The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-04

several Oh our most eminent professors and men OF
science
Dr. C. JACKSON, the chairman called the meeting to
order. and suman. jun, acted as Secretary. The
standing committee Of the association consists Of tho fol-
lowing gentlemen:
Charman-DrC:T. Jackson sscretary-B. silliman, jr
Treasurer-E c. Herrick.
{ /: silj %::: s: i: r.ons,o-
DR. Amos Binney, VIM. c. Redfeld,
Prof II. ID, Rogers, James c. Booth,
Prof. b. Silliman John L. Hayes,
Pres E. Hitchcock, James d. Dana.
Hon James Ta ans1as Prof John W. Draper
Major Joseph Delafeld, Charles NJ. wheatley,
Prof Prof James Ron Dsk, Com Matthew c. Perry,
Jer. Van Rensselaer,, NJ D. James Hall, Albany,
Prof. Cyrus Mason, w. B. Kinney, Newark.
After the reading ofthe minutes of yesterdays pro-
d. DANA Esq. read very interesting paper in rcla
ton to the volcanoes Of the meon In ali the geological
moon important feature remained unsatisfactorily
explained-namely. the vast magnitude of its craters
King mountains, which geoiogsts have not ventared to
acknowledge their beliefin these lunar wonders Some
OF these were from loo to $50 miles in diameter and
600 feet IN depth, and Of lesser magnitude These
crowded in great numbers the larger part of its
surface II was not therefore to be wondered at that
there should be much difficulty in reconclng their
lures with those of Vesuvus and Etna The crater
Kilanea, in the Hawaiian Islands, is of wholly differ.
ent character. About twothirds of the lunar hemis
phere comprising almost the whole of the southern
half is of these volcanic mountains First the
ring mountains which are broad truneated cones with
Immense circular craters. Second concal mountains
which are like ordinary volcanoes Third lunar ridges
Fourth, large depressed areas usually termed seas
streaks supposed to be fssures Out of 1905 heights
measured by Beer and Nader six Dove OOo feet
The broad truncated cones with large circular
craters are its most common elevations and among
the loftes The pits Of all dimensions 100 miles
and of various depths near IS 600 feet The crater
Bay has ascertaned to be l49 statute miles in dame
ter; Clavius l4sS miles; schiekard 1913 miles. The
depth OF Newton is % 1893 feet The height above the
surface, exterior to the crater is said by Beer and
Nader to be often onehaf onethird less than the
height above the bottom Of the crater. The pits are
generally circular and sometimes almost artifciay re-.
guar. There Others ALSO which consist of two or
ken into series Of ridges sometimes with large open
ings The bottoms Of the pits not frequently
small cones or ridges like elevations The depressons
called seas among which are the serentatis /"
and " mare Crisium" Notwithstanding their sze are
identical in character with the great pit cratersther
fact has been clearly proved by Ros and their entire
features sustain it They contain and
lines around some large cones and especially about
those known Enler Kepler, Copernicus and Aris-
tarchus. They are from one to five hundred miles in
length and ridges and depressions without inter
open assures; and they coaesce about the summit Of
Kepler that whole surface appears nebulous with
light. Sir w. Herschell first published an account of
actual volcanic action in the moon. Mr.. Dana here
compared the features with those of Kanea and showed
correspondence in every particular; and accounted for
their size and features the ground on which the
Bawanan illustrates, that the action that OF boiling
over the large and not the election of ciniars
like the summit elections of Vesuvius. Dr. D. here
went on to illustrate some points in the structure Of
earth, and concluded very interesting address.
Professor SILLMAs here rose and asked Mr. DANA as
to his opinion whether not there any water in
Mr. DANA replied that he understood the general be.
nomers could detecS
Mr.. JAMES HALL 16kt offered some remarks on the
Fossil Brachopoda and Orhocerata Of the United States
and presented various specimens in illustration of his
views in relation to fossils Shells &C. found nclosed
in rocks, &c. Fossils in the State of New York were
found to be not only FOUR but ten feet in length and
great number of shells found in particular Mr. H.
minated his intention to resume the subject in the
course OF the week, and to go more fully into details
Professor sHErxRD introduced his report on meteoric
stones and irons by observing that he had aimed
tie beyond what might be considered monograph of
such as had been observed within the United and
that although the views ho was about to present might
have somewhat the appearance of general report on
meteor masses yet this had not been Intended was
no farther the than found intel
lgent account OF our own specimens He further obser
we'd that he did not wish his frequent references
bearing upon the point of common origin, of meeoric
and terrestrial productions since the comparisons would
be instituted chiefly with view of promoting
knowledge OF the unknown, by bringing into
trast with what had been ascertaned in a direction
where the anaiogies were certainly very striking
As general theory on the origin of meteor Masses
he accepted that which finds at present most favor with
astronomers viz that they small cometary bodies
moving with the velocity Of the planets in paths about
the SUM- harmony with the laws of universal grava
ton, and that when they the earth In their
course and become luminous the verge of its atmos
phere they frequently let fall fragments of greater
less size, Qrom few pounds up to tons,) which are
heated in greater less degree and covered their
portion Of such bodies being believed pass in our vi
cinty without any precipitation of matter and only suf
bits By the attraction Of the earth The reporsuSmi
ted, (Which it was observed was only outline of
probation Of the he hoped to ossr on future
occasion) consisted Of series Of tabular views. The
first Of these was devoted to the systematic classification
of the various mineral species had able to detect
in meteor generally. These he found amounted
to thrtysx in number which equals onetenth the entire
number of mineral species belonging our earth. The
hirysx meteorc species although one half of them are
peculiar to meeor arrange themselves very naturally
under the classes and orders recognised in the natural
history system of mineslogy The professor suggested
the propriety however OF creating science for the
reception 81 these species as did not compoI with
restria productions among its contents. The he
offered for the new science was Astrolithology
The meteoric species were then abuated in the order
Of their prevalence in the aggregate of meteorc matter
which has thus far come under observations and
reason suggested why the metallic masses greatly
preponderate the stoney in meeors while the
verse true among!tsestria minerals II we compare
during the hundred years the earthly are to the me-
tsllic twenty to but IL compare all the iron
masses known to all the stoney masses reverse ratio
will be the results e. the metallic to the earthly will
be as twenty to But II reasonable suppose that
the earthly variety fell in former times in the pro-
portion during the last hundred and the
why have not been able to detect them in common
with the iron is that the former perhabc
their nature not 10 allow their recognition above
fifty years ae their fa whereas the latter are nearly
impershasle, and, point Of fact, while know Of
OF above forty instances of meeoric iron whose
period OF fall may date back in instances thousands
OF years we have not single OF meteorc stones
save those which were collected at the time Of the
eorc explosion In which they originated. proper al
owsnce then. being made the above score, we find
that the proportion Of metallic matter to the soney in
meteors corresponds in some partial manner with the
rsuo found In terrestrial mineraIs only appears TO be
true, tnat no native iron or STEEL any of the iron
alloys so prevalent In meteors known among terre
rlai minerals Even the apparently we'll ascertained in
stances OF Canaan Conn native ron the Professor
Marked would probably be shown from facts in his pos
| session, to be an artificial product
series Of tables then exhibited In of
the constitution of meteorc from which
appeared that they are composed of third Of the
chemical elements found entering into the composition
Of our earth and that the elements of are found
among the most abundant half of terrestrial elements
The geological relations of the subject then sys
tematcaly presented under the scientific term Of
Asroperaogy: LIST Descriptive Asroptralogy Tor clas