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moving rubbish, no need of quarrying worthless rock in underground workings, and the cost of examining and securing the roofs and pillars would be done away with.

The helicoidal wire saw has been employed for quarrying marble in Belgium and in Italy for some years. It is an endless cord, composed of three hard wires twisted together, which is made to travel along by machinery and

is fed continuously with sand and water, the sharp particles of sand gradually cutting a groove. As the groove is deepened the cord must necessarily be kept applied to the rock. This is effected by guiding-pulleys mounted in pits sunk at the ends of the proposed cut. These pulleys must be at least 20 inches in diameter, and the pits somewhat larger. For sinking these pits there are employed in some Belgian quarries a rotative borer composed of a steel tube cutting an annular groove. The wire saw was applied at Carrara for subdividing blocks of marble, but the impracticability of using the revolving cylinder or hand labour for sinking inclined pits was an obstacle to its further use. The difficulty was, however, overcome by Mr. A. Monticolo, who invented an ingenious appliance which he termed a penetrating pulley, with which it is possible to replace the somewhat costly pit by a bore-hole 3 inches in diameter. The penetrating pulley consists of a disc 20 inches in diameter and inch thick, with a semicircular groove round its periphery deep enough to take half the thickness of the wire, the other half projecting. The disc is mounted on a pivot and is supported by a hollow steel shaft of slightly smaller diameter than the bore-hole. To the shaft is attached a series of tubes of equal diameter forming a column that may be lengthened at will, in the interior of

SIR WILLIAM ROBERTS-AUSTEN, K.C.B., F.R.S., will deliver the tenth "James Forrest " lecture at the Institution of Civil Engineers on April 17, 1902, the subject being "Metallurgy in Relation to Engineering."

THE governing committee of the Allegheny Observatory has decided to erect a 30-in. reflector at that institution as a memorial to the late Prof. Keeler. As it is expected that the funds subscribed will exceed the estimated cost of the instrument (2000.), the balance will be used either to found a general fellowship for the study of astrophysics, or the award of a Keeler medal for work in the same field.

THE Royal Society of Public Medicine of Belgium has awarded Prof. Corfield, of University College, London, its bronze medal in recognition of his devotion to public health work.

A SUCCESSFUL kinematograph of the Severn bore was exhibited by Dr. Vaughan Cornish at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on Monday. This is, we believe, the first time that the impressive movement of a tidal bore has been recorded by photography and the phenomenon reproduced before an audience by a series of moving pictures.

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FIG. 2.-Installation of the helicoidal wire saw at a quarry. X, helicoldal wire; A, fixed pulley; B, motor; c, tightening arrangement; D, E, wire saw and grinding pulleys; м, block of marble being quarried.

which is a fine tube serving for the lubrication of the pivots. As the cut deepens the pulley is fed down automatically by means of an eccentric. For cutting a groove, two bore-holes, to receive the shafts carrying the axes of the pulleys, are first made by hand or by the diamond drill. The pulley was first applied in March 1898 at the Campanile quarry, Carrara, where cuts have been made 50 feet long and 16 feet deep, inclined at an angle of five degrees from the horizontal. The highly satisfactory results obtained with the penetrating pulley serve to show that there is a great saving of expense by the substitution of bore-holes for pits, far less waste of valuable marble, and increased rapidity of quarrying and consequently increased output.

Almost simultaneously with the publication of Mr. Williams' report, the Revue Générale des Sciences published an exhaustive article by Mr. J. Boyer on the present condition of the French marble industry. This article is profusely illustrated and contains a large amount of information relating to the use of the wire

saw.

From this article the two illustrations accompanying this note have been borrowed.

NOTES.

DR. F. MCCLEAN and Sir John Murray, whose names were included in the list of the new Council of the Royal Society given in NATURE of November 14, are unable to serve; and the two Fellows recommended for election in their places are the Right Hon. Sir John Gorst and Prof. H. HI. Turner.

