ridicule them, you may not know, so well as I do by experience, the effect such publication invariably has on some minds. If you were to say in a letter in KNOWLEDGE, "They are so ignorant inBasutoland-as actually to suppose that So-and-so "-naming some worthy bishop-" is in reality a Mahometan," you would find, soon after, some people going about asking "Is it really true, as reported, that Bishop So-and-so is a believer in Mahomet?"-Your moon magnification ideas are quite wrong, and in justice to readers I cannot print your letter. Your multitudinous telescopes would have overlapping fields,-the sky does not overlap. Your argument like Mr. Williams's about the appearance of the sun as supposed to be seen from moon during total eclipse, is based simply on misconception. I have tried to explain, not to controvert: and have failed. Mirage never shows non-existent things. And mirage has nothing to do with the apparently magnified moon. Your experiment when the range of the sky was reduced would have been more to the purpose if you could show that you diminished your consciousness of the moon's horizontality. My note of admiration honestly expressed my wonder at your being puzzled-with your wonderful facility at inventing explanations, possible or impossible.-A satellite could be released from its primary, or a planet from the sun, so far as never returning is concerned: but you definitely spoke of bodies travelling in straight lines. That indeed was your special point.-I never supposed, and certainly never implied, that you wilfully misquoted me. I thought I dealt very pleasantly, and as it were smilingly, with your rather resolute attempt to maintain that I had said what I knew I had not said. As for the "double haves," I decline to judge the English language by the French (which is full of incorrectness) or by any other. "To see" means seeing, "to have seen means seeing in the past, and of either one may say, speaking either indicatively or conditionally according to the circumstances,-It is pleasant, it was pleasant, it has been pleasant, it might have been pleasant, it would have been pleasant, or anything else one may please, let Mark Twain or the French or any other grammar say what it will.-SAMPHIRE. Mr. Slack does not need to be told that the plural of the word "imago" is "imagines": he simply prefers "imagoes" as the plural of the anglicised word "imago"; just as we say "indexes" rather than "indices." There is enough affectation about such matters without asking for more. Do not know the exact nature of the change by which a lobster's shell turns red under the action of hot water.-IGNORAMUS. Ask why the whipping-top ceases to spin and you will not be far from guessing why a rotating planet needs no flogging.-COMMENTATOR. Your letters just received, like the others, are too mixed in structure: suggestive questions mixed with wild semi-religious fancies, and attempts at more or less positive answers about the unknown and even about the unknowable. Do not know "Gamma's" address. The letters are all ready for return as you request. But is the address at the head of your letter sufficient? As to the personal matter, regret rather than wrath was predominant, and unfortunately remains. Would that you had been in London to cancel as you think you would !-R. LEWINS. I must by your own account view Hylo-idealism from the standpoint of self; and if I tremble at it, or am otherwise affected by it, I tremble at self or am otherwise affected by myself. (And yet I am not myself in being so affected.) Well then, I must judge by myself, and judging by myself I reject Hylo-idealism as for me quite meaningless.COURTNEY Fox. Thanks: shall have however sufficient reports.C. WOOLLY. Thank you.-BERKS. Very probably.-S. F. B. PEPPER. Is that science worth acquiring ?-J. JACKSON. Am away from back numbers and volumes. The publishers of a book ought to attend to such business.-W. S. C. The millions more likely to be wrong than the one. The lines are Shakespeare's, and mean that though art may find means to improve on nature, those means are of nature's own making. As an example one may take some fancy specimens of pigeons, which may be regarded as an improvement on the rock pigeon-an improvement obtained by artificial means-but through natural laws.-H. A. L. S. Chess will be duly supplied: but the freshness of Chess news is not a point we can regard as of very great importance. Exactness is much more important-just as (to take an illustration from the game itself) correct play is better than quick play.

THE FIRST AMERICAN FOUR-MASTED SHIP.-Early in August, the first four-masted ship ever built in America was launched at Rockland, Maine. This new craft is 2,628 tons burthen, measuring 291 ft. in length at water-line. The frame is Virginia oak, and the plank southern pine. The masts are solid, the main sticks being Oregon pine and 90 ft. in length. The main truck is 181 ft. above the deck, the main yards are 90 ft. in length, and the rigging carries 1,200 square yards of canvas. The cost of this craft complete will be about 150,000 dols., nearly £31,000, or about £11. 153. per ton.-Engineering.

IN

Our Chess Column.

BY MEPHISTO.

SCOTCH OPENING.

ILLUSTRATIVE GAME No. 10.

