Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-10-28
NUMBER 81.
The Scientific Convention.

This body closed its session at Philadel-
phla on Friday evening, resolving to hold
its next session at Cambridge, Massachu-
sets, on the 4th of August, ls4e. The
Ledger says that the most interesting paper
read on Friday was one from Professor
DICKSON aud ANDREW BRowN, of Mis-
sissippi, Upon the sediment Of the .Missis-
sippi rleer, and gives its substance, viz
"The observations upon which the report
was based We're made through course of
eighteen years, and more particularly during
the last two years, in anticipation of the
present report. The report alluded to the
vast quantity of rain water constantly fall
| ing in the valley of the Mississippi, and the
fact that that great river was the only vsi-
bic outlet for it. The report showed that
the quantity of rain falling was II s-s times
the quantity discharged by the river. There
are but two ways for it to escape, one by
course of the river and the other by evap-
Grafton.
"Thus the report arrived at n fact of the
greatest importance to the planters of Louis
lana and Mississippi, for the more exhala-
tons are promoted, the less liable viii the
! lower bottom lands of these States he to
periodical foundations. The best way 10
promote exhalations was by clearing the
forest lands, aud thus exposing the earth to
the action of the sun. There is not now
by twenty or twenty-five per cent. as much
water passes down the river as there was
twenty-five years ago. At that time there
were annual foundations which do not oc-
cur now.
" Ia regard TO the sediments of the river,
the result of four hundred eighty-four ex-
Iperiments with a tin tube charged with wa
ter were made the aggregate of the water
charged in this tube ut different times was a
column of 1886 feet, hy which there was
deposited "A column of sediment or solid
power of forty-six and half inches. The
sediment was submitted in three glass tubes.
The committee seemed to think il might still
further settle or shrink, certainly not less
than forty-iour inches. From these data
the committee arrive at the conclusion that
the proportion of sediment TO the volume
of water Is MS one 10 five hundred twenty
eight.
:" Il has already been ascerrained that the
quantity of water annually discharged by
tho Mississippi is 44,ss3, $50, Csc, $50 cubic
feet; therefore there must be deposited
90, 1888 ,05S, 392 10th cubic feet of solid mat
tor.n
The report whs very interesting and very
long the subject of the aluvial deposites
of the river was fully discussed, and many
interesting facts were given.
"At the afternoon session, Lieut.. NJ. f..
MAuaY read paper on The currents Of The
ocean, which was illustrated by diagrams.
The paper was upon the direction of the
great currents Of the Atlantic and Pacific,
their force, the force and direction of the
winds, aud the best aud shortest routes to
various ports. The deductions were based
upon the reports of thousands of American
vessels which had furnished abstracts of
their og-books to the National Observatory
at Washington. Supposed dangers placed
upon various charts were found to be ialla-
cious, aud the ship routes ncross the ocean
were very much shoScned. The Lieuten-
ant stated that charts Of these routes were
prepared nj the National Observatory at
Washington, and were authorized to be
given 10 the commanders Of such vessels as
would promise to return abstracts of their
log-books, with course Of winds, tempera-
ture of water, &c., 10 the Observatory at
Washington. He suggested that those OBJ
iects would be furthered by the aid of all
American vessels, and the national and mer-
chant vessels of foreign Governments.
"The chairman announced the following
gentlemen as constituting the committee to
address a memorial to the Secretary Of the
Navy in reference to Lieut.. Maury's charts;
Professors Rogers, of Virginia; Henry, of
/ Washington Pierce, of Massachusetts
Coffin, of Pennsylvania; and Alexander, of
New Jersey.