As was anticipated by the promoters of the tercentenary celebration of
the discovery of Logarithms, to be held next July, the application for
tickets has been overwhelming. The Albert Hall, Olympia, and the White
City, each of which in turn was selected for the place of meeting, have
been successively abandoned as inadequate, and it has now been decided
to roof in the whole of Hyde Park. Even with the huge amount of
accommodation thus available it is feared that many millions will have
to be turned away.
Excursion trains will be run from all parts, and the advanced bookings
are already said to have eclipsed the record for the Cup Final.
The whole period of the celebration will be regarded as a public
holiday, and the Stock Exchange will be closed.
Some idea of the entertaining character of the festival will be gathered
from the following abstracts from the preliminary programme, a copy of
which we have had the privilege of inspecting.
The ceremony will open to the strains of Sir EDWIN ELGAR'S _Logarithmic
Symphony_, composed specially for the occasion.
Among the papers to be read in the course of the proceedings we note:
"State-aided Logarithms," by Mr. LLOYD GEORGE.
"SHAKSPEARE'S indebtedness to the Logarithm," by Sir SIDNEY LEE.
"The Logarithm in relation to Federal Home Rule," by Mr. F. S. OLIVER.
"My Favourite Logarithm," by Mr. T. P. O'CONNOR.
"Logs I have Rolled," by Mr. C. K. SHORTER.
"The Logarithm at the Olympic Games," by Mr. THEODORE ANDREA COOK.
"The Logarithm in the Home," by Mr. GORDON SELFRIDGE.
"The Logarithm in the Nursery," by "Aunt Louisa" (of _Tips for Tots_).
"Logs and the Higher Criticism," by Sir Oliver Log.
"Logarithms and the Hire System," by Lord Catesby of Droll.
"The Paradox of Logarithms," by Mr. G. K. CHESTERTON.
"Logarithms and the Animal World," by the Editor of _The Spectator_.
Mr. JOHN MASEFIELD will recite a poem, entitled "The Log of the Widow's
Cruise."
An interesting contrast to the flood of eulogy will be supplied by Sir
ALMROTH WRIGHT, who, taking the view that the simplicity with which
logarithms can be handled is leading the nation inevitably towards
mental atrophy, will introduce the question, "The Logarithm: is it a
Public Menace?"
The programme will conclude with a costume ball, at which everybody
present will be disguised as a different logarithm.
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