A NEW Highland meteorological station has been established at Achariach in Glen Nevis, 44 miles S. E. of the Low Level Observatory at Fort William, and 2 miles S. W. of the observatory on Ben Nevis. The station is about 150 feet above sea-level, and the observations in the valley will be especially interesting in connection with the study of descending currents

of cold air from the glens in the vicinity.

THE Council of the Royal Meteorological Society has designated Dr. Alexander Buchan, F.R.S., as the first recipient of the Symons gold medal in recognition of the valuable work which he has done in connection with meteorological science. This medal, which is to be awarded biennially, was founded in memory of the late Mr. G. J. Symons, F. R.S., the distinguished meteorologist and originator of the British Rainfall Organisation. The medal will be presented at the annual meeting of the Society on January 15, 1902.

A REUTER telegram announces that the Gauss, with the German Antarctic Expedition on board, arrived at Cape Town on Saturday morning, after being six weeks overdue. After leaving Hamburg on August II the Gauss touched at Las Palmas, and St. Vincent Islands. Deep-sea soundings were taken towards the west, but the ship did not go so far as the American coast. The Gauss was under sail the whole time, and the scientific observations made are said to be most satisfactory. The vessel will remain at Cape Town for ten days, and will then proceed to Kerguelen Island.

ON Monday evening M. Santos Dumont was entertained at dinner by the Aero Club of the United Kingdom. The chair was taken by Major-General Lord Dundonald, and among the company present were the Brazilian Minister, Lord Suffield, Sir Norman Lockyer, Colonel Templer, director of military ballooning, Sir J. Crichton Browne, Prof. D. S. Capper, Colonel R. E. B. Crompton, R.E., Sir V. Kennett-Barrington, Prof. John Perry, Dr. Boverton Redwood, the Hon. C. S. Rolls and Mr. R. W. Wallace. In acknowledging the toast of his health, M. Santos Dumont said that he hoped in a few months' time to make some trials with a dirigible air-ship above London.

AN illustration of the way in which a disease present in one species or race in a mild form may produce most severe effects when introduced into a region inhabited by another race, has been sent to us by Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell. It appears from trustworthy reports that the natives of western Alaska are rapidly disappearing from the effects of an epidemic of measles. Dr. Moore, assistant surgeon of the United States quarantine service, states that at least one-third of the native population at Cape Prince of Wales, Nome, Port Clarence, St. Michael, Kuskokwim, Unalaska, Pribyloff Islands, Nunivak Island and

St. Lawrence Island, and those along the Yukon River, have suffered from the effects of the epidemic, which at first was thought to be smallpox, but upon investigation proved to be measles. The epidemic originated at Holy Cross in northeastern Siberia, and from that point it was carried to places visited by whalers, and the whalers carried the disease to Alaska. Dr. Moore reports the condition of the natives as being most pitiable.

A PAPER on "Fairies, Apparitions, Visions and Hallucinations" was read by Sir Lauder Brunton at a meeting of the Medico-Psychological Association last week. At the outset, attention was directed to the fact that there is considerable variation in the acuteness of the senses of different people. Thus some persons perceive blue flames in the fire in winter and some persons hear the shrieks of bats, whilst others are sensible of neither. In the same way there are people who feel things which others do not feel. Apparitions are probably due to abnormal conditions of the apparatus required for the reception of external impressions. The vessels inside the brain may be capable of contraction, like those outside, and in that case

there would be anæmia of parts of the brain and consequently affections of vision, hearing, smell and taste. Epilepsy is connected in the minds of psychologists with migraine. In many people migraine is preceded by a vision of zigzags, rather like a procession. A troop of spirits in this form appears in Doré's illustrations to the "Inferno." It was suggested as not unlikely that both Dante and Doré suffered from headache of this kind. Stories of fairies might partly be referred to visions as well as to the aboriginal race mentioned by Prof. Rhys. Speaking of Mahomed, Sir Lauder Brunton described his visions, trembling fits and convulsions, and said it was curious to speculate how different might have been the course of the world's history if the prophet had been thoroughly dosed with bromide of potassium.

