The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-17 00:00:00

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

The Geography and Biology Sections divided the
honours of yesterday, the great attraction in the farmer
being Sir Samuel Baker's letter from the banks of the
White Nile ; and in the latter the discussion, which it
required little discernment to foresee would be keen, on
Spontaneous Generation. Some members of the Associa-
tion there are who, with a devotion as commendable as it
rare, will spend their mornings in those departments
where the less interesting subjects of science are discussed,
but is not the case with the majority ; these with unvary-
ing persistence flock to such sections as offer a prospect of
something livelier than a dissertation on the distilla-
tion of sulphuric acid, or something newer than
a report on the exploration of Kent's Cavern.
Thus it comes to pass that popular, and especially con-
troversial, subjects have numerous devotees, composed of
the dlite of the members and associates, while others,
perhaps not less important but less attractive, are pro-
pounded to slender audiences, the proportions of which
are sometimes so slender as to preclude the possibility of
a sustained discussion.

The room in which the spontaneous genera-
tion was discussed, and - which was announced
to be presented in a paper, with new Oxperi-
meats by Mr. J. Samuelson, was crowded some time
prior to the hour of meeting, indeed there must have been
present during the sitting a large per tentage of the whole
number of members and associates, to whom judging from
their appearance, the paper of Dr. G. W. Child, on Proto-
plasm and the Germ Theories, which preceded that of
Mr. Samuelson, was looked upon with only moderate
interest, not because it was not a good paper,
for good it undoubtedly was, but simply be-
cause it rather blocked the way to the
discussion, for which the audience was eagerly longing,
which discussion it was arranged should be upon the two
papers conjointly.—Mr. Samuelson,' in opening his paper,-
hailed with great satisfaction the impetus which he be-
lieved had been given to the spontaneous generation con-
troversy by the address bf Professor Huxley on Wednesday.
The expression of this opinion found a ready affirmative
response amongst the audience. The paper then unfolded
a detailed account of the observations made by its author
just lately, the results of which, he said, fully confirmed
the experiments he had already made public.
A description of these, and of later experiments, though
not difficult to understand when accompanied by draw-
ings of the kind exhibited by Mr. Samuelson, is incapable
of reproduction in a summarised and popular form. It is
sufficient to say that the conclusions arrived at by the
paper were directly in favour of the atmospheric
germ theory, and in contradiction to the theory of Hete-
rogenesis.
At the close of Mr. Samuelson's paper some extempore
observations on the subject of the decay and putrefaction
of substances were made by Dr. Hyde Clark, and then
a discussion on tha Spontaneous Generation controversy
was brought on. Though, perhaps, hardly of so animated
a character as was anticipated, it afforded the supporters
of the rival theories an opportunity to adduce
arguments in suppoit of their views, which
were propounded with considerable vigour, but with
nothing approaching to that dogmatism, the total absence
of which in the address of Professor Huxley has been
commented upon with unbounded satisfaction. On all
hands it was admitted that the spontaneous generation
controversy was one at present in a condition demanding
much further and fuller investigation, and the importance
of the question was forcibly urged. Amongst the speakers
was Dr. Hooker, the president of the Association's
Nottingham meeting. The section was presided over by
Professor Rolleston, who has few rivals in popularity in
that position. The other subjects in the Biology Depart-
ment, which it should be remembered, is divided into
three separate sections, one devoted to zoology and botany,
one to ethnology and anthropology, and one to anatomy
and physiology, ranged over a wide and important but
not particularly popular field. The chemical science section
had an appreciative clientele, to whom the study of
such matters as artificial Alizarine, and the time needed
for the completion of chemical change was not so much
Greek as it would inevitably be to a vast number of the
members to say nothing of the lady associates, to whom
however Professor Rolleston said there ought to be in these
days of women's right no need of offering an apology, even
making use of a quotation in the above named language.
The large assemblage of the Geography Section warmly
greeted Sir Roderick Murchison, when he rose and said that
a letter was to be read of Sir Samuel Baker from the
Banks of the White Nile, but first he wished to mention
that two days ago he read another letter from our Consul
General in Egypt, Colonel Staunton, stating that the Vic-
eroy had expressed his satisfaction at what Sir Samuel
had done, and had granted him the honour of Pasha.
Mr. Markham then read the letter of Sir Samuel
Baker, dated 15th June, Towfilkeya, which has been
partially published, detailing the difficulties he en-
countered in ascending the river, in consequence chiefly
of floating islands composed of dense vegetation, and
stating that the health of himself and Lady Baker and the
whole party was excellent. One of his river boats was
stove in by a hippopotamus, but it was not lost. He
found the Shalluh country, which contains a million of
people, very productive, and capable of growing any
amount of cotton. He had stopped the plunder of some
11 villages by slave dealers and others, and had succeeded in
liberating 300 slaves, chiefly women and children, and some
of whom were packed together in a vessel as closely as
sardines in a box. The President said the interesting
narrative gave an earnest of what Pasha Baker would yet
accomplish, and said it must be gratifying to all to find
that he had, in accordance with the wish of theVicezoy, put
an end to the pillage of villages and to the practices of
snaking women and children slaves. Colonel Grant, the
companion of the late Captain Speke in the discoveries of
1866-67, described the assistance which, in the former ex-
pedition, Sir Samuel Baker had given him and his friend
when they went on the White Nile. The Pre-
sident remarked that Sir Samuel Baker was perhaps
the first Pasha who had done so much good for humanity.
Dr. Campbell gave his entire sympathy to Sir Samuel as
a geographer, but, and in fact, whether the
main view of the Viceroy in aiding the expe-
dition was the suppression of the slave trade.
or not,.he rather thought his object was to conquer the
countries of the Upper Nile, and it became a grave ques-
tion whether or not Central Africa should be placed under
a great and dominant Mahomedan power. The Viceroy
had, it seemed to him, no intention to abolish the insti-
tution of slavery, although he might be disposed
to put down its greatest atrocities. It would be better
that a Christian people, for instance, the Germans, for
we had enough colonies already, should occupy that vast
territory. Every one would wish Pasha Baker
success in his explorations, but they ought to
be careful in giving their sympathy to him as
a conquering lieutenant of the -Viceroy of Egypt.
The president said Sir Samuel had no such quixotic
intention. In extirpating slavery from Africa where every
establishment was obliged to have domestic slaves, ail he
could do was to prevent the cruel pillage of villages and
forcible abduction s. As to colonisation, only one ChrietiP.,
missionary had yet penetrated this country, and he '`vas
soon obliged to retire ; and in this vast region the,
ques-
tion was between Mahomedanism and Paganism.,
or no
religion at all.—A unanimous vote of thanks was passed
to Sir Samuel Baker for his letter.
Though it could scarcely be expected that the subject
of the utilization of sewage, which came within the range
of questions appertaining to the Mechanical Science De-
partment, would prove of a character sufficienrly inviting
to draw a large contingent of the members to St. George's
Hall, where the section met, it was satisfactory to
find that a matter so important obtained full considera-
tion at the hands of a very fair gathering--a gathering
which was composed of practical men, amongst whom
Mr. Hawksley, the well-known! water engineer shewed
conspicuous. The sewage question, in point of fact, was
discussed under all aspects, and, strange though it may
appear it is nevertkeless true, that it produced some
speeches of a very, enthusiastic kind, There appeared
to be considerable divergence of opinion as
to the way in which most advantageously
to the pocket, to the earth and to health the
sewage of large towns could be dealt with, the experi-
ments made at what are known as sewage farms being
advanced with force by the supporters of those institutions.
The importance of utilizing the sewage hitherto utterly
wasted was generally agreed to be an imperative duty,
the value of which was being rapidly and increasingly
recognized.

