interested in geology, as the information that they have received in regard to erratics in the counties of Northumberland and Durham is very scanty. Mr. P. F. Kendall, the honorary secretary to the Committee, states that the information required is as follows:

The Committee desire local clubs to undertake the systematic examination of the areas covered by their operations. They should observe and record, mainly, rocks which by their nature can be seen to have been transported from a distance; and workers should not waste their energies in recording the occurrence of large blocks of local stones. The field in Northumberland and Durham is large, and comprizes almost virgin ground. Messrs. Lebour, Howse, Bulman, Dwerryhouse, and others have given some information, but only enough to whet our appetites. There are three pieces of evidence which the Committee and glacial geologists want to know:-(1) How far to the south and to the west the rocks from the Cheviot area descended into Northumberland and Durham; (2) how far south, west and east the Lake-district rocks were borne; and (3) how far inland such rocks as flints were borne from seawards. Observers should not limit their observations to large boulders, as many of the most significant erratic blocks occur sclely as small stones, some not exceeding what might be called gravel. The attitude of boulders, that is to say of large boulders, when obviously in situ, is often of interest and importance, that is, the compass-bearing of their long axes."

Mr. Kendall will be pleased to render every assistance in his power to observers. He is willing to help by sending specimens of rocks of known origin, and also to identify, as far as he can, specimens submitted to him.

The subject is interesting, and, unlike many other investigations, it can be carried out at a small expense, as the equipment required only costs a few shillings. I take this opportunity of inviting the assistance of members, and I will be very glad to receive the names of those willing to help, or perhaps a committee might be formed to take up the matter.

The following papers and reports read at the meeting of the sections are of special interest to the members:

Presidential Address, by Prof. Dewar.

66

Report of the Committee on Earthquake Phenomena."

Report of the Committee on the "Economic Effects of Factory Acts." Report of the Committee on the "Resistance of Road-vehicles to Traction." Report of the Committee on the "Teaching of Elementary Mathematics." Report of the Committee on the "Teaching of Science in Elementary Schools."

Report of the Committee on the "Training of Chemists employed in English Chemical Industries."

"Smokeless Combustion of Bituminous Fuels." By Mr. W. H. Booth. "Solignac Boiler." By Mr. W. H. Booth.

"An Universal Language." By Sir Frederick Bramwell.

"All Stations Express." By Mr. J. Brown.

"An Elastic Wheel." By Mr. J. Brown.

Regulation of Wages in Developed Industries." By Mr. S. J. Chapman. "Undulations produced in a Road by the Use of Sledges." By Dr.

66

Vaughan Cornish.

'Water-power in Ireland." By Mr. F. T. Dick.

'Science in Irish Secondary Schools." By Mr. T. P. Gill.

Direct-reducing Levelling-staff." By Mr. George Henderson

"Science Subjects in Schools." By Dr. Kimmins.

"The Corrosion of Copper by Sea-water." By Prof. Letts.
'World-shaking Earthquakes." By Prof. J. Milne.
"Steam-turbines." By Hon. C. A. Parsons.

"The Prevention of Smoke." By Mr. J. J. Rayworth.

"The Teaching of Elementary Mathematics." By Mr. A. W. Siddow. "The Science of the Workshop." By Mr. William Taylor.

I am, Gentlemen,

Yours truly,

JOHN H. MERIVALE.

The PRESIDENT (Sir Lindsay Wood, Bart.), in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Merivale for his report, said that he hoped the proposals with regard to the erratic blocks would be carried out by some of the members.

Mr. W. O. WOOD seconded the vote of thanks, which was cordially approved.

DISCUSSION OF PROF. H. LOUIS' PAPER ON THE "STANDARDIZATION OF SURVEYORS' CHAINS."*

Mr. S. J. POLLITZER (Sydney, New South Wales) wrote that, with all due respect to its author, the paper by Prof. Henry Louis on the "Standardization of Surveyors' Chains" came as a surprise; as he did not think that in 1902 there were people in Great Britain, one of the most civilized countries of the world, who still used the antediluvian chain. And it was respectively suggested to the learned professor, to the members, and to all other professional engineers that they should exert their influence to have the chain abolished entirely as obsolete, and to have it replaced by the more modern steel-tape.