He sur

SIR WILLIAM PREECE, K.C.B., F.R.S., covered a wide field in the address which he delivered on November 20 at the opening of the new session of the Society of Arts. veyed the most prominent points of scientific progress during the nineteenth century, and from the trend of advancement suggested some developments of the immediate future. The great scientific discoveries of the past century dealt with in the address were (1) the principle of evolution; (2) the atomic structure of matter; (3) the existence of the æther and the undulatory theory of light; (4) the principles of electromagnetic

induction and electrolysis; (5) the principle of the conservation of energy. Limitations of space prevent us from printing the address in full, but the following are a few extracts from it. The trend of research at the commencement of the twentieth century is to prove that the basis of all matter is fundamentally the same, and that the true atom has not yet been reached.— The criterion of true advance in knowledge is the possession of standards and of means of accurate measurement. We commence the twentieth century remarkably well equipped with both these requisites. The engineer has only to take care of his "Joules," or units of energy, and his machines will take care of themselves.-The only excuse for disaster due to magnetic disturbance is ignorance. The stars are always with us for guidance and comparison. Magnetic science must be maintained by well-equipped laboratories, by continuous observations, by the distribution of reports and by up-to-date records

and corrections of charts. We seem to have learnt all we can of magnetism, and we commence the twentieth century without any indication of a new directing force. We have local magnetic disturbing elements to measure, and certain dangers due to storms, snow, rain and fog to remove. We want better warning of approach to land, and better communication between

ship and ship and ship and shore. The twentieth century is bound to see great developments in this direction. In conclu sion, Sir William Preece remarked:-"I hope that I have succeeded in showing that progress in all branches of life is due to certain motive causes working on the principle of evolution; that these causes are within the reach of our observation; and that they have only to be discovered, so that, by their encouragement, we may secure, during the coming century, greater and further advances in civilisation and knowledge."

MR. LANGDON, in his presidential address to the Institution of Electrical Engineers on Thursday last, dealt with the appli cations of electricity in railway engineering. Although in so doing he passed to a large extent over the same ground as he covered in his paper on the supersession of the steam by the electric locomotive in November 1900, he treated the subject from a more general and less technical standpoint. Hitherto electricity has played a small, but indispensable, part in the working of steam railways, for telephone, telegraph and lighting purposes; but Mr. Langdon realises that the problem of the conversion of our steam railroads is one pressing for immediate attention. The magnitude of the railway interests is so enormous

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that it is necessary to give the question the most careful consideration, or disastrous results may accrue. investment of capital in electric railways to compete with existing lines is not likely, Mr. Langdon points out, to be profitable for shareholders in either concern, and he seems to deprecate competition of the kind foreshadowed by the projected new electric railway between Manchester and Liverpool. It is, however, for the railway companies themselves to show that they are on the alert and are prepared to meet the growing demands of the country; for if the necessary reform does not come speedily from within, it is they, we think, who will be likely to suffer disaster. Electrical engineers have before them a work compared with which their past achievements are but trifling; in carrying it out let them by all means go carefully, but do not let them consider that synonymous with going slowly,

AMONG the notes in The Engineer (November 22) a remarkable motor-car performance is recorded. M. Fournier, the well-known French motorist, drove a 40-horse-power petrol car one mile in 51 seconds, approximately 70 miles per hour. The tract was a straight and level piece of road known as the Ocean Parkway, New York.

A PAPER of much interest on the balancing of locomotives has just been read before the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

by Prof. W. E. Dalby. As is well known, although there are some engines with their reciprocating and revolving parts unbalanced, the counterpoising of the various parts forms a most important item in the designing of the engine, and a point which, if neglected, is afterwards easily discernible on the footplate. The paper, which is divided into nineteen separate articles, deals with the subject in a very lucid manner, and each article is thoroughly treated. We find taken as examples two typical English engines (a passenger and goods on the L. and Y. Railway) and an 8-coupled engine, class E Baldwin Company of America. In the article in which the distribution of the reciprocating mass between the coupled wheels is discussed, three figures are of special interest, being diagrams showing: (1) All revolving mass and two-thirds reciprocating mass in driving-wheel (only); (2) all revolving mass and two-thirds reciprocating mass equally distributed (on all wheels); (3) all revolving mass and all reciprocating mass equally distributed (on all wheels). In dealing with four-cylinder locomotives the author points out how balancing can be effected without the use of balance weights attached to the wheels, by properly proportioning the "masses" and "crank angles."

