ogist with his microscope, the physicist with his spectroscope, and the mathematician with his logic are all busily engaged in unravelling the mysteries of the structure of the universe. They do not always think of their work in this relation. Ordinarily they will tell you that their work is directed towards the answer to some specific question in a relatively circumscribed field. But eventually the mental pictures which result from this detailed work are integrated into one grand picture of the structure of the universe itself, and all that is trustworthy in this grand picture rests upon the labors of the individual workers in their various fields.

There are certain questions, however, of a very fundamental character which no amount of labor will ever answer, and to these questions we are at liberty to return such answers as happen to please us. In other words, they In other words, they belong to the domain of esthetics and not to the domain of science; and yet they are so deep and fundamental that all of our scientific pictures rest upon them. For example: Is the physical universe limited in space, or is it not limited? If it is not limited, or infinite as we say, is the portion of it which we see pe culiar, or is it fairly representative? Is the epoch of time in which we live a peculiar epoch, or is it a fairly representative one? Is the universe as a whole definitely changing from its present state, or is it a permanent thing, the same yesterday, to-day and forever? I might continue with other and similar questions but there is not time now. You are at liberty to choose your own answers and upon them to rest your interpretation of the universe, or your philosophy.

For myself, I wish to think of the physical universe as infinite-it jars upon my sensibilities to think of it otherwise. I am unwilling to admit that we occupy an essentially peculiar position in either space or time. As for the universe as a whole, it has always been and always will be essentially as it is to-day. It is infinite, eternal and unchangeable.

WILLIAM DUNCAN MAOMILLAN

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

THE PAN-PACIFIC SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS AND THE BISHOP MUSEUM OF HAWAII

DURING the month of August, 1920, a congress will be held at Honolulu to outline the scientific problems of the central and southern Pacific Ocean, and to suggest methods for their solution. Delegates from Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and possibly Japan will take part in the discussions, and will formulate a program of research for future guidance in anthropology, geography, geology, and biology. Also it is hoped to lay a foundation for a greater utilization of the economic resources of the Pacific. The delegates are to be the guests of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History, situated in the city of Honolulu. It should be noted here that the idea of a wider Pacific exploration was first put forth by this museum in 1906, and that during the past thirty years the museum has been at work on the ethnology and biology of the central Pacific. Its trustees now desire to take up the wider problems of the Pacific-and they are of fundamental importance-in cooperation with other institutions of research. Yale University, as a result of a gift from Mr. Bayard Dominick of $40,000 for scientific exploration in the southern Pacific, is enabled to enter upon thorough cooperation in the plan, and Professor Herbert E. Gregory, of the Yale faculty, is now the director of the Bishop Museum and the leader of the congress. Other institutions which have expressed a desire to cooperate are the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council, the U. S. National Museum, the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Harvard University, the American Museum of Natural History, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Scripps Institution for Biological Research.

That the results already accomplished by the Bishop Museum are extensive may be gathered from the following account. Fernão de Magalhães, making his way southwest across the rough Atlantic, was the first to

pass through the Straits of Magellan, and for nearly four months subsequent to November 28, 1520, sailed over what seemed to him the quiet waters of an unknown ocean, which he accordingly named the Mer Pacifico. The Hawaiian Islands were, however, not discovered until 1778, by the world navigator, Captain Cook, who landed on Kauai. In the spring of 1820 a small sailing ship landed a number of New England missionaries in Hawaii, and from that time began the modernization of human culture on the eight inhabited islands of the group. Thus arose the dominancy of the United States in these islands, which were formally annexed in 1898 and constituted the territory of Hawaii in 1900.

