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BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. The thirty-eighth meeting will commence in Norwich on Wednesday, the 19th August, under the presidency of Joseph Dalton Hooker, F.R.S., D.C.L., Curator of the Royal Gardens at Kew. The fact that Norwich has never before been visited by the British Association, the character of its manufactures, the highly interesting geological features and archaeological remains in the surrounding district, with a hearty desire worthily to receive the Association, will combine, it is hoped, to make the meeting thoroughly interesting and successful. Through the liberality of various public bodies and private indi viduals, the Committee have obtained excellent accommodation for the various meetings of the Association ; a subscription has been raised to defray local expenses; the offers of private hospitality have been numerous; special invitations have been given to the corresponding members and a large number of distinguished foreigners ; and every effort will be made to receive and heartily entertain visitors to the meeting. Those who propose to be present at the meeting should communi cate with Messrs. Donald Dalrymple, Hinds Howell, and Joseph Crompton, Honorary Local Secretaries, in order that they may be supplied with a railway pass ticket; and also that accommodation may be obtained for them. The reception-room, at Masonic Hall, Theatre Street, Norwich, will be open on Monday, August 17, at 12 o’clock, for the sale of tickets, and for supplying information. Communications intended for presentation to the sections should be forwarded in letters, before August 15th, addressed either to G. Griffith, Esq., Assistant General Secretary, 1, Woodside, Harrow, or to one of the local secretaries at Norwich, and should be accompanied by a statement whether the author will be present, and on what day, so that the business of the Association may be satisfactorily arranged. The opening address will be delivered in the Drill-hall, on Wednes day evening, the 19th of August, at 8 o’clock, by Joseph Hooker, F.R.S., D.C.L., President Elect. Soirees will be held in St. Andrew’s Hall, on the evenings of Thursday, the 20th, and Tuesday, the 25th of August. Evening lectures will be delivered in the Drill-hall on Friday, the 21st, and Monday, the 24th of August, at half-past eight o’clock. Various excursions (geological, archaeological, and ethnological) have been arranged to take place on Thursday, the 27th of August, to Cromer and its district, to Hunstanton, to Hoikham, Castle Acre, Diss, Hoxne, Thetford, &c., full details of which, with times of trains, will be published in due course. Minor excursions within a short distance of Norwich, are in course of arrangement. ♦ THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. Award of Premiums, 1867-8. The Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers have awarded the following Premiums for Original Communications submitted to the Institution, and read at the ordinary meetings, during the Session 1867-68 1. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Books, to George Higgin, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper. “Irrigation in Spain, chiefly In reference to the Construction of the Hcnares and the Esla Canals in that country.” 2. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Books, to Christer Peter Sandberg, Assoc. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On the Manufacture and Wear of Rails.” 3. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Bocks, to Lieut.- Colonel Peter Pierce Lyons O’Connell, R.E., Assoc. Inst. C.E.. for his Paper “ On the Relation of the Fresh Water Floods of Rivers to the Areas and Physical Features of their Basins.” 4. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Books, to William Wilson, M. Inst. C.E., for his “ Description of the Victoria Bridge, on the line of the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway.” 5. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Books, to Charles Douglas Fox, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On Xew Railways at Bat tersea; with the Widening of the Victoria Bridge and Approaches to the Victoria Station.” G. A Telford Medal, and a Telford Premium, in Books, to John Wolfe Barry, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On the City Terminus Ex tension of the Charing Cross Railway.” *7. A Watt Medal to Edwin Clark, M. Inst., C.E., for his Paper “ On Engineering Philosophy ; the Durability of Materials.” 8. A Telford Medal to William Jarvis McAlpine, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “On the Supporting Power of Piles ; and on the Pneumatic Process for sinking Iron Columns, as practised m America.” ’ Has previously received a Telford Medal. 