Symons's Meteorological Magazine for November contains a summary of the climate of the British Empire for the year 1900, so far as it can be represented by reports from eighteen stations distributed over various parts of the world. The highest temperature in the shade (112°2) occurred at Adelaide on January I; this station also registered the highest solar temperature, 1705. The maximum temperatures at London (95°2 on July 16) and Toronto (98o on August 6) are the highest noted for these stations since the commencement of the summary in 1877. The lowest shade temperature (-34°8 on February 9) was recorded at Winnipeg, where the range in the course of the year was 135° 3. The driest stations were Adelaide and Fredericton (New Brunswick), where the mean humidity was 66 per cent., and the dampest station was Colombo, Ceylon, mean humidity 81 per cent. The greatest rainfall was at Calcutta, 89.3 inches, and the least at Malta, 16'1 inches.

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turbances which follow two well-defined paths, one from the Bay of Biscay to Sardinia and away to Cyprus, the other taking a north-easterly course from about Gibraltar to Corsica and across Italy to Dalmatia.

MR. HALCOTT C. MORENO has published in the Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences a paper on ruled loci in n-fold space. Corresponding to a developable and its edge of regression in ordinary space, we have the loci derived from a flat of n- 1 dimensions whose equation involves a single arbitrary parameter, these loci representing the ultimate intersections of two, three or more flats of the family. In like manner loci corresponding to ruled surfaces are obtained from an - 2 flat whose equations involve a single parameter, and the further case is considered of an ʼn − k flat also involving a single parameter. Several of the conclusions obtained are analogues of results given for three-dimensional geometry in Salmon's well-known treatise.

THE accident to the aeroplane machine with which Herr Kress has been experimenting on the reservoir of the Vienna waterworks forms the subject of a critical article in the number, for November 16, of Die Umschau, a paper which has previously given several well-written articles on this and other systems of experimenting in aërial navigation. Herr Kress made the mistake of building the machine without waiting for the motor, and when the latter was at length obtained it was found to be a heavier one than he had ordered. This had the effect of making the apparatus top-heavy when sailing on the water on the aluminium boat which formed its car, and the accident occurred, not when the machine was going at full speed, but after the pace had been moderated and the apparatus was turning towards the bank. A small gust of wind catching the sails appears to have caused the machine to heel over to such an extent that it was incapable of righting itself. It is pointed out that stability in the water and stability in the air are quite different things, and Kress thinks that the high position of the centre of gravity would not have affected the stability of the machine if it had been supported in the air by its wings, nor would a side wind have had the same power of overturning it.

of Arts and Sciences (vol. iii. p. 507) Mr. E. C. Starks gives a IN a recent issue of the Proceedings of the American Academy complete list of the numerous synonyms which have been applied to the component bones of the fish-skeleton. It may be hoped that naturalists will agree to adopt the names selected by the author as the best designations of the individual bones.

To the November issue of the Zoologist Capt. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton communicates a further note on the origin of sexual dimorphism and of nuptial weapons and ornament. In the same journal Mr. F. Cohern narrates his experiences during a bird-collecting trip to the north of Iceland, with a list of the species obtained. He speaks of the extraordinary abundance

and tameness of the birds, and believes that he has obtained a new form of pipit, although this opinion does not appear to be shared by his fellow ornithologists.

