New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-25

aim.p.on. mus, be regarded 40 good fov rotsi71 IN
comparison with the half Of al spsce ie the hsi IN
the sense slrssdy described
! For Ike reasons. any huts portion Of Time mus, -
regarded As unkins comparison with either Eternity
past or Eternity future and thus we misht 10 sou'
/ humble measure, discover h0" IA view OF uii,.
| which could grasp the whole thousand years wo-lh
De bat a. one day and one day ss thousand years
lie lastly considered the question whether II the 'is
bic Creation were snnihilsisc s2sce would SUI rN''e
and concluded that are not sufncienty ~
such state OF things 10 determine with regard 70
but insisted that in any event Space could not eNs'
independent OF the GkEAr FGSsr CAUSE, IN wnose eS
i.tence - and and Is 10 come. Was 10 f ioahd
"a one tA< dbsoeeiy sseessdrs rAts AKA t.' q. '
rers Contingent jssf 50 far HE sad ~adt iasA 80
The next psper presented was chemical nius
iraton BY Prof BoYS, on the ConFSsHlos At "ess-t
>alisss The Professors experiments were persons,
anu IN analyses Of the .snes be bad discoNeca some
new proper,eswhch he went on 70 detail 10 the sec
non. Being 'echniesiue' chiefly. le' them pass
Professors W. b. aud K. +. ROCKS then pre-
sented paper on the Daozposlios cf Rsck' ~ MIC
sgenls slightly alluded yesterday. In present
/ ing this Communication the fact sisted that only
one OF two Observations have hitherto been made oy
chemists - test in direct and conclusive the
power OF Water ordinary temperatures, TO decoin
pose rocky substances Al the same time the general
fac, Of such decomposition appears 10 have been %
/ sazed in explaining the disntegrsrcn OF mineral
masses and the conveyance Of inorganic insredlents
! into the substance OF psn's. The experiments hAte
applied 20 al the principal crystalline hi,het IS 'on's
ing alkslies and alkaline earths. amounting 10 nearly
forty species-to grsnte, gness sc 10 the di.eteht
varieties Of glass. snd TO various kinds 81 coal and
/ wood.
These experiments also Of two kinds with each
specimen the one with pure distilled ws,er, the other
with water chsrgedtNith csrbonic acid The minero OF
other mstter bcs reduced 10 avery me powder n an
| agate mortar. IN small quantity mixed Win INC
qud and trans !erred % = filter o. purined paper One
or more drops Of the percolstng huid received on
Zip OF platinum gently evsporsed u cfyness ana
the tsche resulting then examined oy delicate est
| paper In all case. the residuum from the csrbonie
acid greater than from the other but even
IN the former with mOst minerals decided aksInc re-
action obtained BY Nesting the tsche gently Tor
! short and then longer time and sgsn strongly by
blow pipe unequyocs proof was furnished oil the pres
seuce OF poiasss soda or OF lime or magnesis Inc
| liquid from calcsroous magnetism minerals teesme
milky after heating the tsche from the potash snd sods
mnerss-as for example the fespsr lost It's skahnc re
acton by first contact OF the blowppe uSme th,t
from the lime greatly augmented oy the nfst ca
ciHaiOn in consequence OF the rem0Valo OF cafoone Se'
and continued intensely alkaline after long exposure
| to the hest.
| The tache furnished by magussi minerals such ss
serpentines, was much impaired by akainatfy oy x
hitting but continued present decided reaction Win
paper after long exposure 10 the hest 10 hs
way the behavior of the tsche shown to be capable
of furnishing useful auxiliary means OF eAtePoi se
some experiments were introduced by the PROBES
sor IN which these effect. were properly exhibited ~
powdered glass mics and felspsr
The attention OF chemists WAS especially inNien 10
these phenomena, having very important oesiihss
not only upon the decomposition OF rocky masses ~
the action OF the percOsting ram, put Tue suos.Hu'
introduction of various crystalline minerals IN He Nus
and cavities of the and a. Introducing the heees
lily of some new and better method than that common
" employed for determining the amount oil Shai pres
ent in vegetable other organic matters
Fxperinents were also cited dispensing the opinion
which appears to be received among chemists that the
fsspars hOrnbendes &c entirely unseteu upon "
sulphurcs or hydroc hl0ric scids 10y exposing 'nesr
materials in fine powder prolonged digestion IN the
acid even 1T common temperatures partial soiuu'h
was found to result Thus 30 srsns OF potash ieslst
by digestion for - hours in hydroeh'"rie ",n ~ "n
persture 60o lost nearly one grain and 'ne nquo uI
nshed chloride OF potassium will. Chloride OF alum
mum.
