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 ami would thus have been led to provide for tbe reasonable use of ihe instruments! cqiiip- meut as fust as it was put ia place on the inoimtain. The failure to make such provis- ion constitutes the chief point of unfavorable criticism on the part of astronomers, and is in many respects unfortunate; but sunilry ad- vantages also have arisen from it, which may be recognized with more profit, particularly as this condition of things must remain unalter- able until the great telescope is completed, and the entire institution comes under the administration of the University of California, In full accord with the terms of Mr. Lick's bequest.

Five years ago no one could have anticipated that the jear 18Bfi must pass with the great telescope still unflnisbcd. It is woilhy of note, however, that, while the delay in ob- taining the necessary glass for the objective has proven so great an embarrassment to the work of the opticians, it has not as yet sen- sibly impeded the progress of the construction of the observatory itself. To this fact we alluded at page 377 of the current volume of Science, stating as well the very reasonable grounds for the belief that the plans of the Lick trustees, in so far as they pertain to the construction of the great telescope and the con- joined observatory, will be completely exe- cuted at the close of the year 18^7. With its unparalleled instrumental equipment, and an unusual endowment for the prosecution of astronomical research; located where the sky is cloudless most of the year, and at such an elevation as to be above the clouds a great part of the remainder; and situate in a region, too, where the steadiness of the air permits astronomical measurement of the highest pre- cision to proceed uninterruptedly throughout the entire night for mouths at a time, — the Lick observatory is destined, under prudent maof^e- ment. to take its place at once in the foremost rank; and, although it is the first established mountain observatory, it may well expect to hold its own in the emulation of similar in- stitutions which may subsequently be inau- gurated at greater elevations.

��LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Iflri(«r'j Htttnf U in aU enMst rryuirrd an proof o/ gaott XaiU
 * ,• dorrf^pondenea arf rftpifttfd Is bf QM hriff at iTo*mlhi^.

A ne^ Btajidaid oell.

SiNCi; October last I Lave made »ome exp^titiiend on the tiac-al kail -copper oxide cell with a view %m determine the pntctlcability of aooiemodiflcati'iti of Uj

Tbe fucc that copper and Iron, and perbaps c oDicr m«tals, dissolve in pntasslum (or sodluia) h^ ~ drnte when u»ealbility that the formation of the alkaline ciipraie miKht occur at a definite and practically conveHleiil difference at polentiai between the electri>des im- mersed In the alkaline batb. As a matter of fitct, I find that a cell muunted wltU atoalganiated ^ne^ J potassic hydrate, and metallic copper, givea, wlieir charged until a blue color appean, a deflecUctii fl a hundred and seventy divisions on the scale siin galvanometer; the Dauiell, mounted wJlS

saturated zinc iiilphate and copper solpbaie, %

a hundred and Qlty-tix dlTislons. The zinir-alkal?- copper cell Is joined by a double key to charging-cfllM il and to Llie galvanometer, a resUtaui:e ol over uia* J thousand ohms l>elng Includtrd In the circuit uf I latter.

The proper shunt Is. of course, employed. Thla I deflection of a hundred and seventy ilivlainsa J seems to be Invarliible, and the cell experiin«nl«4'l upon promises tu be a desirable practical stniKiftnl « electromotive f'lrcu. Its excellence uppeara to eoi si»t In Ihc fact Ibal the cuprate produced breaks U before It dlfiusea to the amalgamated kIdc, dep<..' ing oiide of copper, which settjes. The «inc Is »i_ pended about an Inch above the copper, — which ia ■ spiral ribbon, exposing al>out two square feet uf >ur^ j face, — and the resistance Is Icsi than an uhra. t,\ have used a len-per-cent solution of 'depurmted' poLassic hydrate. After some trials, it ix luund lYtaJk- the shifting of the cell from the charging soutM'] to the galvanometer circuit ma; be done leisur«lj,'r as the electromotive force doi'S not seem to liegtti ut>' falloff forsomemlnutes. Further testlngol the eff«ct of clianges of temperature, sti-cngtb of solution, etc.. Is in progress. Thus far, the teniperalune of ilif cijl has been allowed to vary very little, not enough to affect the readings. I offer this preliminary noie as of possilile interest to your readers. This type of cell would be admirably adapted to furnish any de- sired multiple of Its electromotive force.

F, C. Tan Dvck.

Rulgen oollngc. Kew Brumwlck, K J. Jaoe 13.

Real and imaginary AmericanlBmB.

Tour correspondent, wliuse ideullly is pArhaps scarcely coaccak'd by iniLlals, i!i quite right in saying (Science, Juue 5, ISH.i, p. 454) that the peculiar use of 'get" in Sir William Thomson's lecture ia not an Americanism. But lie is not equally correct lu hit remarks concerning ' would ' and 'should.' It Is tnta that speakers In the west of this country are appar- ently unable to use these words as they are UMd Iff. . writers of classical Enj-llah, but the same pecuJ]a>ir~ Is one of the moat marked characters of iLe WwgMi_ of Scotland, as shown In the current burlesque at It/i'A ' I will be drowned, and nobody shall save me.' Tbfl^fl confusion may be reaching England, as yow o spondent remarks, but not from America. SL „.._ Thomson has nut ' caught the prevalent epIdemieS^I It was doubtless boru and bred In him.

E. W. I

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