Colonel R. W. Stewart's "Panoram."-A photographic camera, which it seems probable will in the future play an important part in the mapping of unsurveyed countries, has been invented by Col. R. W. Stewart, R.E., and Mr. Tweedy of Plymouth. It has the advantage of being smaller than an ordinary camera of the same capacity, and is also lighter, all the fittings being made of aluminium. It is easy to manipulate, and not likely to get out of order. The instrument consists of a rectangular box, whose length from back to front is a little more than the focal length of the lens to be used; its height is somewhat greater than the width of the film (for an 8-inch spool the height would be just 9 inches), and the breadth is a fixed dimension of 5 inches for all sizes. This camera rests on a circular disc, forming the head of the tripodstand; to the bottom of the box is screwed, in a central position, a tubular arbor fitting into a socket in the disc, and the camera revolves freely on the stand; the box opens down one of its vertical edges, so as to give access to the hinder part of the camera or roll-holder: in this rollholder are fixed four vertical rollers. The first of these has the tissue supplied by the Eastman Company wound on it; the second and third rollers serve to keep the film in the focal plane, and the fourth, which is called the winder, is actuated by a clock motion, with fly escapement, placed in the front part of the camera, the fly being normally blocked by an arm actuated by a pneumatic ball and tube of the ordinary kind. When required for use the camera is set up on its stand and levelled, the clock is wound up, the slit aperture adjusted, and a suitable stop put in; the camera is then turned round till it points to the left hand of the view required, the pneumatic bulb is squeezed when the clock starts working, and the camera begins to rotate, and continues to do so until the right-hand corner of the view is reached; the bulb is then relaxed; the clock stops, and the camera ceases to revolve. This is but a very general description of this ingenious instrument, which if used at each end of a base will give the angles between all objects photographed. The speed of rotation of the camera itself, and the rollers on which the film is wound, being all actuated by one motor and connected with one another, the ratios of motion must remain the same, and as the rates of such motion can be regulated by altering the ratio of the diameters of the roller and its pulley, it follows that the true rate of motion can be found. In the larger form of camera the films are rather more than 5 feet long, when photographs of the whole circle are taken, in which case they are developed by being primed on to the periphery of a drum, mounted on a horizontal axis, the sensitive surface just dipping into a dish holding the developer, the drum is then rotated until development is complete. Geography Teaching in Birmingham.-Geography has received a certain amount of attention at the ancient Universities and in some University Colleges on account of the action of the Royal Geographical The lectures Society in urging the importance of the study and in paying a large proportion of the lecturers' salaries. It is extremely gratifying to find that for several years systematic courses of instruction in physical and political geography have been given by Professor C. Lapworth, F.R.S., at the Mason College, Birmingham, in connection with his Chair of Geology. The lectures are very well attended, more than eighty students being enrolled for the present summer course. are now arranged in two courses on the Principles of Geography, about sixty lectures being given in each. In the Calendar of the Mason College for the current year, Professor Lapworth says:— "These courses of lectures embrace (1) a summary of the chief facts known concerning the present Surface Features, and the grander Natural phenomena of the 'world we live in '-its lands, its waters, its climates, and its inhabitants; (2) a study of the Agents of Change, organic and inorganic, which have brought about the present form and characteristics of its visible surface, and the distribution and arrangement of its living creatures; (3) with a brief sketch of the Past history and changes of the Earth's surface, and (4) an investigation of the present relations of this surface to Man and his works, his industries, his commerce, his distribution and progress, in so far as they can be traced through the outlines of the political geography of the present day. In other words, the special aims of the lectures are:-first, to give the student a general knowledge. of the present physical features, the climates and productions of the Earth; next, to show how all these probably came into being, and how they are in continual process of change and