The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-23

CONTENTION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
FOR TIKI
ADVAACEnEET OF seIEHCE.
INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS.
The Volcanoes of Central America,
10, &c, &
Our new Haven Correspondence.

NEW HAVEN, August II, 1851
Thoughts on the Bsnefts Resulting from the arts
and Seienees-Ihird Day of the Meetiwg of the
American Association for the Advancement of
Science.
The learned body now assembled at the Ameri-
can Association in New Haven, are doing much
for the advancement of science; and il | may
Judge from the communications which they are
daily making at the College, will continue TO de-
velope many yet hidden divnites and geniuses of
the human mind Perhaps there is 40 species of
history that 80 evidently shows a superior destiny
ruling over human affairs that of the invention
and Improvement of arts and sciences, and of
which man is pardonably apt TO be most vain. Il
has been truly said, the production of an art was
instant Of pleasure-a union between idea and
character, between body and spirit" Though we
with reverence the inventions Of the human
mind to the simple principle of its observing and
describing understanding, | deem it difficult
oint 10 determine what the arts and sciences have
contributed towards the happiness of mankind, or
how far they have increased it. do not think the
uestion is to be answered by single affirmative
or negative, since in this, in every thing else, all
depends on the use made of wha. has been invent
ed That there finer and more artificial I'M
Elements in the world, so that more is done with
less exertion, and consequen fly much human labor
is spared where il be dispensed with, admits of
no question. 1t is equally incontestible that every
art and science knits new bond of society, of
that mutual want without which men Of art can
not live. But, on the other hand, whether this in
crease of want extends the narrow circle of human
happiness; whether art be capable of actually add
ing anything to nature, or whether nature Is not
rather debiated and depressed by it; whether the
talents Of art and science have not excited propen-
sites in the human breast which render the at
tainment Of mans highest blessing-con tentment
much more rare and difficult, questions that
luminous history, the daughter of time, alone can
solve. Men OF genius are obliged TO leave to dis
posing fate the effects and of their discoveries
The inventor of eunpowder little thought what de-
struction, both of the political and physical powers
of man, would ensue from the explosion of his
black DUST; still less could he see how the bene-
fcient seeds of Few and different constitution
terminate in this land, made free by the use Of the
same material.
THIRD DAY
The Scientific Association met in general assem-
bly, this morning at the usual hour-Professor
Bache in the chair. The minutes of the preceding
meeting were read, and also the minutes of the
standing committee, who suggested a further sub
division of the sections, in consequence of the
number Of papers which are to be read. They
also recommended that the afternoon meetings be
confined to the reading of papers, discussion being
omitted; Adopted.
committee had nominated Professor Louis Agassiz,
of Harvard as President of the association for the
nextyear. The nomination having been unani-
with applause, Professor Agassiz briefly returned
thanks for the distinguished honor conferred upon
him.
The election of several gentlemen as members
OF the association was confirmed.
An invitation from Mr.. Miller, Of New Haven,
was received, requesting the pleasure of the COM
pany of the members OF the association on Friday
evening. Accepted.
Mr.. Brewster invited the members OF the asso-
citation TO view his hall of paintings in this city.
Professor SnLInAN, Sen'r, paid q high compli-
melt to Mi brewster as an art. sT!,s' and man Of
OF the historical paintings that are to be seen in
Mr.. Brewssr's hall. The invitation was accepted,
and the members agreed 10 visit the hall between
eight and nine tomorrow morning.
IL was proposed and carried that the afternoon
ession should commence at Il o'clock, instead OF
3 O'Clock.
$3.50 last year, besides ESQ from the Smithsonian
Society; and that, deduetng all expenses, there is
a balance OF col in hands, exclusive Of about
snion ;e opdsr e s,iass ~. M ,S
out Of 600 members not more than 30 had paid
their subscriptions. At the request Of the Trea-
surer, and on the nomination Of the President Pro
fessors Siiliman, Jr. and Hoeford, were appointed
auditors Of his accounts. The meeting then ad.
journed into three sections.
In the section Of physics and mathematics, Pro-
Rogers and LOOMS acted as Secretaries The
hrst communication on u new method Of OBJ
serving and recording astronomical Right Ascen-
sions and North Polar distances, by Professor o.
III. Mitchell, of Cincinnati, and well known
amongst the scientific men Of New York.
PIot MTcnKIL remarked, that at the last annual
meeting OF the association, he had given some out
line OF plans which he had contrived for observing
and recording astronomical observations, by the
ute Of the electro gnet and other auxiliary APP
psraius. lie now proposed to confine himself al
most entirely to the examination Of the results
recently obtained by the new machinery, in the
determination of North Polar distance. He stated
that the method of recording the clock beats and
minutes Of ransiis Of stars in the transit instru-
neDt, by the et ctro- gnet, had been in now
more than year. Dunng the whole Of this period
the delicate 6bre OF a SPIDERS web, which was so
arrBbged as TO unite The metallic lever the PEN
dulum Of the clock, by means Of which the clock
is made to record its beats, had never been
changed, and throughout this time not a solitary
second Of the clock had ever been lost through a
failure IN the formation Of the circuit by which the
electric cufreDvis transmitted.
lie then explained the three prime adjustments
Of the revolving disc, which the time and OBJ
seryatons are recorded. In the course Of his re-
Marks he had been led to notice the fact that the
minute interval Of time between the forming Of n
metallic circuit. by which electric current IL
transmitted through an electro magnet, aud the
response OF the magnet, "a not only apre cable, but
variable, and depends on variety OF conditions. |
This int rival he denominaied armature time. To |
give increased accuracy TO his observations Of right
ascension, he had found u necessary to measure |
this srmaiure time, and To determine its variations
This bud been readily accomplished by means de- |
scribed, and Il had been found that the srmature |
time 81 bis recording pens varied from an almost |
lnsIprecshle quantity, up to three, or even four
bundr.dths Of secOad VI time during the same |
night.
Alter few other explanations, the Professor |
Proceeded to give an account of his new declna- |
uon machinery. lie had abandoned the use ~ q !
divided circle Of zenih, or horizontal points 10 the
A a Re- mis-
~. thod he measured directly the diameter. ~ the
cifcl,s DESERVED by the cifcump polar stars around
the POLE, when this diameier did not exce, ~ deg
or 20 deg. OF arc. These ttars being well deter
mined. they became standards for the reference of
those objects more remote from the pole.
A COupafisGn was Instituted between the Ameri
cen otrervs tinLs az n. T. d. and those made az the
ksysl Observatory, Greenwich, Englsnd, in $780,