The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-16 00:00:00

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

BATH, THETESDAY.
The meetings of the various sections commenced
this amarelag.
Is SECTION A Professor COTLET, 3L.A.,
'seals&

Mr. Malabar read a paper on luminous meteors, and in it
be described the number and brillisocy of the fire-balls that
have appeared in the pest year, their height, the rapidity,
sad the direction in which they have travelled.
The following papers were also read :—"On possible con.
nation between the elipticity and the general appearance of
iks surface," by Professor flenoessey ; "On a suspected
things in the lunar spot Werner," be the Rev. T. W.
Webb ; "Oe the importance of adoptiog methods for the
&tactics of change in the moon's surface," by Mr. W. R.
igirt ; "On the probability of constructing elipsoidal
leams," by the Rev. T. Parlous ; "On the cohesion figures
of
liquids," by Mr. C. 'Tomlinson ; "On an easy mode of
measuriog heights." by Mr. M. Moggridge ; and " On the
earthquake and storm in Sussex on :ass. August, 1861."
The section then adjourned

SECTION B (CHEMICAL SCIENCE) waa held in the
Corridor-rooms, sod was opened by an address from the pre-
&loot, Mr. W. OLDING, M. 8., F.R.S., F.C.S. He coign
Misted the section on the presence of so many distinguished
&owlets, and remarked with utisfaction on the timanimity
et belief now obtained, and was pining increased peers-
lance among chemist.. Chemical notation, he said. wee in
38:Mk but a satisfactory state. He trusted that, instead
Itof the too great use of the sign of additions and the ordi-
nary algebraic sign', Dr. EtrOriti:‘ who had been engaged for
years pest in working out chemical noir.fOu Miens of
formula instead of symbols, would not longer deal the pub-
lication of kis work. Soepticism—not the scepticism of dis-
content, but the scepticism that aspired to greater and
greater knowledge—prevailed, and the state of chemical
111601:100 WAS marked by more than our ordinary rate of pro-
gress. (Cheers.)
Dr. Gladstone's report of the committee on the application
Si gun cotton to warlike purposed having been read,

Dr. Miller read a letter from Mr. Prentice describing
the blasting operation with gun ootton in Wales as being
very suoceasful, and he gives the following table, showing
the comparative weight of powder and gun cotton necessary
for blasting :

DIPHWSB QUARRY, No. 1, Fora. HoLas.
Deptli. Diameter. Estimated Powder G. ~,,,,,..
ehm ge.
1 16 1 .392 of lba. .049 of lts,
219 11 .511 „ .074 „
2 15 1 .992 „ .049 „
4 16 1 .421 ~ .019 ~
_ .

Mr. Able then gave a brief account of the manufacture of
gun cotton, and by experiments showed how gun cotton in
a loose state burned instantaneously, and according to the
tightness with which it was twisted into strands the cons.
bastion became more gradual and regular. He explained
that the combustion was the result of the gases given off
by the beating of the cotton and by experiments in which
be removed the gas, demonstrated the fact.
Admiral Maury explained that whilst be could not desert
his old friend gunpowder, there were many cases in actual
warfare where the use of gun cotton would be preferable.
Mr. Scott Russell, at considerable length, and with much
detail, described its uses io mechanics 's a means of lilastinc
se removing rock. He speed that for that purpose it bad
six tunes she power of gunpowder, and was in every way its
superior. He approved of the use of gun cotton for throw-
ing projectiles.
Some further discussion ensued which tended to show that
the general feeling of the meeting was, that in every qualifi-
cation but stability gun cotton is superior to powder.
Dr. Danbeny read a short paper "On the Bath waters
Dr. Paul "On the constituents of crude paraffin oil."
Dr. Williamson announced that a meeting of deputies from
several section. would take place to-morrow, at 11 o'clock,
L the Assembly-rooms, to discuss the metric and decimal
mime.
The section then adjourned.