development, and finally to show how man himself is related to the phenomena of the Earth upon which he dwells, how he has peopled its surface, and how he has availed himself of its productions." The first or elementary course is on Physical Geography, divided into (1) the Earth of the present in its relations to astronomy and mathematics, and with regard to land, sea, air, and living creatures; (2), the Earth of the past, comprising an account of the agencies producing surface change, and the processes by which the continents have assumed their present form. The senior course on Political Geography deals with the relation of man to the Earth and then summarises the actual conditions of this relation in the various continents with fuller details concerning the geography of certain countries selected as being typical. Throughout the instruction the effort made is to impress principles and induce the student to apply these to details which he seeks for himself in maps and books. A Chair of Geography at Tübingen.-At the tenth meeting of German geographers at Stuttgart, in April, it was suggested by Count Carl von Linden, Baron von Richthofen, Professor Kirchhoff, and other eminent German scientists, that a Chair of Geography should be established at the famous South-German University of Tübingen. In response to this suggestion the King of Württemberg expressed himself entirely in accord with the opinions brought foward, and declared his willingness to take the necessary initiatory steps in the matter. Accordingly a motion was at once put to and accepted by the Landtag. This result is due to the gentlemen mentioned above, especially to Count Linden, who, for years past, has with indefatigable energy and with great success promoted the interests of geography in South Germany. Hence geography is now taught at nineteen of the twenty-one German universities, Rostock and Heidelberg being the only ones which are still without geographical instruction. The total number of teachers, including professors and privat-docenten of geography at German universities, is at present over forty. The Maps of Apianus.-Professor H. Wagner examines carefully into the existence of the maps of the world ascribed to Peter Apianus in a memoir entitled 'Die dritte Weltkarte Peter Apians v. s. 1530 und die Pseudo-Apiandsche Weltkarte von 1551' (Nachrichten von der K. Ges. der Wiss. zu Göttingen, December 28th, 1892). The first of these maps (Tipus Orbis universalis) accompanies Cramer's edition of Solinus,' which was published at Vienna in 1520, as also Vadian's edition of 'Pomponius Mela' of 1522. The second (Mappa mundi) illustrated the 'Declaratio et Usus Typi Cosmographici' of 1522, and is lost. The third map (Universalien cogniti Orbis Tabula, 1530) is now in the British Museum, and Professor Wagner promises to publish a facsimile of it. It is on the equivalent cardiform projection of Stabius and Werner, and in every way superior to the map of 1520. No other maps of the world can be traced to Apianus. That which accompanies the Antwerp edition of the Cosmographia' (1544) is undoubtedly by Gemma Frisius, and has been reproduced in the Paris edition of the same work (1551). OBITUARY. John Bartholomew.-Mr. John Bartholomew was born in Edinburgh on December 25th, 1831, and at an early age he commenced to learn map-drawing and engraving under the superintendence of his father, who had established a geographical business. Making rapid progress in his work Mr. Bartholomew came to London to act as assistant to the eminent geographer, Dr. Petermann, by association with whom he acquired an enthusiasm for thorough and accurate work which he retained to the end. Returning to Edinburgh in 1856 Mr. Bartholomew carried on his father's business, which rapidly increased on account of the care and attention bestowed on every detail of map production. Atlases arranged and produced by Mr. Bartholomew have been published by a great many publishing firms in the United Kingdom and in other countries. Mr. Bartholomew's name is specially associated with a series of reduced ordnance maps of Scotland and England on the scales of 4 miles and 2 miles to an inch. On this work he spent many laborious years, although aware that it was in some respects in advance of the requirements of the public, and some of his best geographical work must have resulted in financial loss. In 1889 Mr. Bartholomew retired from active work, leaving the management of his greatly-expanded business to his son, Mr. J. G. Bartholomew, who, following out his father's training, has succeeded to some extent in educating as well as supplying the public demand for maps. Mr. Bartholomew became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1857. He was retiring in disposition, but the genuine kindliness of his character was felt and appreciated by