9. A Telford Premium, in Books, to Thomas Login, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On the Benefits of Irrigation in India; and on the proper Construction of Irrigating Canals.” 10. A Telford Premium, in Books, to Allan Wilson, M. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On Irrigation in India.” 11. A Telford Premium, in Books, to Wilfrid Airy, Assoc. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On the Experimental Determination of the Strains on the Suspension Ties of a Bowstring Girder.” 12. The Manby Premium, in Books, to Andrew Cassels Howden, Assoc. Inst. C.E., for his Paper “ On Floods in the Nerbudda Valley ; with Remarks on Monsoon Floods in India generally.” The Mont Cents Tunnel.—During the present year to 30th April, the total advancement macle at the Mont Cenis Tunnel has been 421’35 metres, of which 199’50 was at the Italian side, at Bardonnbche, and 221’85 metres at Modane on the French. During the month of April, the total progress made was 109’35 metres, of which 46’40 metres were driven at the Bardonnbche end, and 62’45 metres at Modane. The position of the tunnel up to the 30th April was as follows:— Metres. South end, Bardonneche 4,924 North end, Modane 3,344 Total length of tunnelling 8,268 Remaining to be driven 3,952 Total length of tunnel 12,220 Glass Cutting.—The Athenoeum says that a new method of cutting, or rather dividing, glass has been recently invented in France, and is practised in the large establishment of the Glass Company of Baccarat. A jet of highly heated air is directed from a tube on the vase or other object to be cut, which, while made to revolve on its axis, is brought close to the nozzle of the tube. The object being then cooled sud denly, the glass divides at the place operated on with extreme accuracy. Water Velocipede.—Galignani says :—An ingenious application of the principle of the velocipede to water-locomotion may now be seen on the Lake of Enguien, near Paris. The form of this new species of naval construction if that of the twin ship tried some years back on the Thames, the motive power being placed in the middle instead of on each side as in ordinary paddle steamers. A pair of hollow water-tight pontoons, about 12 feet long, 10 inches wide in the thickest part, and tapered to a point at each end, are fastened together about twenty inches apart by transverse bars near the extremities. In the centre is placed the seat, rising about two feet above the water, and supported by iron rods. In the front is the paddlewheel, about three feet in diameter and eight inches broad, provided with sixteen floats, the axle turning on stout iron uprights, and the rotary motion being obtained from cranks worked by the feet. This little vesssel is steered by rudders at each of the sterns, and moved by lines. The pontoons being made of thin mahogany planks, the whole construction is very light, and glides along with astonishing rapidity. This water velocipede, having been built as a first experiment, is no doubt susceptible of improvement in some of its details, but the principle may be already pronounced a complete success. The inventor is M. Thierry, an architect, of Paris. River Sewage.—Sir William Thomas Denison, K.C.B., Colonel Royal Engineers; Mr.Edward Frankland,and Mr. John Chalmers Morton, have been appointed commissioners for the purpose of continuing the inquiry as to bow far the present use of rivers or running waters in England, for the purpose of carrying off the sewage of towns and populous places, and the refuse arising from industrial processes and manufactures, can be prevented without risk to the public health or serious injury to such processes and manufactures, and how far such sewage and refuse can be utilised or got rid of, otherwise than by discharge into rivers or run ning waters, or rendered harmless before reaching them; and also for the purpose of inquiring into the effect on the drainage of lands and inhabited places, of obstructions to the natural flow of rivers or streams, caused by mills, weirs, locks, and other navigation works ; and into the best means of remedying any evils thence arising. Decoration of Railway Stations in France.—The directors of the Lyons and Mediterranean Railway have set an admirable exam pie to other administrators of railways. They have commissioned M. Desplechins, who is also engaged on the decoration of the new Opera- house of Paris, to paint for their station four pictures, nine mbtres long by five metres in height, representing the four great towns on the line, namely, Paris, Montpellier, Marseilles, and Geneva. The large walls of many railway-stations offer a fine field for decorative painting, and it is somewhat strange that the opportunity has not been taken advantage of before.