Mr. Charles Reed Bishop, of New York, married Princess Bernice Pauahi, the great grand-daughter of the Moi of Hawaii at the time of Cook's visit. She died in 1884, leaving her estate to establish "schools for the youth of her race"; she is often referred to as the "mother of Hawaiian industrial education." In 1889 Mr. Bishop founded in her memory the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, and the following year Dr. William T. Brigham was chosen as its curator, becoming director six years later. The government of the museum is in the hands of a board of seven trustees. The original museum was a small stone building, but two large additions have been made and now it is the leading storehouse of information relating to things Pacific, and more especially to the ethnology of the Polynesian people. The Hawaiian Hall opened in 1903 is unique among museums. This privately endowed institution has made good use of the capital left it, Director Brigham having twice visited the museums of the world in his endeavor to find the best methods of caring for the collections in his charge. Mr. Bishop died in 1915, in his ninetieth year, and Dr. Brigham became director emeritus in 1917. At this time the staff consisted of five curators and eight assistants.

In 1898, the Bishop Museum began the publication of two serials, the smaller Oc

casional Papers, of which there are now six volumes, and the quarto Memoirs, now in the seventh volume. In looking through these publications, one is impressed by the high scientific character of the studies and the splendid dress of the memoirs. The credit is all the greater, since the publications are not only written by the staff of the museum, but printed by its own presses. The results naturally bulk largest in ethnology, since this was the primary wish of Mr. Bishop. Moreover, the Hawaiian people are no longer living in their original culture, Christianity and the ways of the white man having completely changed their modes of life. The volumes by Dr. Brigham treating of the wonderful feather work done by the Hawaiians, the making of bark cloth, mat and basket weaving, the houses of the natives, their wood carvings and stone implements, are a revelation of the skill of this primitive folk. The director has also interested himself in different lines of study, as is apparent from the titles of others of his works which are of great value: "Index to the Islands of the Pacific," The Volcanoes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa"-and some of the volcanoes of Hawaii rise to nearly 14,000 feet above sea level and "A Journey around the World to Study Matters relating to Museums." There is no more interesting account of the world's natural history museums than this one published by Dr. Brigham in 1913.

“

Most interesting are the three quarto volumes on Hawaiian antiquities and folklore, gathered and written in the native language by Abraham Fornander and translated into English by Thomas G. Thrum. Another native manuscript on Hawaiian antiquities by David Malo is translated by N. B. Emerson.

A large monograph of the flowering plants of the family Lobelioidea by Joseph F. Rock is a thorough piece of work, while Charles N. Forbes describes in the Occasional Papers many new species of indigenous plants.

The volumes also include a "Key to the Birds of the Hawaiian Group," by W. A. Bryan, and many smaller papers on birds by the same

author and by Alvin Seale. More than 300 species of Pacific marine fishes have been cast and colored from life by J. W. Thompson and described by Bryan and Seale. Of land snails in the islands there appears to be an endless variety, certainly more than 400 forms, and the Museum has them by the hundred thousand. These have been arranged and many new forms described by C. M. Cooke. The collection of marine shells have all been determined by W. H. Dall.

Clearly this is a good beginning toward the gathering of data looking to the solution of the problems of the Pacific Ocean.

CHARLES SCHUCHERT

SCIENTIFIC EVENTS

COTTON RESEARCH IN LANCASHIRE

THE British Cotton-growing Research Association has issued a report covering the first nine months of its work. According to an abstract in the London Times actual research work has as yet scarcely begun. Dr. A. W. Crossley, the director of research, was not free to leave the University of London until Easter. The council and director agree that the association's researches will achieve success in proportion to the extent to which they are organized on a cooperative basis, the workers in the several sciences directing their efforts towards the solution of a common problem. In order that the various departments should all be working at one center, a property, known as The Towers, has been acquired at East Didsbury, a Manchester suburb, and the council is about to issue a special building fund appeal for £250,000. The next step anticipated by the council is the appointment of heads of departments on the subjects of chemistry, physics, colloids, botany and technology. Dr. A. E. Oxley, of Cambridge and Sheffield Universities, has been appointed head of the physics department, and Dr. J. C. Withers, of the chemical department, St. Thomas's, London, has been appointed to direct the abstracting and indexing of scientific and technical information in the records bureau. It is stated that information is so scattered that it will be some time before a comprehensive idea can be

given of the work accomplished in the past. The report adds that the chief aim will be to arrive at the principles or theory underlying the practise of the industry, leaving the application of the theory to those actively engaged in the industry. Applied research can not, however, be entirely omitted, especially in respect of such matters as may be considered beyond the resources of individual firms.