all with whom he came in contact. The gradual failing of health which had been going on for some years necessitated a visit to London, where he died on March 29th, 1893. William Cotton Oswell, who died on May 1st at Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells, aged seventy-five years, went to India as a young man, but the climate proved a barrier to a successful career in the Madras Civil Service, and he was ordered to the Cape in broken health. It is more than half a century since Oswell landed in Capetown, and he was amongst the earliest English sportsmen to visit the plains of the interior, where his health was rapidly re-established. He spent the greater part of five years in South Africa, during which his adventures were of the most varied and thrilling kind, and in his later life he never wearied of telling the exploits of his companions and himselt as they were recalled by the fine heads of big game which adorned his house. When he was in Africa, vast herds of game of every kind roamed over tracts that are now the sites of busy towns, or occupied by sheep-farms, where antelopes are now rarer than lions were then. The Kalahari desert was looked upon as an impassable barrier against advance from Cape Colony northward. Livingstone was fortunate enough, in his early travels, to secure the companionship of Oswell, who looked after the waggons, kept the party in food, and enabled his friend to carry on his work of surveying, making scientific collections, and studying the native peoples in freedom from the minor troubles of a wandering life. In 1849, when Livingstone determined to investigate the truth of rumours as to a great lake in the Kalahari, Oswell and his friend Mungo Murray returned to South Africa from England, in order to take part in the exploration, of which indeed they bore the greater part of the expense. The result was the discovery of Lake Ngami, and the important practical demonstration that the Kalahari could be crossed by oxen and waggons. For his part in this journey Oswell received a silver medal from the Paris Geographical Society. Mr. Oswell was a fine example of the best type of adventurous sportsmen. He was singularly handsome, lithe in figure, knightly in bearing, utterly fearless, and beloved by all the South African travellers of his day. He had a constitutional shrinking from publicity, and never even wrote for publication, although he spared neither time nor trouble in revising and elaborating the books written by his friends on subjects with which he had made himself familiar. He joined the Royal Geographical Society in 1852, and served on the Council in 1855, although he could rarely be induced to take part in the public meetings of the Society. After leaving Africa, Mr. Oswell travelled extensively in South America and elsewhere. For many years he resided quietly at Groom bridge, unknown to the general public, but the centre of a great circle of warm personal friends, to whom his unfailing geniality and delicate consideration endeared him in an exceptional degree. He is survived by a widow and family No. VI.-JUNE, 1893.] 20 MEETINGS OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, Eleventh Ordinary Meeting, April 24th, 1893.-The Right Hon. Sir ELECTIONS.-Colonel H. Cautley, R.E.; J. C. Clancey; Walter Clifford ; Rev. J. J. B. Coles, M.A.; Lieut. Francis John Davies (Grenadier Guards); George Frederick Edwards; Robert Glennie; Commander Charles Harvey; Joseph Hinchliffe; Charles W. May; James R. Renton. The Paper read was: 'Journeys in French Indo-China." By Hon. G. N. Curzon, M.P. There was an exhibition of photographs in the tea-room. Twelfth Ordinary Meeting, May 8th, 1893.-The Right Hon. Sir MOUNTSTUART E. Grant Duff, G.C.S.I., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. ELECTIONS:—Arthur Bird; Thomas Benjamin Bowring; Ellis Carr; Rev. C. C. Childs, M.A.; Rev. Charles Cook; William Alfred Eckersley; Arthur Greg, J.P.; Edmund W. Janson, B.A.; John Revilliod; Frederick Charles Smith; Walter J. Stanford; Robert M. W. Swan; Surgeon-Major L. A. Waddell (Bengal Medical Staff); Peter F. Wood. The Paper read was:— "Exploration and Climbing in the Karakoram Mountains." Conway. By W. M. There was an exhibition of photographs and paintings in the tea-room. GEOGRAPHICAL LITERATURE OF THE MONTH. Additions to the Library. By HUGH ROBERT MILL, D.Sc., Librarian, R. G.S. Balkan States. EUROPE. Pimodan. Le Capitaine de Pimodan. De Goritz à Sofia. Istrie, Dalmatie, Monté- A bright and pleasant diary of a four months' tour through the Balkan States. Black Sea. Bul. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersburg 35 (1893): 437-448. Andrussow. Sur l'état du bassin de la mer Noire pendant l'époque pliocene. Par Black Sea. Pereyaslawzewa. Monographie des Turbellariés de la Mer Noire. Par Dr. Sophie Pereya- |