No scientific man and his discovery have been applauded as were Admiral Dewey and his victory, yet a century hence scientific men of the present period will be mentioned more often than our military and political leaders. Darwin's work is more effective and permanent than that of any contemporary soldier or statesman; it is probably much better known throughout the world and will be so increasingly.
If it were but possible to direct the mind of the crowd to science, an interest would be created which would be self-perpetuating. The minor events of war and politics would be subsumed under broader principles. A nation whose chief interests were in science would need no army and but little government. It would be prosperous beyond measure in peace and would be invincible in war.
SCIENTIFIC ITEMS.
We note with regret the death of Dr. Isaac Roberts, eminent for his work in astronomy, especially for his study of star-clusters and nebulæ, and of Sir John Simon, K.C.B., former vice-president of the Royal Society and president of the Royal College of Surgeons, well known for his important services on behalf of the public health.
A medallion in memory of the late Sir George Gabriel Stokes, which has been erected in the north aisle of the choir of Westminster Abbey, was unveiled on July 7 by the Duke of Devonshire, chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and formally transferred to the authorities of the Abbey. Addresses were made by Sir William Huggins, Lord Rayleigh and Lord Kelvin.—A public meeting has been held at Bury, England, to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of John Kay, of Bury, inventor of the fly-shuttle, to promote a public fund for the erection of a statue in memory of the inventor and to institute scholarships.
The Paris Academy of Sciences has decided to award its LeCompte prize of the value of $10,000 to M. Blondlot for his researches on the so-called n-rays.—Dr. Robert Koch has been made honorary professor of the University of Berlin as well as a member of the Academy of Sciences in succession to Virchow. There are only two other similar positions at Berlin, the one held by Professor Auwers, the astronomer, the other by Professor Van't Hoff, the chemist.—Dr. C. H. Tittman, chief of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, has left Washington for Alaska, where he will meet Dr. W. P. King, chief astronomer of Canada, in order to mark the boundary line between Alaska and Canada in accordance with the decisions of the commission that met last year in London.—Mr. Bailey Willis, of the U. S. Geological Survey, has returned from China, where he has been making geological explorations under the auspices of the Carnegie Institution.
It is announced that Dr. Harry Tevis will establish in San Francisco an aquarium in honor of his father, the late Lloyd Tevis, which will be the finest institution of the kind in the world, the cost being $3,000,000 to $4,000,000. The aquarium will, it is said, be built in Golden Gate Park. Mr. John Galen Howard, supervising architect of the University of California, is preparing the plans.—The Schunck Laboratory, bequeathed to Owens College by the late Dr. Schunck, who had in his lifetime endowed the college with £20,000 on behalf of chemical research, has been removed from his residence at Kersal and rebuilt in the college precincts as nearly as possible in its original form. It comprises two floors and a basement, with the most modern appliances, also a valuable library and a collection of coloring matter, natural and artificial.