An important report of the Rainfall Committe was pre-
sented to the mathematical and physical science section.
After detailing the various operations carried on during
the past year, the report considered the most suitable
height for the orifice of gauges to be above ground, and
gave various reasons, pro and con., finally concluding that
one foot as hitherto adopted be still recommended. It
concluded by pointing out the great work being done
by the voluntary and entirely gratituous services
of nearly 2,000 observers, and suggested that it would be
alike a graceful and an economical act on the part of the
Government were they to offer to relieve the observers
from the cost of reducing and publishing the observations,
which are now, by their accuracy and completeness,
accepted as a type by foreign countries and our own
colonies, and which are found yearly more and more
useful in relation to our manufacturing and commercial
interests. A few hundreds annually would pro-
bably suffice to hold together a body of prac-
tised observers which has no equal in the world,
and which once broken up could not be replaced, since,
irrespective of the difficulty of training new observers,
the continuity of the old observations would be destroyed.
The questions of decimal money and a common
international unit, the effect upon the value of
the standard coin of a Mint charge, and the economy of
large and small farms were amongst those which occu-
pied the attention of the economic science and statistics
section. Thus far the work of the association has
been about of an average kind, and the pers
and discussions have certainly not gone beyond
the average.
Despite the counter attraction of the Mayor's soiree,
there was a capital attendance to hear Professor Tyndall
on " The Scientific Use of the Imagination." The sub-
ject was admirably treated, and earned the hearty ap-
plause of the audience. Professor Tyndall sought in his
discourse to point out first of all the use that scientific
men have already made of the power of imagination, com-
mencing with rudimentary experiences. This having been