Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/430

 rVoL. v., No. 1

��of snclienlremeiieUcacyaspholograpliiiig tliecoroiiu, aad iu which no little skill and apccini experience are neceiiiar; on Ibe part of the jihotographer m well as on the part of the phynlcist.

Mr. Picterlog has no doubt received authority from Dr. O. Lohse lo xay that " he (Dr. Lolise) considers that the halo on his plale is wholly atmospheric, and not coronal;" but Dr. Lohse's published statement reads differently. Dr. O. Lohse's words are, " Es jjelaii;; aber dieselben (die schwierlgkeiten) zu iiber- windi^n iind resuilnte zu erhalten welche tm einer forlsetzung der — bier frellich »elten mogllchpn und rait ardsserem vortheil Id rooglicht holier luge an- tusiellendeu — eiperiraenten ermutbigen."' — Vier- tr{Si)lirs»chr{ft der AstronomUehen ge»elUclia% xr.

m.

I have not seen Dr. Lohse's plates, and can there- fore express no opinion as to the nature of the ap- pearances upon tiiem. William IlruoiKS.

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��THE PliESERVATlOS OF NIAGARA.

Nearly seven years ago Lonl Uufferiii, then governor- general of Canada, suggested to Got. Robinson of New York that the governments of the province of Ontario and the state of New York elionld purchase such lands about Niagai'a Falls as would be required to give ftee access to the principal jioints of view, and serve to restore and preserve the natural scenery of the great cataraut. beside securing to visilora freedom fioin those vexa- tious annoyances which now abound. Sub- sequently the governor-general called the attention of the government of Ontario to the matter, and recommended co-operation with the slate of New York in accomplishing this purpose.

Later, in Januarj% 1879, Gov. Robinson, in his annual message to the legislature of New York, presented this matter, and recommended the apijointment of a commission to investi- gate ihe question, to confer with the Canadian authorities, to consider what measures were necessary, and to report the results to a suc- ceeding legislature.

By resolution the commissioners of the state 8ur^-ey were charged with the investigation. This commission included some of the most distinguished men of the state, — ^Ex-Gov. Ho- ratio Seymour, Vice-President of the United States W. A. Wheeler, Lieut.-Gov. Dorahei- mer. President Barnard of Columbia college. and others.

With breadth of v\ew worthy of such men, they state in their report, that, " under this resolution, it became the duty of the commis- Bioners to aaeertain how far the private hold- ing of land about Niagara Falls has worked to public disadvantage through defacements of the scenery; to e8tim.ite the tendency to

��greater injury; and, lastly, to consider whether the proposed action by the state is necessary to arrest the process of destruction, and re- store to tJie scenery its natural character." In pursuance of these objects, the commis- sioners instructed Mr. James T. Gardiner, director of the state survey, to make an ex- amination of the premises, and |)reijare for their consideration a project. He was assisted iu this work by Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, the distinguished landscape-architect.

The exaoiinalion showed that the destruc> tioo of the natural scenery which forms the framework of the falls was rapidly progressing: unsightly structures and mills were taking the place of the beoulifLd woods that once over- hung the rapids; the fitie piece of primeval forest remaining on Goat Island was in jeop- ardy from projects looking to making a show- ground of the island; and every point fVom which the falls could be seen on the Amcricui side was fenced in, and a fee charged for admission. It was found, that, owing to the topography of the maiu shore, it was prac- ticable to restore its natural asj)ect by clearing away the buildings from a narrow strip of land 100 to 800 feet broad and a mile long, and planting it with trees which would screen out from view the buildings of the village. When these trees should be grown, and the mills re- moved from Bath Island, and trees plants there, the falls and rapids would be again seen in the setting of natural foliage which fortned so important an element in thoir original beauty. Every point from which the falls could be seen would also become free of access by the plan proposed. A map was made showing just what lands should be taken to carrj- out these purimses. The commissionera adopted the plan of Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Olmsted, and recommended to the legislature of 1880 the passage of on act to provide for acquiring title to the necessary lands by the exercise of the right of eminent domain, leav- ing it to a future legislature to consummate the purchase by appropriating the amount for the payment of the awards, if the sum should seem a reasonable price for the property. Such an act passed the assembly, but was defeated in the senate, althotigh the movement was supported by petitions signed by the most distinguished men of this and other coiiutriee. The re|)ort of the state sun-ey, with its com- plete descriptions, illustrations, and maps, then became the basis of a systematic effort ou the pait of a few determined friends of the falls to educate and arouse public opinion to save the scenery of Niagara. Early in 18S3 this

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