N reference to the attack of 7. Q to Q2 in the Scotch Gambit, we have promised to give some games actually played, showing the best defences against that move. In the annexed game will be found one way of meeting 7. Q to K2, that is by B x Kt. The "Chess Monthly "says that it is "a perfectly satisfactory continuation, which simplifies the position, if anything, in Black's favour." We do not quite agree to this. The continuation is right in itself; we think, however, that Black has better moves at his disposal. We hope to give a game to that effect before long.

(a) This is a sufficient answer as far as 7. Q to K2 is concerned. It is no disadvantage to Black to have White's Pawn posted on K4 and Q4, as the latter P is unsupported, and will not be able to move to Q5, on account of P to Q4, which follows next move. On the whole, however, the game assumes a drawn aspect. (b) With the intention of getting his Kt into play if Black plays Px P. White has, however, yet another move which deserves notice, that is 9. B to QKt5, which, of course, prevents Black from playing either Px P, on account of 10. P to Q5, or Castling, i.e., 9. B to QKt5, Castles. 10. B to Kt5, Q to K3. 11. Castles, KR, and White has a fairly developed position.

(c) Black has nothing better. If he plays B to K3 White would reply with 10. B to Q3, putting Black in an uncomfortable position, as White threatens P to K5.

(d) With a view to disorganise Black's game.

(e) If Kt to Q4, then 11. Kt to Kt5, and Black could not defend the BP so well as after Kt to Kt sq.

(f) White could have obtained a much superior game by playing 12. P to Q6.

(g) An excellent device to gain time. See diagram.
(h) If any other move, then Kt x B, followed by Rx P.

CHESS PLAYING.

SIR, The Chess Congress at Hereford, which you did us the favour to report, was a brilliant success. There arise, however, after-thoughts in the minds of many Chess players and non-Chess players-cui bono all this expenditure of time, money, and brainpower? I would reply, the result should be great good. Chess playing ought not to be a recreation only, but a useful study. Proficiency in the game is undoubtedly an indication of intellectual power. Professor Ruskin (in a letter to me a short time ago) said he should like to see Chess a class-subject in all schools. Without aspiring at present to quite as high a standard of usefulness, I am content to take lower ground, but only as a step to higher. A degree in Mathematical honours at Cambridge (Mathematics and Chess require like talents) is undoubtedly a great help to a man, either as a candidate for a post of duty or in

the duty itself, and I would plead that Chess should give like advantages, which would necessarily be more universal in their nature, for while a degree at the University is comparatively only within reach of the few, a high position in Chess may be obtained (after home study, club practice, &c.) by attending our Chess meetings. The meetings are annual, and continue a week, beginning on a Monday evening and terminating the following Saturday about noon. The local secretary gives full information as to lodgings, hotels, &c., to suit all purses, and the Congress, both in respect of time and money, is made as far as possible accessible to all.

The Hereford meeting was a particularly class representative one, not only by its patrons and supporters, but especially by its competitors, among whom were one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, a master of an important National School, young men from Oxford and Cambridge, young clergymen and lawyers, clerks in offices, men in trade, &c., &c., ladies married and unmarried, along with many of the best living masters.

Taking very briefly another view, a Chess tournament tests very severely a person's patience, perseverance, temper, straightforward conduct, and general bearing towards others.

I arrive now at the practical. Let me venture to say that "The Counties' Chess Association" (an institution of twenty years' standing, and well recognised) would be glad to give certificates of attained proficiency after the ordeal of tournament, and such certificates could be countersigned by the president, say, of the club to which the person belongs, and to whom he would probably, in some way, be known in private life. Let such certificates, I would appeal to the general public, be considered as valuable additional recommendations. In Germany Chess helps a man to a useful life; may it do so, and in a higher degree, in England! The importance of the subject must be my apology for trespassing on your space.—I am, Sir, yours obediently,

A STATEMENT has just appeared in the Cologne Gazette of the cost of restoring and completing the great cathedral from 1823, when the work was resumed after a neglect of nearly three-quarters of a century, down to April 1 of the present year. The amount, including a contribution of 250,000 marks from the cathedral tax, was 21,000,000 marks, or £1,050,000. This is quite independent of gifts of valuable objects for the religious services or the decoration of the building, and of a large number of private donations and funds for pious foundations.

