The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-27

scale. cOnncNlOn Wltn tne directors OF tnc OD-
servatory at Toronto in Canada. The proprietors
of the several telegraph lines have granted them the
use of their wires for meteorological purposes and
they hope when the lines completed, and they
have established sets Of observers, TO be able 10 study
the aurora with precision and to an extent never
attained before. When their plans are completed
on a long line extending north and south, an OBJ
server at Toronto, noticing aurora, may call To
it the attention Of all the observers along the line,
and thus ii may be determined with ease over what
extent of territory the meteor Is visible, and what
appearance IL wears al any given moment The
most sanguine expectations may reasonably be en-
tertained therefore, that the nature OF these splendid
but mysterious phenomena will soon be made known
10 the world.
THE POLAR Plant.
| The next paper was on the Polar plant by Prof
| GRAY, who in lS43, made known To the National
| Institute at Washington the fact, previously I'M
known to the scientific world but notorious among
the hunters and trappers OF the Western Prairles,
that the leaves of this plant face uniformly east or
west, so that their edges point north and south.
| This fact having been called i'll question, rroi.
Gray adduced abundant testimony establishing the
| fact. In endeavoring to account Tor ~ SONIC nave
suspected the presence in the plant OF iron In some
of its compounds, but none has been discovered by
the most delicate tests. Others have conJectured
that the polarity Is due TO electrical currents, as
the plant is full of resnous matter, and sometimes
called the Rosin tceed The more probable solution
is, that the leaves present their Hat surfaces To-
wards the rising and setting sun, thus causing 'ne
numerous points around the edge OF the leaves W
| point north and south. DIR. Hare inquired II the
| common belief that the sun flower turns towards
| the SUM- had any truth in it? Prof. Gray replied
| that it was regarded as popular fallacy. Inc
| heavy sun-hower mods by its own weight, ana is
doubtless apt to droop towards the sun, on
Of the whiting effect Of the on that side OF the
stalk-but that it follows the sun in Its diurhai
course is not believed. Rev Prof Morris, OF JACK
son, Miss, remarked that in journeying upon tne
prairies for several years. he had observed that IN
| running compass lines north and south, the cage
of the leaf was that the plant was not con
spicuous; but in running lines east and west' the
whole plant was seen, and was conspicuous "o
ject.
| THE altoona OBSERVATORY.
| The diplomatic papers relative to the observatory
at Altoona, placed in the hands of Professor Henry
| by Mr. Clayton, Secretary of State, were LAID be-
fore the association, and listened to with much at
tention. The institution at Altoona Is under the
superintendent of Professor Schumacher the ex-
penses of whose journal, necessarily large, were
betrayed by the king of Denmark until the out
break of the war in Holsein and Schleswig, since
which they have fallen upon Professor Schumacher;
| Under these circumstances the academies ana
learned societies Of Europe and America have ap-
pealed, with one voice, to their respective govern
ments to intercede with the Danish and Schleswlg
Holsten governments in behalf of this Important
institution. Mr.. Bancroft, our minister at Lon
don, in despatch TO the Secretary OF State, writes
that the interest expressed by the President Oh tne
United States in the Altoona observatory was highly
| appreciated by DOtn the gOVernInent5 III iu'oso''
that the Schleswig Holstein government had re-
solved 10 sustain the observatory and to secure W
Mr.. Schumacher his appointment. Presldcht Ever
ett in the course of some remarks upon this SUBJECT
alluded to the recent intelligence from Europe
that the preliminaries of treaty had been con,
cluded between Denmark and the Duchles, ana
expressed his confidence that in due time satis
factory arrangement would be made in reference
to Mr.. Schumacher's position, and the observatory
at Altoona.
THE CORAL INSECT IN MASSACHUSETTS.
An interesting communication was read by Pro-
fessor Agassiz the structure Of coral animals. He
said that he able to exhibit to the association
live coral insects from the coast of Massachusetts
During a late excursion in the Vineyard sound,
with Lieutenant Davis, in one of the Coast Survey
ships, he brought up in the dredge, from depth OF
seventy two feet, off Gay Head, several specimens
of coral with its animals, which he had succeeded
in preserving alive. Ii matter of surprise, he
said, that the coral animal should have been found
in this latitude They TEEN in warm ATTITUDES, and
very few species met with in the more temper
ate regions. But for the opportunity afforded by
the Coast Survey, the existence OF these animals
could not have been suspected on these shores; dead
fragments, it is true, had been found on the coast
but whether they lived in waters or not was un-
| known. Professor Agassiz remarked that the few
days he had spent board the vessels of the Coast
Survey had given him more information than years
{ spent in other places.
THE PRIME MERIDIAN.
The question was treated by Lieutenant Davis
Il
about to publish American nautical almanac
we shall still continue TO count longitude from
the meridian of Greenwich, or whether II Is prefer
able for convenience, for accuracy, for other rea
sons, to establish new prime meridian on this con
tinent As is well known, our navigators use thu
English meridian of Greenwich; and all our geo
graphical and territorial positions are fixed accord
, ing TO it, But there are reasons for a change Oh
the score of science. So long we count from
, meridian, from which we are separated by al
ocean, our longitudes indeterminate But, II
adopting a meridian line in own country, es
pecial reference should be had TO the convenience
of navigators, who constantly meeting
those of Great Britain at sea, and comparing longl
tudes with them. The meridian of Washington il
announcement one in these respects, being TO "a
from Greenwich, or in time 5h. SIN. o.. These arr
{ announcement sums to add subtract, and thei
application therefore not ready and easy. To avoi,
these difficulties, Lieutenant Davis recommends tn
adoption of the meridian of New Orleans, which
, will be exactly six hours in time and 9Oo in spac
from the meridian of Greenwich.
In this connexion il may be mentioned, that step
are now taking for determining the question Of tn
Y longitude of Boston, which is still uncertain, by
1 means of a large number of chronomcters trans
3 ported TO and from that port, carefully compared
4 by Mr. Bond, of the observatory here, and Mr.
Hartnup at Liverpool. The first portion of thes'
chronomeers, forty-eight in number, were received
in the Hbernia yesterday week, and have been
safely deposited in the observatory at this place
If there has been, heretofore, uncertainty of TIVE
= seconds in longitude il is therefore, likely b
. be soon removed.
: KENTUCKY ELEcTIoNs.-The Frankfort Common
,oeaib Of the 2lst instant gives lists, official and
ported of the delegates and representatives eectec
10 the convention and To the legislature The list
| Leave one member i'm each body 10 hear from TIL