results of the various surveys and works going on are issued by the department, some of which, relating to water supply and irrigation, the relation of rainfall to off and the floods in the Mississippi, have been noticed in NATURE of January 7, July 28, and November 3, the last reports, Nos. 89, 90, 91, being on the water resources of the Salinas Valley, the geology and water resources of the lower James River Valley, and on the natural features and economic development of drainage areas in Ohio.3

1 "Proceedings of the First Conference of Engineers of the Reclamation Service, with accompanying Papers." Compiled by F. H. Newell. Water Supply and Irrigation Paper, No. 93. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904.)

2 "Hydrographic Manual of the U.S. Geological Survey." Water Supply Papers, No. 94.

3 "On Destructive Floods in the United States in 1903": "On the Progress of Stream Measurements for 1903": "Underground Waters in Southern Louisiana"; "Contributions to the Hydrology of the Eastern United States in 1903"; "The Underground Waters of Arizona."

"Water Resources of the Salinas Valley, California." Paper No. 89. "Geology and Water Resources of the Lower James River Valley." Water Supply and Irrigation Paper, No. 9o.

"The Natural Features and Economic Development of the Sandusky, Maumee, Muskingum, and Miami Drainage Areas in Ohio." Water Supply and Irrigation Paper, No. 91.

"Destructive Floods in the United States in 1903." By E. C. Murphy Paper No. 96.

Report on the Progress of Stream Measurements for the Calendar Year 1903. By J. C. Hayt. Paper No. 97.

Report on the Progress of Stream Measurements for the Calendar Year 1903. By J. C. Hayt. Paper No. 98.

"Underground Waters of Southern Louisiana." By G. D. Harris. Paper No. 101.

"Contributions to the Hydrology of Eastern United States." By M. L. Fuller. Paper No. 102.

"The Underground Waters of Gila Valley, Arizona." By W. T. Lee. Paper No. 104. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904.)

A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.

THE yearly increasing output of scientific workers, like the fleas that have "lesser fleas to bite 'em,' has called into being another class of workers who have to abstract the papers into Jahresberichte, Centralblatter, records, and the like, the next step in the ad infinitum process being represented by the indexes which appear every decade or so to the abstracts themselves. By no other means would the investigator be able to "read up the literature" before attacking a new problem, and though there may be two opinions as to the wisdom of so doing, there can be none as to the desirability of having the power if need be. The present volume consists of a subject index to the first twelve volumes of the Experiment Station Record, the well known series of abstracts of both American and European papers in agricultural science which is issued monthly by the United States Department of Agriculture, and distributed so liberally to all foreign workers. The Experiment Station Record is, indeed, something more than a journal of abstracts; it contains from time to time special articles resuming the current state of knowledge about particular subjects, and written by some acknowledged expert; for example, in this index we find mentioned special articles by Kühn, Stohmann, Kellner, Zuntz, and Hagemann on nutrition investigations alone.

The abstracts proper in the Experiment Station Record are generally very full; like all abstracts, they vary much in value, but generally they fulfil their real purpose of telling one whether it is worth while to read the original paper or not. Naturally, with a subject like agriculture, touching on so many sciences, the abstracts cover a very wide field; chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, all have their special journals which must be looked through lest any article bearing on agriculture escape; meteorology, bacteriology, veterinary science, horticulture also contribute, in addition to the great volume of journals in every country which are devoted solely to agricultural topics. The present index only adds to the debt of gratitude which all British workers in this field have long owed to the United States Department of Agriculture; in fact, if one wants to find the reference to some English experiment, by far the best if not the only way of tracing it is to hunt up its abstract in the Experiment Station Record. Such a pursuit will now be greatly facilitated by the present general index, which represents a putting together of the very full indexes to each of the annual volumes. A further feature of value is a complete list of Bulletins issued by the various divisions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with references to the abstracts in the Record. When we add that the department has also published card indexes to the more important foreign agricultural publications, as, for example, to the well known Landw. Versuchsstationen, we get a further idea of the completeness with which the United States Department of Agriculture is pursuing its self-imposed task of bibliography.

UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE.

AT the Darmstadt Technical College Mr. Clarence Feldmann has been appointed professor of electrotechnics.

PROF. W. NERNST, director of the departments of physical chemistry and electrochemistry at Göttingen, has accepted the chair at Berlin previously occupied by Prof. Landolt.

