The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-27 00:00:00

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDREIIB.

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, WISDNIIIMY NIGHT.

The lieslimittary committee meetings having been
held this morning, the Mosiness of the sasociadon was
fairly oommereed to-night by the delivery of the inaugural
address from the president., Sir WILLIAM ARMSTRONG.
The hall was densely crowded on this occasion by one of
the most brilliant and distinguished audience. that have
probably ever aseembled in Newceatle, and the address was
listened to with the deepest attention. On rising to deliver
it Sir William was greeted with enthusiastic applause. Hs
commenced with a rapid sketch of the program in physical
knowledge during the qu►rter of a century which hen
elapsed slows the association but assembled In that town,
referring specially to the railway system, to the coal and
water supply, and to the prevention of smoke. Io warming
houses, he said, we consume in our open fires ab ',at five
times as much coal as will produce the same heating effect
when burnt in a close and properly-constructed stove.
"These are homely considerations—too much so, perhaps,

for an smoothly like this ; but I trust that an O&M.
redwing • useless expenditure exceeding in amount oar is-
come-tax, and capable of being rectified by attention to sci-
entific principles, may not be deemed unworthy of the notice
of some of those whom I have the honour of addressing."
Sir William alluded also to the result' obtained by science,
by which we are enabled to test the materials of which the sun
is made, and prove their identity, in part at least, with those
of our planet. The spectrum experiments of Bunsen and
Kirchhoff have not only shown all this, but they have also
corroborated previous conjectures as to the luminous enve-
lope of the son. By Mr. Nsamyth's remarkable die-
oovery, it appears that the bright surface of the sun
is composed of an aggregation of apparently solid forms
shaped like willow leaves or mime well-known forms
of diatomaoere, and interlacing one another in every
direction. The forms are so regular in size and shape
as to have led to • suggestion from one of our pro-
foundest philosophers of their being organisms possibly
even partaking of the nature of life, but at all *yenta
closely connected with the heating and vivifying in.
fluenoss of the sun. Three mysterious objects which,
since Mr. Nassmyth discovered them, have been sees by
other observers as well, ►re computed to be each not lees
than 1,000 miles in length and about 100 miles in breadth.
The enormous chasms in the sun's photosphere, to which
we apply the diminutive term "spots," exhibit the ex-
tremities of these leaf-like bodies pointing inwards, and
fringing the aides of the cavern far down into the abyss.
Sometimes they form a sort of rope or bridge SMOG the
chasm, and appear to adhere to one another by lateral at-
traction. The sympathy also which appears to exist be-
tween forms operating in the sun and magnetic forces
belonging to the earth merited • continuance of that close
attention which it has already received from the
British Association, and of labours such as General
Sabine has with so much ability and effect devoted
to the elucidation of the subject. Sir William then
briefly alluded to the progress of our knowledge
of meteorology, to the "science of gunnery," and
its connexion with the dynamical theory of heat, and
to Professor Tynd•ll's recent discoveries respecting the
absorption and radiation of heat by vapours and permanent
pees. With regard to the much-debated question of
weights and measures, he said that whatever difference of
opinion there may be as to the comparative merits of
decimal and duodecimal division, there can at all evade
be noes as to the importance of assimilating the systems
of mesamement in different countries. It is much
to be regretted that two standards of measure so nearly
alike as the English yard and the French metre should not
be made absolutely identical. The metric system has
already been adopted by other nations besides France,
and is the only one (thinks the president of the British
Association) which has any chance of becoming universal.
He could speak from personal experience of the superiority
of decimal measurement in all cases where accuracy is re-
quired in mechanical construction. In the Elswick Works,
as well as in some other large establishments of the same
description, the inch is adopted as the unit, and all frac-
tional parte are expressed in decimals. No difficulty has
been experienced in h►bitu►ting the workmen to the use
of this method, and it has greatly contributed to precision
of workm►nship. After touching spot' the recent discovery
of the source of the Nile, Sir William referred to the Dar-
winian theory of natural selection, • theory which,
when fully enunciated, founds the pedigree of living
nature upon the most elementary form of vitalised
matter. "One step further would carry us hack,
without greater violence to probability, to inorganic
rudiments, and then we should be called upon to recognise
in ourselves, and in the exquisite elaborations of the ani-
mal and vegetable kingdoms, the althea,' results of mere
materiel forces left free to follow their own unguided ten-
dencies. Sorely our minds would in that cam be more
oppressed with • sense of the miraculous than they now are
in attributing the wondrous things around us to thee:restive
hand of • Great presiding Intelligence. The evidences
bearing upon the antiquity of man have been risoently pro-
duced, in • collected and most logically treated form, by
Sir Charles Lyell. It seems no longer possible to doubt
that the human race has existed on the earth is a barbs•
riaa state for a period far exceeding the limit of historical
record ; but, notwithstanding this great antiquity, the proofs
still remain unaltered that men is the latest as well as the
noblest work of God." Sir William concluded by saying—
•' I will not run the risk of wearying this assembly by
extending my remarks to other branches of science. In con.
elusion, I will express • bops that when the time again
comae round to receive the British Association in this town,
its members will find the interval to have been as fruitful
as the corresponding period on which we tow look hack.
The tendency of progress is to quicken progress, because
every acquisition in science is so much vantage pound for
fresh attainment. We may expect, therefore, to increase
our speed as we struggle forward ; but, however high we
climb in the pursuit of knowledge, we shall still see heights
above us ; end the more we extend oar view, the more oat-
scions we shall be of the immensity which lies beyond."
The weather, which was very wet in this locality yaierday,
is fine this morning. The business proceedings are being cos-
ducted at the New Savings Bask, Weetgatestreet, the re-
entices room there being a noble apartment. The council
of the association met this Dunning at 10 o'clock, at the
Literary and Philosophical Society, to arrange the prelimi-
nary business. This afternoon, at two o'clock, the goosed
committee met sod appointed the sectional committees.
The following is the list of presidents and secretaries for
each section :

