_The “Neutral Vowel”._—The “indeterminate” or “neutral” vowel sound (_er_), i.e. the sound of _a_ in _marine_, _e_ in _often_, _i_ in _stir_, _io_ in _nation_, _o_ in _connect_, _ou_ in _curious_, _u_ in _difficult_, etc., _e_ in French _je_, or the often unwritten vowel (َ _Fat-ha_) in Arabic, etc., is represented as a rule by _a_: as in Basra, Hawiya; but sometimes by _e_, when the sound approximates more to _e_ than to _a_: as Meshed, El Gezira. (In any guide to pronunciation issued by the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names, the “neutral vowel” is represented generally by the italic _e_: occasionally also by italic _a_ or _u_.) This sound must not be confused with _e-mute_, where the _e_ is not sounded at all: as in Abbeville. ON THE GIVING OF NAMES TO NEWLY-DISCOVERED PLACES. The Council of the Royal Geographical Society would urge upon all travellers that in giving names to any new discoveries which they may make they should be guided by the following restrictions, which, until comparatively recent years, were commonly observed:— 1. That before putting forward any personal or fanciful name the traveller should do his best to ascertain that no local name exists, and where none is forthcoming should further consider whether one might not conveniently be derived from the vicinity, _e.g._, from an adjacent stream, or pasture, or glacier, or from some characteristic of the natural object itself. 2. That no one should commemorate himself in this manner. 3. That any new nomenclature which a traveller may desire to suggest should be put forward tentatively and subject to the approval (1) of the Administration of the region or country, if there is one; (2) of the Official Cartographer of the country, if it possesses a Survey Department, or of the State to which the region may belong; or (3) of the Council of the Royal Geographical Society. FOOTNOTES [1] Equivalents obtained by Mr. R. H. Curtis using Köppen’s method. See ‘Symons’s Meteorological Magazine,’ 40 (1905), p. 157. [2] For comparison of scales see Table XXVI., Vol. I., p. 333. To convert Centigrade readings into Fahrenheit the rule is “Multiply by 1.8 and add 32.” This can be done mentally in a moment, thus: “Multiply by 2, subtract one-tenth of the product, and add 32.” _E.g._, to convert 10° C. to F.: 10 × 2 = 20; one-tenth of 20 = 2; 20 - 2 = 18; 18 + 32 = 50° F.