PROF. ARRHENIUS has declined the appointment offered him at Berlin, the Swedish Academy of Sciences having founded a Nobel Institute of Physical Chemistry with Prof. Arrhenius as director.

DUBLIN University has conferred the degrees of Master in Surgery and Doctor in Medicine honoris causa on Sir Frederick Treves, C.B., and the degree of Doctor in Science honoris causa on Major Ronald Ross, C.B., F.R.S.

DR. E. W. SKEATS, demonstrator in geology at the Royal College of Science, has been appointed to the chair of geology and mineralogy in the University of Melbourne in

1 "General Index to Experiment Station Record." Vols. i. to xii., 18891901. Pp. 671. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Washington, 1903.)

succession to Prof. J. W. Gregory, F.R.S., now professor of geology at Glasgow University.

CHAIRS for research and teaching in protozoology and in helminthology are about to be established at the London School of Tropical Medicine, the funds being provided by certain colonial Governments. The importance of these branches of research in tropical medicine is unquestionable, and it is gratifying to know that this is appreciated by the Governments which have thus assisted the study of the subjects.

DR. JOLY has been appointed ordinary professor of mathematics at Lausanne; Dr. Heinrich Liebmann, hitherto recognised teacher in mathematics, has been appointed assistant professor of philosophy at Leipzig; Dr. Roland Scholl, assistant professor of chemistry at the technical college, Carlsruhe; Dr. Arthur Wehnelt assistant professor of theoretical and applied physics at Erlangen; Dr. Georg Edler von Georgievics, hitherto professor of chemical technology at Bielitz, is to succeed Prof. Karl Zulkowski at the German Technical College at Prague.

THE annual conference of teachers, arranged by the London County Council, will be held on January 5-7 next at the Medical Examination Hall, Victoria Embankment. At the first meeting, addresses on the teaching of arithmetic will be given by Mr. C. T. Millis and Mr. S. 0. Andrew, and the discussion will be opened by Mr. A. W. Siddons. Other subjects to be brought forward at subsequent meetings are:-the psychology of dictation, the teaching of reading, art teaching in Japan, the influence on handicraft of art teaching in elementary and secondary schools, the art training of the artisan, and true and false applications of Froebel's principles.

THE promoters of the movement for providing the University College of North Wales with new buildings on the site presented by the Corporation of Bangor have within the last few days been greatly encouraged in the task by an announcement that Mr. Owen Owen will contribute 1000l. to the building fund. This donation, taken in conjunction with the recent bequest to the college by the late Dr. Isaac Roberts of the sum which is expected to reach about 15,000l., and by the late Mr. John Hughes, of Liverpool, and Mr. Richard Hughes, of Llanfwrog, Anglesey, of 5000l. and 1500l. respectively for the purpose of establishing scholarships, affords a welcome indication of the interest which is now being taken in the fortunes of the college by Welshmen having the like means and wish to benefit the cause of higher education.

Ar a recent meeting with reference to Swanley Horticultural College, presided over by Lady Brassey, Mr. J. C. Medd urged the claims of the college to recognition by the Board of Agriculture, and showed how the institution now fulfilled the conditions which it ought to do, if it were to expect an annual grant from that Government department. He also alluded to the nature-study course for teachers which was held at Swanley during the summer holidays. Sir John Cockburn pointed out that all educational establishments that did their duty were in need of funds, and that Swanley College was no exception. Mr. Buckmaster, chief inspector to the Board of Education, spoke of the efficiency of Swanley College at the present time, and thought that all energy should be directed towards maintaining and improving the position which Swanley had attained rather than to inaugurating similar undertakings.

ADDRESSING the boys at St. Clement Danes' Holborn Estate Grammar School on Monday, Lord Alverstone remarked that it was the knowledge acquired in youth which lasted longest. The effort to retain impressions in later life was in marked contrast to that made when the brain was younger. Modern languages, therefore, should be earnestly and carefully studied at school. He. was glad to see a considerable number of pupils had gained honours in English literature. In the hurry and race of modern life there was a tendency to advocate education which would be of immediate assistance to professional life; but he was strongly of opinion that up to the age of sixteen or seventeen a boy's education should be general, and the temptation to specialise too much should be resisted. A boy would be a better student and would make a better man