Principal H. PALIN GURNEY read the following note on "The Crumlin Meteorite":

* Trans. Inst. M.E., 1902, vol. xxiii., pages 85 and 229.

THE CRUMLIN METEORITE.

BY PRINCIPAL H. PALIN GURNEY.

The writer is indebted for a cast of the Crumlin meteorite to the kindness of Mr. Lazarus Fletcher, F.R.S., the keeper of the Mineralogical Department, at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington. It represents all that has been found of a sky-stone, which fell at 10:30 a.m. on September 13th, 1902, at Crumlin, about 12 miles west of Belfast. A loud noise was heard at the time, which may be attributed to the breaking of the meteorite, and the detonation was observed at places 30 miles apart. The fragment weighs 934 pounds (4,2375 grammes). It is 7 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 3 inches thick. The edges are rounded, and five of its faces are nearly smooth, and show clearly the characteristic pittings. The remaining four or five surfaces are apparently due to fracture, and they exhibit distinct ridge-and-furrow markings. As Crumlin is only 3 miles east of Lough Neagh, a lake extending over 13 miles by 7 miles, possibly the remaining pieces may be buried beneath its waters. The crack, represented on the model, was probably caused by impact on a larger stone in the earth, in which it buried itself to a depth of about 18 inches.

The meteorite is covered with the usual peculiar external layer. This crust or varnish is thinner on what are probably the surfaces produced by the breaking. It is mostly black or brown, the latter colour being possibly attributable to its contact with the soil, but on one part there is an iridescence, in which we may trace purple, pink and blue. On one of these surfaces, a flattish bronze-coloured nodule of troilite is distinctly visible.

The meteorite belongs to the variety known as "aerolites." It consists mainly of stony matter, but it contains sufficient nickeliron to affect a magnetized needle. Its exact composition is at the present time the subject of investigation by Mr. L. Fletcher.

This fragment is larger than any meteorite which has reached

British soil since the fall at Wold Cottage, Scarborough, on December 13th, 1795, which weighed 44:34 pounds (20,111 grammes). It is the first sky-stone observed to fall in these islands since the Middlesborough meteorite, which was found on March 14th, 1881, and weighed only 3:52 pounds (1,594·4 grammes).

Principal H. PALIN GURNEY exhibited models of the Crumlin meteorite, together with an iron model prepared by Prof. A. S. Herschel to test the speed of fall of the original, and by which he had ascertained that the Middlesbrough meteorite struck the earth with a velocity of 412 feet per second.

The PRESIDENT (Sir Lindsay Wood, Bart.) moved a vote of thanks to Principal Gurney for his paper.

Mr. J. H. MERIVALE Seconded the resolution, which was cordially approved.

Mr. A. H. MEYSEY-THOMPSON read the following paper on "Some of the Considerations affecting the Choice of Pumping Machinery," by Mr. H. Lupton and himself:

SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF PUMPING MACHINERY.

BY A. H. MEYSEY-THOMPSON AND H. LUPTON.

Economy of fuel at collieries is a question which is rapidly becoming important. The old objection to the introduction of economical pumping-plant, that the boilers only burnt unsaleable small coal, has been seldom heard of late years. The introduction of coal-cutting by machinery is tending to reduce the quantity of small coal; the manufacture of producer-gas on a large scale has opened out a lucrative market for inferior slackcoal; the growth of the briquette-fuel industry is eloquent testimony to the use that can be made of what was once considered almost valueless; and the washing of small coal and its conversion into coke have also greatly tended to reduce the supply of cheap boiler-fuel. It should also be remembered that each boiler saved represents a reduction of stokers' wages, of cost of insurance and of maintenance of boilers.

In a presidential address to The Institution of Mining Engineers, Mr. James S. Dixon stated that 7:39 per cent, of the output of a large group of Lanarkshire collieries was consumed at the pits, and he estimated that, at this rate, the consumption of the collieries of the United Kingdom was 16,186,852 tons.* He also expressed the opinion that a consumption of 10 pounds of fuel per indicated horsepower at collieries was very near the truth.t

Recently, Mr. A. M. Henshaw in a presidential address to the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, stated that in their district they were wasting £106,800 a

* Trans. Inst. M.E., 1902, vol. xxiii., page 372.
+ Ibid., page

373.