Section A. —Mathematical and Physical Science. Is the
Friends' Meeting-house. President—W. J. Idszquorn Ran-
kine C.E., LL.D., F.R.S.. L. and L, Professor of En-
aine;sing in tie University of Glasgow. Seerelarico—Pro-
fewer &evilly, LL.D. ; Rev. C. T. Whitley, Y.A.
-• • -

Section B. -Chemical Science. In the Lecture-room,
Nelsonetreet. Presidest—Alexander W . Williamson. Ph.
D., F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry in University College,
Loudest, President of the Chemical Society. Secretaries
PrOINMOt Liveing, M.A. F.C.S. ; A. Vernon Harcourt,
IL A., F.C.S. • H. L Patiasson ; J. C. Stevenma.
Section C.—Violas,. In the Menlo Hall, Nelson-street.
Presideot—Warringten W. Smith, F.R.S., F. 0.8.,
Professor of Mining and Miseralogy at the Royal School of
Mines. Leaden. Secretaries—H. C. Sorby, F.B.S. ;T.
&smith, F.R.S. ; Jobs Dudish.
Section D.—Zoology and Botany, includieg Physiology.
In the Council Chamber. Prosidest—J. Hutton Balfour,
M.D., PALS., Professor of Botany in the University of
Edinburgh. Seeretariee—Dr. E. P. Wright, Rev. IL B.
Tristram, Dr. Charlton. A Subsection of Physiology was
appointed, under the presidency of Dr. Rolleetoo,
Professor of Physiology in the University of Oxford.
Secretaries—Dr. E. Smith, F.R.S., Dr. Embletoo. It will
meet in the Medical School.
. • .

Sella E—Goorm—PT;:nd Ethnology. In the Large As.
sembly Room. President—Sir Roderick 1. flureidsoe.
K. C. 8.,G.C. St. ,F.R.S. , D irenter•Gea e rat of the Geological
Society of the United Kingdom. Secretaries—Clarence
Markham, F.R.G.S., Thomas Wright, M.A., R. S. Watana.
Section F.—Romanic Science and Statistics. Is the
Small Assembly Room. President—William Tile, M.P.,
F.R.S. Secretaries—F. Purdy, T. Doubleday.
Section o.—Mechanical Mclean*. la the Lecture Room,
Literary and Philosophical Society. Presidest—Rev.
Robert Willis, M.A., F.R.S, Jacksonian Professor of
Natund and Experimental Philosophy In the Usiversity of
Cambridge. Secretaries—P. L. Neve Foster, ICA., P.
Westmacott, J. F. Spencer.

Lord Palmerston has consented to distribute the
prim to the enccessful rompetkore of the Margate Rifle
Corps early is September.
Despatches were received yeaterlay at the Colo-
nial•office from the Governor of St. Helium, end from the
Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands. it...
patches nem sent to the Governors of Malta. the Mauritius,
Nylon, Hong• Kong, Labuan, the Australian colonies, aid
Gibraltar.

A deputation from the parish of St. Luke,
Middlesex, ceesietiog of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Walker, Mr.
rearson (clerk). and Mr. Herne (assistant clerk). bad as
interview yeeterday with the Rigbt Roo. C. P. Vain, at
the aka et the Poor•law Hoard, Whitehall.
LONDON GZMIRALOXII LBW COIL l'A N
Traffic receipts for the week setting Aug. TA 11,2781. Us. AL

BOILER EXPLOSION AT SOUTHAMPTON.
(THIS DAY.)

(111 T ZLIDCI7.IC AND DITERSATIONAL ITIMILAPH.)
(nos ova owx ootssarosoirr.)
SOUTHAMPTON, THOINDAT MONNINu.

A terrific boiler explosion took place this morn.!
ing at Driver's saw mills, in this town. The boiler
and engine house were blown to plows ; portions at
the building were blown OD to the neighbouring
roofs, and panes of glass In the neighbouring streets
were broken. The ezploaion was heard two min
off. Fortunately the accident happened at a quintet
before six, just as the workmen were sancinbling ordains,
Had it happened al minutes later a grog low of life world
have taken place.