Notes

Abstract

AT the meeting last week of the delegates of the French Learned Societies at the Sorbonne, the Science Section was divided into three committees—Mathematical, Physico-chemical, and Natural History. The general meetings of the three sections were presided over by M. Leverrier, who developed at full length the organisation of agricultural warnings which have been established in Puy de Dome, Vienne, and Haute Vienne, and will be in operation from May 1 to October 15, when agriculturists have practically nothing to lose in the fields. About thirty stations have been established in each of these departments and connected by telegraph with the chief towns of the district. Each local observatory will receive telegraphic warnings through the prefet of the department, to whom will be sent daily the telegrams of the International Service. All these warnings will be posted at the stations and special warnings for the vicinil deduced by local meteorologists. All the observations taken on these stations will be sent to the observatory and tabulated under the supervision of M. Leverrier. The system will very likely be extended to other departments. The distribution of prizes was held on the 22nd in the large hall of the Sorbonne. The Minister of Public Instruction, M. Waddington, gave an address, in which he promised to create new libraries, new faculties, and to group new faculties in order to establish Universites. It is inferred thence that M. Waddington, who, as is well known, is a Cambridge man belonging to Trinity College, will try to remodel the French high schools according to the English method. The old Université de France is, perhaps, to be divided into the Universities of Paris, Lyons, Lille, Marseilles, and Toulouse. M. Waddington's address has created quite a sensation amongst French University men. Five gold medals were awarded—to MM. Abria (Bordeaux), for physics; Clos (Toulouse), for botany; Dumartier (Lyons), paleontology; Filhol (Toulouse), geology; Lortet (Lyons), zoology and palieontology. Ten silver medals were also awarded in botany, zoology, and natural philosophy. In connection with this meeting, M. Lecoq de Boisbandran has been made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur. Several other scientific men have been appointed officiers of the University and officers of the Paris Academy, which are special honorary degrees in acknowledgment of some special services either in the prosecution of scientific researches, or in carrying out the results of the scientific investigations of other people.