The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-10 00:00:00

SCIENTIFIC JOl TIN GS.

The Politica of Madrid states on the strength of
recent measurements that the Pyrenees have, since
the last 20 years, lost 30 metres in altitude. Sup-
posing the depression to continue, our worthy con-
temporary calculates that, after the lapse of 1,000
years, the chain that separates Spain from France
will realise the celebrated words " Il u'y a plus
de Pyr6nees" by disappearing altogether, in which
case the Ebro will fall into the Bay of Biscay
instead of emptying itself into the Mediterranean.
In a paper addressed to the Academy of Sciences,
Father Secchi describes the curious appearance of
sunlight in an artificial grotto cut into the glacier
of the Upper Grindelwald, Switzerland. This grotto
was about 100 metres deep ; its walls were trans-
parent, the rays of the sun penetrating through the
ice, and thereby acquiring a beautiful blue or slightly
violet tint. This imparted to all those present a
frightful cadaverous hue. The sunlight at the
entrance of the grotto, on the contrary, appeared
red : an effect of contrast. The thickness of the ice
overhead was 15 metres. From this Father Secchi
concludes that the real colour of water is blue tinged
with violet.—The Journal des Connaissances Medi-
cales publishes a curious statistical account concern-
ing French apothecaries and chemists, from which
it appears there are at the present moment 35 che-
mists' shops in Paris, producing collectively 758,060 f.,
and on sale for the aggregate sum of 1,168,000 f.
The average receipts of each are 21,657 f., and the
market value of each 33,37 lfr. The total receipts
of 126 chemist's shops now on sale in the provinces
is 1,591,000 fr. ; the upset prices forma total of
2,062,500 fr. The average income of each is there-
fore 12,6261 r., and the value of each 16,369 fr.
There are in France only three chemists who began
to exercise their profession in 1807 ; there are seven
of 1808, six of 1809, three of 1810 ; 9 of 1811,
seven of 1812, eight of 1813, and 23 of 1814. The
total number now practising in France, 5,705.

NEW LIFEBOATS.—The workmen of Glasgow
have presented to the National Lifeboat Institution the
cost, amounting to £l2O, of a new lifeboat and transport-
ing carriage, which are to be placed at
.Ayr, N. 8., in lieu
of a boat already there which has become unfit for further
service. The now boat, which is 32 feet long and rows 10
oars double banked, is named the " Glasgow Workmen's
Lifeboat," and is to bo publicly exhibited in that city on
Saturday next, the 12th inst. The success of this benevo-
lent undertaking has been mainly owing to the zealous
exertions of Mr. George Norval, of the Central Working
Men's Club and Institute. The city and county of Wor-
cester have also presented to the institution a similar life-
boat and transporting carriage, which are about to be sta-
tioned at Bembridge, on the coast of the Isle of Wight, and
the boat which is named the City of Wormsster is to be
publicly launched at Bembridge, on Tuesday next, the
15th inst. The cost of the boat and carriage has boon
mainly collected through the indefatigable exertions of
Captain Saumarez Fraser, R.N. This lifeboat has, like
everything connected with the National Lifeboat Institu-
tion, received the cordial support of Sir John Pakiugton,
Bart., M.P., her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State fix•
War. A commodious boathouse has been erected for the
boat from the designs of Mr. C. U. Cooke, the honorary
architect of the society.
THE NEW MASTERS AND SERVANTS ACT. —At the
Wandsworth Police-court yesterday, a gentleman applied
to Mr. Ingham to know whether, under the new Act, lie
could punish a domestic for going away and leaving the
work in his house unfinished. After examining the clauses
of the Act, Mr. Ingham said he had no jurisdiction in such
, 4 case.