10
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
The "Man in the Moon" is a fable; though Plato, Pliny, Aristotle, Galileo, Euclid, Shiller, Julius Caesar, and a host of others hold constant vigils from darkly frowning craters eighty and a hundred miles in diameter.
TOPICS.
THE NEW TRIPLE ALIANCE.
The alliance which has been recently formed between Germany, Austria and Italy will put a different face on European politics. Austria will be relieved of the disturbances which have been threatening on the western boundary. The consolidation of Italy will be recognized by Austria and the annoyance which she has recently experienced of having to combat the intrigues of the dispossessed Princes will be removed. The advantage to be gained by Germany is not so easily seen, but her alliance is probably due to the wise foresight of Bismark, who watches with anxiety the growing power of democracy and socialism in Europe. By the vigilance and combined military forces of those three powers he thinks any socialistic revolution can be crushed before it reaches dangerous proportions.
IRELAND AND THE INVINCIBLES.
If the Irish Invincibles thought their cause would be advanced by the murder of Burke and Cavendish, time has shown the contrary. The horror expressed on all sides at the crime has not only brought injury to the direct participants and sympathizers but has extended in great part to men who are trying to benefit Ireland by peaceful means. In Russia where the power of the Czar is absolute and there is no legal way to proceed to change the government, there may be an excuse for armed resistance; but in the United Kingdom, in the control of which Ireland exercises a share, there can be no cause for murder. Parnell in the House of Commons has accomplished more for Ireland than ever can be done by "No. One." Yet this same "No. One" can break down much of Parnell's influence for good by his system of murder and dynamite.
Irishmen who have the good of their country at heart should hesitate before adopting the dynamite plan. Murder and arson will injure the cause which they would aid. ___
A WRONG IMPRESSION.
From the general newspaper comments and what the reader finds in the telegraph columns in reference to nihilism in Russia, he is probably led to believe that the revolutionary party in Russia is a solid compact body, united in every way, working in harmony with one purpose and at a general aim. This, however, seems to be a mistake, according to a prominent revolutionist, and the nihilists, though compact in the general organization, and subject to order and control from one head, are nevertheless divided in reference to the object to be accomplished, and are thus divided into two parties, namely, the Ruthenian and the Russian nihilists. The Ruthenian division demands of the government equal political rights and an equal division of property. including lands, factories and other private and public property, among the people.
The Russian nihilists, of whom Prince Krapotkin has been the recognized leader, are somewhat more moderate in their demands of political reform. They ask an equality of political rights, actual liberty of person and representative government.
However wide may be the difference of these two divisions of revolutionists, their methods of bringing about the reforms advocated by each are alike-both claiming that the bomb and dynamite are the only remedies for the disease now fastened upon the Russian government and nobility.
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.
Additions to cabinets in departments af Natural History since our last report :—A handsome as well as interesting and valuable collection of sea mosses, shells star-fishes, sea-urchins and many other marine curiosities, together with a tarantula and his cunningly wrought house was collected and donated to the University Museum by Mrs. F. W. Sparr of Los Angeles California. Nearly all the specimens are new to the collections.
One very interesting and curiously manufactured crow's nest and eggs which it contained. Also four eggs of the large red tailed hawk; for all of which the University is much indebted to climbing powers of Mr. E.D.Eames.
MISCELLANEOUS.
If all the discoveries which the present Sophomore class have made concerning insects were collected and published in book form, it would be a sizable volume.
Prof. Snow's weather reports for February and March appear in "Science."
A devastating disease called "the black spot" unaccounted for thus far, has appeared among the Rappahannock oysters.
Mr. Charles A. Ashburner has very carefully estimated that the 470 square miles containing anthracite coal in Pennsylvania will be entirely exhausted in about 150 years.
Tacchini at Rome observed the first and second contacts of Venus by means of a spectroscope, in the manner first proposed by Prof. Young in 1869. Discussion has shown that the spectroscopic observations are superior in accuracy to the telescopic.
Mr. James makes a curious as well as interesting suggestion that the insects which are found so plentifully in the pitchers of pitcher-plants, are first intoxicated by feeding on the pollen or nectar in its flowers, whence they fall into its leaves.
Dr. H. Leffmann obtained a gelatinous substance by evaporing silicious geyser waters from Yellowstone park, which resembled the white of an egg, and when