New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-02
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS.


HANDBOOK AND CATALCGUE-RASGE or SUB
.JEcTs.
(FRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE T2rBCSRJ
LONDON. Aug. 2.-Americans will have causa
TO regret that Lords OF the Committee Of the Council
on Education chose this particular time to hold their er
hibtiOn OF scientific apparatus since than
5000 entries exhibits those from the United States ara
so few and little representative that they escape the
notice Of any not specially seeking for them It NAV
be also said that in a certain others than Amcr
cans will regret the small representation Of the scienes
Of the United states for while United states has few
things OF historical interest exhibit there are many
pieces OF refined apparatus IN the hands OF American
investigators which would well illustrate the present
condition of modern mechanical art These are laeRinz
almost entirely from the South KensngtOn Loan Colloe.
ton. and indeed their absence from the Centennial
Exhibition is remarkable 70 any one who knows OF their
existence In the laboratories and obsergatories OF
America
The first meeting Of committee Of most OF the leading
men OF science in England held early In 1875 for the
purpose OF expressing publicly desire that temporary
loan collection OF scientific instruments and appliances
and OF the results of scientific research far posi-
blel should be held in London This exhibition
tended should partake somewhat Of the nature Of the
Conservative dss Ar ct slisJS IN Paris and sinarnst
tuons on the Continent as TO aRord men Of science
and those interested in education an opportunity Of
seeing what was doing by other countries than their
land also by their own in the production Of apparatus,
both for research aud Tor instruction In word, II
10 show the present state OF TIE yaous branches Of
science (as Instrumental equipment VII snow this(
as well as the past history Of each. This could not fan 70
be Of use to several OF persons 10 scientific
themselves to teachers Of science to makers Of scientific
appara.us and lastly to that intelligent public which
seems TO be the great desire OF sceutlhc and par
ticuarly Of English scientific men, TO Interest Great
pains were taken 70 make 1t clear that this cAhl'
bltion was not to be an international and CON-
pctitive one, like the Worlds Fairs where the
arrangement is always by countries but rather
Worlds Fair in the best sense. in which the arrange
uent should topical by subjects all instruments OF
the same class being placed together In this way any
one who desired 10 study special class Of Instruments
as specyoscopes for example, would find them together,
arranged ID something Ike the historic order
Invitations were sent by the authorities to the Govern
mCnts OF Europe and TO the United States. On the
Continent this Invitation cordially responded to,
and in most countries a subcommittee OF its en-
uent e! was appointed to forward the purposes Of Tho
Exhibition and in nearly every with the most graf
flying results II is hardly too much To say that IL s
possible at the South Kensngton Museum 70 study tho
history Of the instrumental appliances cf the various
countries better than the countries themselves Old
and rare apparatus and instruments have been sent nom
their repositories with cheerfuluess and now it Is no
longer necessary TO 30 Italy to the original mstru
Netherlands to see the optical work Of Iuyglcns Tor
they may be studied side by side m London.
It should be remarked that although this is indirectly
the work u the foreign governments yet in particular
the collection largely made up Of the contributions OF
private individuals In England private exhibitors and
the Government SEEM not only here but IN many other
places 10 vie with each other in the endeavoT 10 make
the facts and deductions OF scientific research as plain
and comprehensive as may be, and wherever It Is pos
sble TO give to the public all positive and placu'aI
ADVANTAGES There is 10 better example Of the merlo'
Gus side Of this than in the matter OF pnbc time The
Royal Observatory at Greenwich obtains daily the true
time from Astronomical observations and this Is trans
mittcd hourly 10 the General P0st-Ohce Ohe center ot
the telegraph system OF England, and 10y means Of eec-
trcitv clocks are made indicate the correct time
From the General PostO all the clocks Of the post
and telegraph offices throughout the kingdom are kept
right and tho railways have besides controlled clocks ia
many cases But the OF the Government Tor pu1c
and private convenience does not end here.
\ time-5au Is dropped daily ~ Greenwich and also at
Deal and is proposed to drop one also 10 start i'A
where an outward-bouud ship have last chance Of
determining the error Of its chronomecr. Furthermore
tic Post-Ofcc Department will erect and main'ana
private wire from any Of its offices to any private house
for q small charge from SO upward yearly, and VIII
send daily timo signals from Greenwich at 10 o'clock
a. IN or D. for a small additional charge ana Ia 'Ae
city OF London within two miles Of the General Posi-
Once NOlLlA si.adl from NliA " Sun 'A
SI2 year. this including the rental OF The private
wire As consequence OF this, tho corrcc, Greenwich
time is the one used throughout the Kingdom and the
sole orc Used by al railways. At the L0an Coilcccona
time-u t. fired daily at l O'Clock by an automatic cleo
trio scnal ana controlled electric clocks about me
bud.ug indicate the exact time 1hc extension OF TINS
system or something like Il, to America is mach to be
desired, ana Of very easy Application since not ohF
tne Government observatory nc Washington, but those
OF Harvard College, Allegheny University, and OF Chi
cago with others, stand ready 10 furnish the correct
tine 20 railways and public enterprises through the tee
graph.
The desire Of the managers OF the Loan Collection las
evidently been in the direction OF pablo convene Ll'
and they have published already works Of mgh im
rc--a-.cc TIC first Is collection Of general consioe.l
tjops regarding scientific Instruments This haA''
book To the Special Loan Collection o. Scientific ins'"
mcrt3r is stout Of 500 pages, containing e''!'
by various lncn OF upon their special 'H'yee''
General Considerations Respecting sclenllhc lS-'"
mCuts" by Prof j. Clerk MAXWELL instruments eur
ploycd in Heat Investigations" by PIoi' T. w. 4"''
Optical Instruments" by Prof W. SpotusNood' &C.
.Cc The catalogue Of the exhibition IS tie scodoi
tc.c works and it has reached a second edition VINE
third and possibly a fourth will Ice issued In iht AZ
rpgrneut VI the exhibits and IN the catalogue an W.
lbIc system has been followed, which VIII give TO INC
latter a permanent value. Tho instruments III t"eN u
of The II or Is large rooms devoted TO the exhibition o
numbered and separately described As Iaf ss m''! -
i,t1,,re,lts relating 90 any subject are IN i1o
COMO rooul After head line IN the catalogue
which gives the number Of the instrument Hs
ualns and the name Of the cNhotor, ttio
follow n description and explanation III fine prn''
usually uI,plied by the exhibitor himself and Illustrated
with Wuud-cuts necessary. These descriptions arr
OF uu value IN most cases every essential point -
niic1I and yplained and often BITS OF biography ana
.,uorgt,u are added wuich ono might nOt lralr' re-
cali aud which ere ot use IN showing thc relation Oh I"o
instrument % of IT'S inventor To the tluc II these eN-
nsitiops are not sufficiently elaborate or detailed oAe
Of ,nVgr.us" which are appointed for various ulnes
during tbc week. At these person dcputea 10y ING
inventor OF exhibitor Of Tie instrument is present. au