THE pilot chart of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean for the month of December, just issued by the Meteorological Office, shows that there were still a few icebergs on the edge of the bank eastward of Newfoundland as late as October. On the great circle track to Belle Isle, and also within the Strait, there has been a perceptible diminution in the quantity of ice reported, so that from the scores of bergs sighted about July and August they have now dwindled to an occasional one. is, however, interesting to notice in this connection that the Dundee whalers recently returned from Davis Strait report much ice blocking up the west side of the strait and drifting Southward last summer, while in the early part of October what was probably a portion of the same ice was reported to be sweeping down along the Labrador coast in great quantities. There is thus some probability of the next ice season off the Newfoundland coast being an early one. Realising the importance to the mariner of a clear understanding of the laws govern ing the movements of cyclonic disturbances-how he should combine his observations of the wind direction with the baro. metric variations to obtain, under all circumstances, a fair idea of his position in the storm field, and to ascertain approximately the line of progression of the central part of the system-the article on Atlantic storm systems published in one of the earlier charts is reproduced at the commencement of the scason of winter storms. An inset chart illustrates the conditions obtaining over north-western Europe during the north westerly type of weather, that of December 1895 being in the ascendent for more than a fortnight. At this season the winds of the Mediterranean region are shown to be influenced by dissertation on the development, structure and metamorphosis of

THE August issue of the Boletim of the Para Museum contains a paper by Dr. E. Goeldi on two Brazilian rodents, one of which (Blarinomys breviceps) was first described from its fossil remains, but is now known also by a single recent example. The same author gives an illustrated description of the gigantic catfish of the Amazons locally known as the piraïba. In assigning to this fish a new scientific name (Piratinga pira-aiba) the author states that in its young state it has long since been described by Lichtenstein as P. filamentosa. If this be so, the new title seems superfluous.

THE whole of part iv. of vol. xiii. of the Journal of the College of Science of Tokio is occupied by an elaborate dis

that remarkable organism described in the larval form by Jahannes Müller in 1846 as Actinotrocha, and in the adult state by S. Wright in 1856 as Phoronis. The identification of the free-swimming Actinotrocha as the larva of the compound and stationary Phoronis is one of the discoveries for which science is indebted to Kowalewsky; but the question still remains undetermined whether the organism should be placed with the Gephyrean worms or with the Hemichordata. In spite of the numerous papers which have been devoted to this curious form, the author, Mr. Iwaji Ikeda, states that its life-history has hitherto been very imperfectly worked out, and it is to this that he has devoted much of his attention. Another point is the manner in which the free-swimming larvæ establish colonies in certain definite and limited localities. From the fact that the colonies are subject to periodical decay it is suggested that the organism annually changes its generation. It may be remarked that although in the title of the paper the name Actinotrocha is employed, in the text the family is alluded to as the Phoronidæ, while various species of Phoronis are mentioned.

NUMBER 12 of Sir George King's " Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula," reprinted from the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, is occupied entirely by the eleven genera of Myrtaceæ, including the ninety-six Malayan species of Eugenia.

WE have received the first three numbers of the Bulletin of the Imperial Botanic Garden of St. Petersburg, edited by Prof. A. Fischer v. Waldheim. The Bulletin is intended to appear at irregular intervals and to be devoted to original treatises, not before published, in all branches of botany, critical notices, and reports and communications from the Imperial Botanic Garden. In the present instalment the papers are in Russian, with brief French or German abstracts. They include articles on the Exoascaceae of the Caucasus, "migrating lichens," biological observations on buckwheat, lichenological notes, &c.

THE origin and distribution of the cocoanut palm forms the subject of an interesting paper by Mr. O. F. Cook in a recent issue of the United States National Herbarium. It is contended that this most useful tree must have originated on the Pacific coast of South America and spread from thence to Folynesia and Asia. It is pointed out that all the other species of cocos are natives of South America. The cocoanut palm was found upon the Pacific coast by early Spanish explorers. Mr. Cook also claims an American origin for the banana and

yam.