The General Afternoon Session
The Convention reassembled at r. NJ. IN the
Chemical Hall OF the Universty-Prof REDrikLD
in the Chair.
PROT w B ROGERS from the Standing Com
mittee stated that p A. BROWNE. Esq. from the same
Committee had modified the resolution relative 10 tnc
decease OF Professor Lsrdner Vanuxem, which resoiu
ton was concurred in by that body and would De SUP
mitted to the Convention for It's action Wnrfeupvh
Mr. BRow>E reported to the following effect Tnat the
Association learns with deep regret the death OF
sor LARpNER VANUxEM that Prof HALL Dc appo""S
to draft An appropriate obituary OF the deceased an
that Committee OF three be appointed TO address a
letter TO Professor VS. family conveying Expressions
of the coincidence OF this Association ~, d,
The resolution was adopted ffOi. w II
RocERs and Mr. BRowNE each added some few feeling
remarks in tribute to the memory OF the deceased
Prof AGAssIz then proceeded TO speak oil INC
Outlines Of Lake SHPDior As caused by INC geoioses
structure OF the surrounding region he stated th"e
along the entire Northern shore OF the Lake snd Tor
some distance inland well 40 the islands ON that sac
of the Lake six distinct systems OF res are eNnlo.
ed each consisting OF numerous broad parallel beds OF
gneous erupted matter and that the direction oil the
Islands and Of successive parts OF the Coast ne wero
seen TO conform themselves TO the bearing OF thes"
dykes as presented In each part OF the Coast Ihus
appeared the physical outline OF THIS shore OF tne
Lake determined by the geological structure oil the
adjoining land =,
prof 4 sdyerted to the enormous magnitude A. well
as the great number Of these extensive igneous BEDS
and 10 the vast extent TO which metaporphic pne
nomena are witnessed In the 5andst0nes and otHef ""
imentary rocks lying accent 10 the igneous masses
These dykes he had found 10 run North and South
Poi W. B ROGERS remarked that from his own
observation on the Southern shore oil LAKE Superior
and from those OF other Observers IN that region wa.
apparent that the East and West dykes lying adeeht
To that mar gin of the Lake, had In like manner dehr'
mined the chief pecuariues In the 0nhguraton OF INC
Coast He also called attention TO the act Oh inc re-
nsrkabe correspondence between the igneous ana
metamorphic masses described by Prot Agassl, AS
existing on the Northern side OF Lake superior ami e
great belt Of the Blue Ridge in Virginia extending ifon
the Potomac 10 distance south Of the James NV
ar The enormous amount of epdotic Trap and other
masses Astounding In epidouc, ana the various mHss's
containing this mineral and felspsr well "a tho m
fusion Epdots into the adjoining sandstoDes whch
are presented in various stages OF igneous alteration
form feature Of striking analogy between tno Lake
superior district and the Blue Ridge Of Virginia The
analogy between tIir ROCKY " ''o
fact that EpdOc rocks Of the Biae Rdys Ike those oil
the Northern shore Of the Lake, abound In some local
lies in their tbres and threads and grains oil mda""
Copper Prof r. farther remarked upon the analogous
geological position OF the igneous and mstsnorph1c
rocks In the two by stating that the Oldest o me
Apuslachian rocks which lac on the west Hank OF inc
Blue Ridge are also found contiguous 10 the igneous
rocks on the northern shore OF Lake Superior.
Prof AGAssiz hoped tho Investigations IN thus
direction would be extended Investigations would aid
greatly 10 changing the system VI rock formations az
aid down in received standard works.
Prof JOSEPH Henry lof Washington made
few observations upon the aims and character oil
the Smithsonian Institute. He succincty re.
viewed the history Of that Institution from the date OF
its founding by the benevolent bequest OF JAMES sni
SON down 10 the present time and the publication shs
week. of the First Volume OF ts yearly reeords-the
| % su ,tnsonsn Contributions ~ Knowledge Tho nrss
work In question 10 the excellent one OF Mr.. T. q.
-otryR and Prot DAVIS American Antiquities -
which mas already been noticed In The TrtsaHs. need
not take room 70 say more OF t.
Ereaihg Session.
The Convention met again az O'Clock in the
eyening-when thu first business in order was a com
municaton by Prof JoHsso.s Of Washington, on Ne~
System Of Rsoordins Teiesraphs Prof j. went on TO
describe minalely, with illustration drawn from gal
-. sHh hgNa A