A BORED tube well, 300 ft. deep, lined with extra strong wroughtiron tubes from the surface to the chalk, has recently been completed by Messrs. C. Isler & Co., on the premises of the Belfast and London Aërated Water Company, on Bankside. The chalk was reached at 204 ft. from the surface, after passing through 36 ft. of peat and gravel, 75 ft. of London blue clay, 93 ft. of mottled clays and light and brown sands with pebbles (Woolwich and Reading beds). Many objectionable springs were met, especially in the gravel bed overlying the London blue clay. These have been safely excluded from the well by means of the tubes, which are of even size, driven some distance into the chalk, preventing therefore any percolation from above. The supply is pumped direct from the chalk springs, at the rate of 72,000 gallons per day, whereas deeper wells, dug on the old principle, within a short distance, fail to yield sufficient quantities.

A NEW Transalpine line, the St. Bernard Railway, is likely to be commenced before very long, and to be, when completed, a dangerous competitor for the through traffic with the already existing route of St. Gothard. One of the principal features of the new project is that the indispensable tunnel under the Alps -at the Col Ferret-will be very much shorter than any other, either constructed or proposed to be constructed. The length will be only 9 kilomètres (5 miles), while the Gothard tunnel is 15, (9 miles), the Mont Cenis 12, and those under the Simplon and Mont Blanc 20 and 19 kilomètres respectively. The total length of the St. Bernard line will be but 138 kilomètres, or 86 miles, making a saving between London and Brindisi over the St. Gothard route of 59 miles.-Engineer.

CONCERNING glass-making, the American Manufacturer says:"In the manufacture of glass fifty years ago 28 lb. of potash and 26 lb. of wood ashes were used to every 100 lb. of sand. The first

I change from this was to burn the potash in an oven, and work it as a puddler does iron, in order to obtain better results; and this was used with lime in about the same proportions as potash and wood ashes above named. Soda ash was first used in New Jersey, but its introduction in Western factories was very rapid, and the mix was changed to 33 lb. soda ash and 26 lb. of lime to 100 lb. of sand. The proportions vary greatly with circumstances and the quality of the ingredients used. The following is a fair statement of the mix now mostly used: Soda ash, 40 lb.; lime, 30 lb.; sand, 100 lb. For salt cake, 33 lb.; soda ash, 10 lb.; lime, 33 lb.; pulverised charcoal, 2 lb.; arsenic, 1 lb.; sand, 100 lb. If the glass is muddy, the charcoal is reduced; if too green, charcoal is added and arsenic reduced."

Mr. R. A. Proctor's Lecture Tour.

1. LIFE OF WORLDS 2. THE SUN 3. THE MOON

4. THE UNIVERSE.

Subjects:

5. COMETS AND METEORS

6. THE STAR DEPTHS

7. VOLCANOES.

8. THE GREAT PYRAMID.

Each Lecture is profusely illustrated.

Arrangements are now being made for the delivery of Lectures by Mr. Proctor. Communications respecting terms and vacant dates should be addressed to the Manager of the Tour, Mr. JOHN STUART, Royal Concert Hall, St. Leonards-on-Sea.

Sept. 11, 15, York; Sept. 14, 16, 21, 22, Harrogate; Sept. 17, 18, Whitby; Sept. 23, 24, 25, Ilkley; Sept. 28, 29, Derby.

Oct. 2, Chester; Oct. 3, 17, Malvern; Oct. 6, 9, 12, 13, Plymouth; Oct. 7, 10, 14, 16, Torquay; Oct. 19, 22, 28, Salisbury; Oct. 21, 26, 29, Southampton; Oct. 23, 27, 30, Winchester. Oct. 31, Marlborough College.

Nov. 2, Chester; Nov. 4, Burnley; Nov. 9, Stafford; Nov. 10, Streatham; Nov. 12, Middlesbrough; Nov. 17, Darwen; Nov. 19, Saltaire; Nov. 25, 28, Bath; Nov. 26, 30, Clifton.

Dec. 2, 5, Bath; Dec. 4, Clifton; Dec. 7, 8, 9, Croydon; Dec. 11, Chester; Dec. 16, 17, 18, 19, Leamington.

Jan. 12, Hull; Jan. 15, Stockton; Jan. 26, Bradford.

Feb. 3, Alexandria; Feb. 5, Chester; Feb. 6, 20, Malvern Feb. 9, 12, 19, Cheltenham; Feb. 10, Walsall; Feb. 15, Upper Clapton; Feb. 18, 25, London Institution. Feb. 22, Sutton Coldfield.

Part XLVI. (August, 1885), now ready, price ls., post-free, ls. 3d. Volume VII., comprising the numbers published from Jan. to June, 1885, now ready, price 9s.

Binding Cases for all the Volumes published are to be had, price 28. each; including parcel postage, 2s. 3d.

Subscribers' numbers bound (including title, index, and case) for 3s, each Volume; including return journey per parcels post, 38. 9d. Remittances should in every case accompany parcels for binding.