In cooperation with the Empire Cottongrowing Committee a joint committee has been appointed, with the immediate object of granting scholarships to graduate students, so as to secure a supply of trained men for the future. Three botanical research studentships have already been established. The total number of individual members of the association is 1,408. The income for the year, including £6,750 government grant, amounts to £17,150.

THE BRITISH SCIENCE GUILD

Nature reports the annual meeting of the British Science Guild held in London on June 8. Lord Sydenham, the president, in his address on "" Science and the nation," discussed industrial problems, due partly to an abnormal state of mind arising from the war, but originally fostered by the industrial changes of the last century, namely, the general use of machinery, rendering labor monotonous and leaving less room for the individual skill of the craftsman, and the formation of large companies, whereby the personal touch between master and man was lost. In the latter portion of his address Lord Sydenham emphasized the importance of a more general knowledge of science, especially amongst members of the government and the Civil Service, and alluded to the efforts made by the Guild in the dissemination of scientific knowledge and methods. He concluded by quoting Goethe's saying that "there is no more dreadful sight than ignorance in action."

The president-elect, Lord Montagu, of Beaulieu, then delivered an address on "Some national aspects of transport," and afterwards occupied the chair. Lord Montagu remarked upon the growing difficulties of railways, which, although subsidized by the state, were

working with a diminishing margin of profit owing to the vast increase in cost of materials and in wages. In view of the national importance of these problems, the creation of a chair of transport at one of the leading universities would be a deserving object for private beneficence. The two institutions of Civil Engineers and Mechanical Engineers should be more frequently consulted by the government in regard to road transport, and the National Physical Laboratory had done excellent work. The problem, however, was so vast as to demand continuous research at a special establishment.

The annual report of the executive committee, summarized by Lord Bledisloe, dealt with various aspects of the work of the Guild. The second British Scientific Products Exhibition, held in 1919, was honored by a visit from both King George and Queen Mary, accompanied by Prince Henry and Princess Mary, and demonstrated the growing appreciation by British manufacturers of the value of applied science. During the present year it is hoped to arrange a conference on science and labor in association with the Labor party. A representative committee is being set up to collect full data on the utilization of science, not only in the civil services, but also in all government departments, and the Parliamentary committee, which has already intervened with good effect in the Forestry Bill, will watch all prospective legislation involving scientific and technical issues. The education committee of the Guild is still pressing for a real survey of the existing provision of university and higher technical education in the country, considering that the new standing committee on university grants, acting under the Board of Education, is inadequate as regards composition and reference. The revised specifications of the technical optics committee in regard to microscopes have already been adopted by two British firms.

THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

THE annual meeting of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Na

tional Research Council, held in Washington, on May 7, is reported in the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. There were present Messrs, Alsberg, Bancroft, Bleininger, Derick, Fink, Francis, Johnston, Lamb, Moore, Noyes, Stieglitz, Washburn; and by invitation Messrs. Angell, Christian, Cottrell, Kellogg, Mendenhall, Munroe, and Yerkes.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Vice-Chairman, Julius Stieglitz; Members-at-Large, A. A. Noyes, E. W. Washburn. The members of the Executive Committee will be the chairman and vicechairman, C. L. Alsberg, A. B. Lamb, John Johnston, and W. D. Bancroft, ex-officio, retiring chairman. The American Chemical Society nominated C. L. Alsberg, W. D. Bancroft, and C. G. Derick as members of the division, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers nominated H. K. Moore. In connection with the meeting of the International Chemical Union to be held in Rome, Dr. Charles L. Parsons was appointed delegate. The admission to the Union of Poland and Czecho-Slovakia was favored, the division expressing the unanimous opinion that any neutral nation, eligible from the point of view of its scientific activities, that might apply for admission should be admitted.

