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

D,
gy in the origin Of the aurora boIealis, and of me
feoris showers hope, ereafer, TO be able tC
develope this analogy more fully than can be done
on the present occasion, and 10 investigate the
question of any possible connection with ethel
phenomenon and the zodiacai light.
Discussions the communications at afternoon
sessions being excluded, the reading Of the next
paper was called for 49,
the Nautical Almanac. He commenced BY stating
that Congress had evinced determination to
establish Nautical Almanac, by appr0priating
small sum for its preparation, OF which ne Lieut.
ID was called upon TO supenntend and he felt
that, while the work served The present purposes,
it should endeavor, also, to improve the means OF
safe navigation-that his own labors should be
turned 10 the best account, in order To render the
predictions the most valuable TO the practical as
ironomer that it should make worthy con-
tIibutioDs 10 astronomical science the most
honorable form of acknowledgements TO those
upon whom they have MI now depended !,
that it should add lis testimony; that
noble science was not neglected among as !;
and that it should promote he pursuit of that SCI
ence by encouraging, and IN some measure com
pensatng, some of those laborers IN this field, who,
though eminently worthy OF their hire, have as yet
borne the heat and burden Of The day, without any
other reward than our gratitude for the honor they
have conferred upon the cenntry, and that good
name which is better than riches. He considered
that II belonged TO his Office 20 advt that which
Is, and always has bee "a. the principal object OF
astronomy; and that is, Ia the language of Besse,
heavenly bodies, as they appear TO US from the
earth, Can be calculated All else that we can
learn of the heavenly bodes--fo for example, their
appearance, or the nature OF their surtacess not,
indeed, unworthy Of attention, but does not en-
brace the purely astronomical interest. Whether
the mountains Of the moon are formed in one way
or anotheris of no more concern 10 the astronomer
than Is a knowledge Of the mountains OF the earth
TO one who is not Astronomer. Whether the
surface of Jupiter exhibits darker bands appears
equally illuminated throughout, engages as little
his curiosity, and even the four moons themselves
interest him only by their motions. The problem
that has been, and Is to be solved by astronomy, is
to acquire such know ledge of the motiens of the
heavenly bodies TO be able to give satisfactory
account of them at all times. Lieutenant Davis
then said he had procured the cooperation of Pro-
fessor Pence, of Cambridge To whose talents he
paid high compliment, and also that Of several
others Of scientific emlDence.
Suggestions Changes of Level in North
America, during the Drift PERIOD" by Professor g.
b. Adams, If Amherst College. He said-lt il
not the design of thus communication to discuss
the glacial theory of drift its object requires that
this theory should be- assumed fact, and used
as a point of departure The objections to the
glacial theory lie against the origin OF the required
glacial sheet rather than against the dynamics Of
the theory; while the objections to the other theo
Iies lie against their dynamcs with serious If not
with fatal force. The suggestion, therefore, of
possible cause of vast glacial sheet, 5000 feet
thick, may not be useless, even II somewhat inn
probable. The hypothesis Is this, that the glacial
sheet was produced by great elevation Of land in
the northern regions above the present level Be-
sides the direct refrigerang influence of elevation,
the flow OF the tropical waters into the North At
lantic may have been essentially diminished by
the contraction OF the area Of the ocean This
contraction must have been much greater, it, a. ID
highly propable, the similar elevation of Northern
Europe was sypchronous with that of North Ame-
RIGA. Whether or not this elevation can account
for the origin of the glacial sheet there is direct evil
dence OF greater elevation than the present during
the drift period, in the continuation Of the dnft STRIFE
beneath the sea level, for II is well known that
glaciers cannot advance intothe sea. Unfortunate
ly, the impossbiity OF following the strie excludes
Us from the knowledge OF the most important fact
the greatest depth at which strie exist The pas
sage Of drift materials across basins which are now
hlled with water, suggests The came conclusion.
Such Of the right materials OF Cape Cod, Nam
tucket, and Long Island, could not have been
taken from the mainland by marine agencies, must
have been carried by glacial agency, and conse-
quently the intervening basins must have been
above the sea level The passage of the glacial
sheet, across the basin Of Lake Superior, presents
some difficulties, which are diminished by the
theory Of elevation. The bottom of this basin is
now, at least, one hundred and SIXTY five feet be-
meath the sea level. Without elevation drainage
would have been impossible.
IL 10 easy to ascertain approximately, the
amount OF submergence which closed the glacial
period. Submergence to n depth Of not less than
two thousand feet below the present level effected
the dissolution of the glaciers and introduced the
peistocene period.
l. The general proof of such submergence is the
elevation.
2. Special proof is found in the existence Of osars
at great elevations. A semcircular one, well char
acterized, occurs IN the town III Peru. Vermont at
an elevation between one and Two thousand feet.
y Other special proof may be found in the lines
OF ancient sea margins, which are much more rare
than the fuviatile terraces at later date. such
margin was found by President Hitchcock in Pei
ham, Massac husefts, at AN elevation of one thou
sand two hundred feet.
/, e. The most forcible argument is derived from
k. ~..s.. H.
sand and clay at the summit level Of longitudinal
valleys.
Professor Henry d. Rogers, of Boston, thea
gave his observations ON the coal formation of the
nited States, and especially ia Pennsy lvsnia. I
cannot give, in this communication. even an ont
line OF the Professors minute and able observe
tons.
This was followed Nv views on the mode
adopted IN the coast survey, for charts ~ currents
by Professor A. ID. Barhe, Superintendent Of the
". =. Coast Survey
On the velocity OF the galyanic current in the
telegraph wires, by Dr.. Is. Gould, OF Cambridge.
The following are the views Of Professor w b.
Rooms upon the different measures OF mech nicsi
power. lie referred 10 the writings Vt the late Pro-
iessorR Crimson, Of Edinburgh WHO, as he s~lieyeS,
had hrst set 10 clear and philosophical light the
origin OF the difference, ana had shown that. pro-
pefiy understood The two measures are ntirely CO.
lncident fTof X. then proce.ded 10 explais the
views which, In accordance with Prof Rob,nsou's
opposition, he has long been accustomed TO
maintain end teach. lie illustrated the difference
between the two modes Of measuring power bv the
example OF an arrow, sboi vertically upwards. and
! cannon ball discharged against a mass OF homo
Reneous wax or wood. The arrow when dis
charged with double velocity, will ascend 20 a
iusdruple height, and a cannon ball shot with a
fouble velocity against mass of homogeneous
Eas of wooc, VIII penetrate TO a quadruple depth.
In both cases ~ 10 he considered that the msss
moving with double velocity. will require the re-.
'istanoe to be continued for double time, Ia order
NAT ~ may he brought 70 rest. Hence, having a
fouble velocity, and double TINE Of motion, the
pace dsscribtd must be qusdruple. Thus in both
asses The woik done, that n, the product OF the
iists INTO The space described varies as the square
u the velocity.
Professor X referring 10 the use ~ the term
over, IN mechanical inquiries, objected to the con-
eplion 90 usual among ply scists of the frassfsra-
thfs of Power. This Involves the idea 81 power
= a distinct entity, something s-par sble from Que
nsss, and capable os u ~ere, OF b'ng pissed over