country's fortunes are gradually being merged into those of a Greater
Britain, which largely, through the aid of coal, whose prospective
loss we are lamenting, has grown beyond the limits of these islands to
overspread the vastest and richest regions of the earth; and we have no
reason to fear that the great inheritance that America and Australia
and New Zealand have accepted from us will in their hands be dealt
unworthily with in the future.

* * * * *




GASTON PLANTE.


This eminent scientist was born in Orthez (Department of
Basses-Pyrenees) on the 22d of April, 1834; at present in his fiftieth
year. He began his scientific career as assistant to Edmund Becquerel at
the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers at Paris. In the year 1859, after
resigning his position at the above named institution, he entered upon
his researches in electricity, and has continued them ever since.
His work entitled "Recherches sur l'Electricite" is a model of clear
language and elegant demonstration, and contains all the papers
presented by Plante to the Paris Academy of Sciences since 1859.

[Illustration: GASTON PLANTE.]

At the Paris Electrical Exhibition in 1881, Plante received a Diploma
of Honor, the highest distinction conferred, while in the same year the