In presenting the report of the Committee on Synthetic Drugs, Julius Stieglitz, chairman, pointed out the valuable work done by this committee in furnishing information and advce to manufacturers. The report of the Committee on Explosives Investigations was presented by the chairman, Professor Charles E. Munroe. The Committee on the Thermal Properties of Explosive Materials was not continued, the work being transferred to the Committee on Explosives Investigations. This latter committee was requested to associate with itself W. P. White and others interested in the study of the thermal properties of explosives. In the absence of H. N. Holmes, chairman of the committee on colloids, the report of the committee was presented by W. D. Bancroft.

Upon the suggestion of C. G. Derick, a committee on methods of organic analysis was appointed. The need for cooperation between

the various laboratories and individuals working on contact catalysis was pointed out by Chairman Bancroft, and as a result a Committee on Contact Catalysis was appointed, with W. D. Bancroft as chairman.

A report on the publication of critical tables of physical and chemical constants was presented by H. K. Moore. The council approved the suggestion that a special agent be employed to devote his entire time to the solicitation of funds for this publication. Thereupon H. E. Howe was appointed a fourth member of the board of trustees; W. D. Bancroft and C. E. Mendenhall was authorized to pay for the drawing up of a preliminary plan for the scientific organization of the tables, as a concrete basis for obtaining subscriptions.

Dr. Cottrell was appointed to draw up a resolution in support of the Patent bill, with instructions to forward the resolution to the Patent Office committee of the National Research Council for such action as it saw fit to take.

THE PERMANENT FUNDS OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION

THE Auk states that from time to time the union has established several permanent funds for special purposes. In every case the principal with such contributions as may be received is invested so as to remain intact and the interest only is used for furthering the objects of the fund. The most important of these funds are: the Brewster Memorial Fund, the Research Fund, and the Publication Fund. The Brewster Memorial Fund, the most recent, is the gift of the friends of William Brewster to perpetuate the memory of one of the founders and former presidents of the union by establishing a fund to encourage research in American ornithology. The sum of $5,200 received in 1919, has already increased to some extent and the proceeds will be awarded biennially in the form of a medal and an honorarium to the author of the most important contribution to the ornithology of the Western Hemisphere during the two years immediately preceding. This fund is administered by a special committee and the first award will be made in 1921.

The Research Fund was established some years ago by a gift from Miss Juliette A. Owen, of St. Joseph, Mo., one of the Life Associates of the Union, to encourage original research in ornithology. It now amounts to several hundred dollars but the interest will not be available until the total amount reaches $5,000. It is highly desirable that this fund should be increased at an early date so that the proceeds may become available for promoting ornithological work. Already applications have been received for assistance in special investigations which would be greatly stimulated if small grants could be made from this or some similar fund.

The publication fund comprises receipts from life memberships, bequests and special contributions. In The Auk for January, 1920, the editor has called attention to the immediate need of a fund of $25,000, and in response to this appeal subscriptions of several hundred dollars in sums of $100 or less have already been received. The editor of The Auk says that not only is an adequate fund necessary to place the publication of the journal on a permanent basis and to issue check-lists, indexes and special bibliographies, but means should be provided also for publishing occasional memoirs, monographs and more extensive papers than have hitherto been attempted. At this time when the usual channels of publication are becoming restricted on account of the high cost of printing it is especially desirable that the American Ornithologists' Union should be in a position to meet the demands which are made upon it. As its permanent funds increase the union will be able to broaden the scope of its work and to make more substantial contributions both to the development and diffusion of knowledge of ornithology.

SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS

DR. W. W. CAMPBELL, director of the Lick Observatory, has been elected a foreign honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

DR. L. HEKTOEN, director of the John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases,