The Sphinx, Vol. 14, No. 201

              8
THE SPHINX.
December 8, 1906.
British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
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The annual meeting of the British School ot Archaeology in Egypt and the Egyptian Research Account was held recently at University College. Sir Robert Hensley presided, and among those present were Professor Flinders Petrie (director of the school), Dr Gregory Foster, Provost of University College; Dr A. C. Headlam, principal of King’s College; Mr. F. G. Hilton Price, director of the Society of Antiquaries (treasurer of the school), and Mrs. H. F. Petrie and Dr.J. H. Walker (hon. secretaries).
The chairman, in opening the proceedings, referred to the increasing interest taken in Egypt, and to the enthralling nature of the discoveries made by archaeological explorers in that land in recent years. The work of the British School of Archaeology in Egypt was one of the highest importance, and the personal support given to it by Lord Cromer was of peculiar value. The rapid increase in the number of subscribers within the past year had been most encouraging. Dr. Walker and Mrs. Petrie (the hon. secretaries) having presented a brief statement with regard to the working details of the last twelve months, and Dr. Walker having announced, amid cheers, that Lord Cromer had consented to be patron of the school, Dr. Gregory Foster then, on behalf of the London University authorities, expressed the satisfaction felt by the council that in the Chair of Egyptology and in its conjoined British School of Egyptian Archaeology the university should have so important an aid in the foundation of a great London School of History.
Professor Petrie, in the course of his address, said that it was rarely that a new movement for scientific research had become established so quickly and decisively as the British School of Archaeology in Egypt. When in May last year the necessity for such an organisation had been forced upon him by external circumstances, it could hardly have been anticipated that so substantial an instrument of research would have been so speedily intrusted to their committee by the public. Within a year and a half the collection of over £3000 had shown what a hearty interest was felt in the recovery of the history and civilisation of Egypt. The assured position of the British School for future work, however, needed now to be thoroughly maintained, in order to make it comparable with the richly endowed French school, the many official enterprises of German Oriental work, and the Royal undertakings of Italy.
The work of the past season had proved, Professor Petrie said, one of the richest historical harvests that he had known. The Hyksos camp and cemetery, the city of Ramses, and the temple and town of Onias, had all consolidated our vague impressions and scanty literary statements in a most satisfactory manner. The details of these results were now in the hands of subscribers in the published volume. While in the past winter three students had accompanied the exploring expedition, in the coming season there would be six students at work, one of whom, Mrs. Firth, had done admirable drawings for previous volumes at the Mastabas of Saggara; another student had had museum experience at Edinburgh, and had the sanction of the Education Department to include Egyptian work in his studies.
The ground on which they had obtained permission to work this next winter was in three districts. First they should begin on the desert between Giza and Abusir, the most promising site available for ascertaining the civilisation between the great ages of the first and fourth dynasties. Secondly, they might work between Assiut and Sohag, with a view to trying for any
light between the seventh and eleventh dynasties. Lastly, the temple site of the important city of Athribis ought to be found,and they should perhaps search for it. At each of these sites the need of work was urgent. Not only was there the ceaseless destruction carried on by the native, but in the last year or two there had been a fearsome activity in selling off Government lands to speculators. In every direction the chances of recovering history were disappearing for ever. The public would not be asked for any long-continued support, for the next few years would see the larger part of the openings for work finally closed. Let the friends of such work therefore concentrate all their resources on Egypt for a few years, knowing, that there would be but little need of it ten years hence; the history would have vanished for ever by that time.
Such was the prospect, such were their claims to-day, and the response jn the past year gave him hope, the Professor said in closing, that we might yet see more workers and more means for the English share of the rescue of Egyptian history.
A MODERN WIZARD.
Madame Marconi, who has been travelling all over the South of France, and is now in Rome, with her husband, takes the keenest interest in the great inventor’s work. She is probably the only woman who thoroughly understands the mysteries of wireless telegraphy. Sjgnor Marconi, “The Modern Wizard” as he has appropriately been called, is the son of an Italian father and an Irish mother, but he has very little look of the foreigner about him, and all his tastes are essentially English. He is devoted to motoring hunting, cycling, and all forms of outdoor amusement, but complains that his work leaves him too little time to indulge in these pursuits. As a boy, although he had little or no training in mechanics, his busy fingers were often in mischief, breaking all toys to find out how they worked.
His mother told the present writer that he once confessed to having broken the thermometer in her room and was duly forgiven and commended for his candour. But he had quite omitted to tell that he had broken the thermomeer purposely in order to obtain its glass tube. Aided by this he performed his first successful invention at the chateau at Bologna, where he lived. At the gardener’s cottage, a couple of miles away, he succeeded in ringing a bell by means of a big primitive transmitter which he had fixed up in the nursery of the house. The signal of success was a gun-shot fired by the gardener at his end. So overcome was the young inventor on hearing the gun fired that his mother had the greatest difficulty in calming his agitation and excitement. Later he went to Leghorn to join a school of engineering.
( The Reader.)
MODERN DESERT SHIPS.
is mounted, and this can carry two sails, the area of canvas presented to the wind being very considerable. The wheel track is exceptionally wide to prevent overturning when rounding corners or when travelling on a gusty day if the wind shifts suddenly. Steering is well under control, and a small crew can handle the vessel without much trouble.
Trials were made last month on various parts of the coast of the South of England, where facilities offered for the testing of such a vessel. Several successful runs weie taken along the sands in company with a powerful motor car.
The latter, of course, was the faster as the wind was not very strong or as steady as it might be. Nevertheless the sand yacht showed very satisfactory speed, and at times touched a pace of close on thirty miles an hour.
The frame has been scientifically designed, and indeed the whole vessel shows an improvement over the early and crude types of sand yacht. In such a country as Egypt it is belived that these vessels can be very usefully employed, and the result of the experiment will be watched with interest.
Perhaps eventually some form of auxiliary motor will be fitted, as in the case of so many fishing boats nowadays. Thus when the wind would drop the little motor would do its work. Petrol motors such as are flying t6 flipd machines can give one horse-power per every two orthree pounds of weight, or in other words a five'h.p. motor would weigh only some fifteen pounds.
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An interesting series of trials have just been concluded on the south coast of England of a new design of sand yacht which has been built specially for use in Egypt. It is to be followed, we understand, byquite a number of similar vessels, as it is believed that over the sandy plains these new ships of the desert can be very usefully employed.
The vessel just completed in England consists of a light frame about twenty-five feet long which is mounted on four wheels with wire spokes and broad, flat metal rims. These wheels are of large diameter, and thus can get over inequalities on the route more easly than small wheels.
In the forward part of the frame the main mast
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