A RECENT number of the Australian Town and Country Journal is largely occupied with an illustrated account of the new mining school recently opened in connection with Sydney University. The erection of this school is largely due to the exertions of Prof. A. Liversidge, F.R.S. It is now well equipped with machinery and laboratories, and should prove of great value for training men to conduct metallurgical operations. The University of Sydney grants a degree in mining engineering, and the course of instruction given at the school is mainly in preparation for this degree.

LIEUT. GENERAL C. A. MCMAHON contributes notes on some peridotites, serpentines, gabbros and associated rocks from Ladakh, north-western Himalaya, to the Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India (vol. xxxi. part iii.) These rocks are found intrusive in the Tertiary volcanic series. Mr. Vredenburg (vol. xxxii. part i.) discusses very fully the results of recent artesian experiments in India, pointing out that many of the so-called "artesian wells" are not fed by water under pressure. He gives records of numerous borings and concludes that artesian wells cannot be of utility in any extensive scheme of irrigation. Mr. T. II. Holland (vol. xxxiv. part i.) draws attention to a peculiar form of altered peridotite in the Mysore

State, whereby a simple dunite has been changed into a brest nerite-picrolite-talc rock. He remarks that it is important distinguish between this "primary" or contemporanece alteration, due to the action of vapours originally contained in the magma, and the "secondary" changes that may be induced subsequently and are unconnected with the processes of consol dation.

THE publication of a ninth edition of "Stieler's Hand Atlas has been commenced by Mr. Justus Perthes, Gotha Th work will be issued in fifty parts, which will appear at interva of two or three weeks.

Prof. Andrew GRAY's work on "Dynamics and Propertie: of Matter," being Part i. of his "Treatise on Physics" (J. and A Churchill), is shortly to appear in the German language. T work of translating has been undertaken by Prof. Auerbach, Jena.

A CATALOGUE of the Indian Decapod Crustacea in the collec tion of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, is in course of preparat by Major A. Alcock, F.R.S. It is proposed to issue the catalogue in three collateral and independent series, one for the Bachyura, another for the Macrura, and a third for the Am mura. The first fasciculus of Part i. has been received an contains an introduction to the monograph, and descriptions, with plates, of the Dromides or Dromiacea.

MR. JOHN HEYWOOD has published the second part Book II. of "Machine Drawing for the use of Engineering Students in Science and Technical Schools and Colleges," by Mr. Thomas Jones and Mr. T. Gilbert Jones. The part c tains forty-five plates, upon which drawings of engine and pur"; details are given; and descripitive text, with exercises, accom panies each plate. Students of engineering and machine com struction will find the drawings of service in showing the details of engines and pumps constructed at the present time.

THE sixth part of Prof. A. Engler's elaborate monographs # the families and genera of African plants (Monographieen afrikanischer Pflanzen-Familien und -Gattungen) has been published by Mr. W. Engelmann, Leipzig, and can be obtained from Messrs. Williams and Norgate, London. The work, it will be remembered, is being prepared under the auspices of the Prussian Academy of Sciences, and when completed wil be a most valuable account of the plants of the Africa: continent. The present part deals with the Anonaces and is by Profs. Engler and L. Diels.

A SERIES of regional floras of India has been projected by the Director of the Botanical Survey of India, and the first part has been issued by Messrs. Taylor and Francis. In this volume Mr. T. Cooke deals with "The Flora of the Presidency Bombay" from the order Ranunculace to Rutacea. The increase of knowledge of the botany of the Presidency in recen years may be judged by the fact that the present part of the projected work (comprising 192 pages) contains descriptions of more than 130 species not included in Dalzell and Gibson's Flora of Bombay," published in 1861. We propose to reves the work when it has been completed.

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MESSRS. G. PHILIP AND SON have recently published a pair of globes-one terrestrial and the other celestial- for the low price of three shillings. The globes are mounted on slender brass tripods, and each can be rotated on an axis. The diameter of each globe is four inches. It is, of course, not possible to represent any details upon a terrestrial globe of this size, or to find many stars by means of the celestial globe, bu a young student may derive instruction from them as to the relative positions of the great land masses of the earth and the meaning of the celestial sphere.

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