Jefferson Physical Laboratory.

In his annual report for 1891-92 Professor John Trowbridge calls attention to the increased attendance in the laboratory courses in Physics. It has been the policy of the department to perfect the systematic courses of laboratory instruction rather than to offer lecture courses which may serve to attract only a momentary attention to the subject. In the year 1891-92 there were 265 students in the Physics courses while this year there are 324. The growth of the laboratory courses suggests that portions of the space now occupied by cabinets of apparatus, may have to be adapted to laboratory work.

The west end of the laboratory was especially designed for the work of graduate students and for physical research: it has been found well adapted for these objects, and students who have lately returned from Germany report that there is no laboratory in Europe which is now superior to the Jefferson Physical Laboratory in regard to material equipment.

In closing Professor Trowbridge suggests that the best conditions for research would be gained by giving each of the Professors in the department a skilled assistant who could carry out the ideas presented to him. The present force of assistants cannot be used for investigation, since all their time and energy must be devoted to elementary instruction. Unfortunately the income of the only fund at the disposal of the department hardly suffices to pay for the necessary material for a limited investigation and is not sufficient to enable the director to employ an assistant for the work of research.