New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-12
SCIENTIFIC CONVENTION
ueetIpR Of the American Associancn Tor the
Advancement of science.
AT cIScIEEATI
rspecIally Reported Tor The Tribune.I


After a dreary storm which has extended from
Western New York 10 Cincinnati with little IN
terruption for the last week, the advent OF the
American Association for the Advancement OF
/ Science in the Queen City Of the VESTS crested
/ bvasunny ard cheerful day, which is the more
refreshing from the contrast The city Is lively
and full of business, and is increasing in size,
wealth and population in a remarkably rapid
manner. It's people are hospisable and enserPrls'
Ing its streets rectangular and clearly, its houses
neat, but very plain, and its healthiness quite II
| reproachsble-save and excepting slight touch
of a limestone quality in the water, which Is said
! 10 be improved by the infusion OF dropo brandy.
Report even gays that weak toddy ls an mas
pepsable requisite of the table, and that the land
lords aolicitOus for the health Of their customers
infuse the said brandy gratuitously. TINS 90
not vouch for but it is true, that Cincinnati wa
ter is cutie inferior 20 the Fairmourt, the Croton,
or the Cochituate. Nevertheless, the supply IS
/ abundant from the Ohio and tires are exElngusn.
/ ed with great rapidty SO we may abide all
/ minor evils.
! The present session of the Scientific body,
whose researches have already become so i'm
/ portant, will be an event in the history OF Gin.
| cinnati. 1t is the first meeting West Of the Al
leganies, and may not recur again for years and
| it behooyes the people to avail themselvesof It's
advantages while it remains with them. Ii is re-
narkable that the attendance on this occasion, so
far, is composed mainly OF the Scientific men OF
the East; very few of the Western and South
Weatern members having yet appeared. Several
| however have been detained from Unavoidable
cau.es and NAV send in writing the results OF
their ipvestigs tlons. Prof OWEN, the dlstln-
euisbed Geologist is engaged upon his Report to
| the Government, and cannot leave and others
| NAV be in the same category. Inc attendance
! from the Eastward Is much Larger than any one
| had Anticipated Among the arrivals are Protes-
/ sors AGAssIz and PIERCE Of Cambridge Prof.
| RAcHE. Superintendent Of the Coast Survey, aud
| President of the Association for the present
wear; Prof JOSEPH HENRY, OF the Smithsonian
| Institution Commodore WILKES, late OF the u.
s. Exploring Expedition; Professors BARD,
! WArKER, COFFIN and COAKLEY COL w MT
| tlesev aud Prot ST. JOHN Of Cleveland nearly
the sole representatives Of the West WILLIAM
/ C. REDFIELD, ESQ of New York SOLOMON w.
| RoBERTs Esq, experimenting Engineer OF the
Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad, and several 9th
ers The sessions Of the Convention will pro0a-
bly, occupy the majority of the week, and the pro-
! ceedipes will be more important than at almost
! any previous meeting OF the Association. Inc
| Investigations OF Prot. AGAssiZ upon the lOrlda
Reefs will be presented, beside number OF re-
suits in Natural History from different sections
OF the country, WnlCn nave Oeeu recently aAI0iicu
| by that ndefstigabe naturalist. Prof BEN
! PIERCE, Of Harvard College, will give very H.
| terestipg statement Of recent demonstrations IN
relation 70 the Rings of Saturn, from which It will
appear that instead OF two or three OF rings,
! there are nearly dozen. Com. w likes las luss
| completed his volume on the Meteorology ot the
Exploring Expedition, and will probably give
summary of the results l understand that he
| has also in the press, forming portion OF the
magnificent record Of that undertaking, two or
more volumes of large SIZE. One OF these is de
voted to Physics and another to the Conchoosy
! of the Expedition Mr. FOSTER, L. s. Geoogist
! on Lake Superior, has some important Information
! in regard TO the Mining operations and ancient
relics in that region. These matters will occupy
a considerable portion OF the Session.
The Association met at 3 o'clock this afternoon
| in General Session, with a large attendance
| The morning has been occupied in the arrange
| ment Of business IN the Standing Committee, and
1t is understood that the Propriety OF dividing the
| Convention into Sections was warmly dlscussed
! Many of the members oppose any division on ac-
count Of the lmpossi5lllty OF one individual sob
dividing himself as to miss nothing that trans
! pres. When there are more than two depart
ments thus formed, It is almost impracslcable 10
hear many Of the best papers, and It Is hoped the
/ division viii not be made, unless the amount oil
| business will render Il not only necessary but
| desirable.
The opening session, this afternoon, was called
to order By the President, Prof BAcHE, and prayer
was offered by Rev Mr. FISHER.
! The President .hen explained some OF tue do
tails Of the action of the Standing Committee Of
the Association, and remarked upon the necessity
of close adherence to them to get through in
any reasonable time, the interesting business
which will come before the Association. He
wished to call the attention Of the members TO the
necessity of coudensing the communications as
far as practicable, by emitting all matters not a :.
tHay new or belonging TO the progress OF science
The Association is for the Advancement OF science,
! & term adopted in a definite sense by the mem.
bers At the time Of organizatlon-Hot for the pro
motion, bat for The advancement OF science. How.
ever useful the diffusion OF science may be, that
is not the object of the Association, bat iEG ad
vsncement. 1t is for the increase, not the diHo-
sion and it is only by adheriOg TO this purpose
rieidy that the Association can gil the measure
Of its duty 10 the science Of the time aud OF the
country. The diffusion Of knowledge is q high
and worthy object, bat not the main purpose, or
even a main purpose OF these meetings. All mat
tiers not new, or tending to advance science, be-
longing to its progress, should be excluded from
the communications 70 be made, in which case
only the various new subjects 10 be presented
can satisfactorily be heard and discussed.
The Report Of the Standing Committee was
then read by the Local Secretary, Mr. RAINEY
The order OF business for the first day comprised
ak papers The sessions were fixed upon as
general, the sections being dispensed with The
Convention will meet at A. NJ. and sit till P. H.
and in the afternoon from B! TO 81 oclock-making
six good working hours per day. Beside this, three
evening meetings arc 10 be held, on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, which increase the
bours Of attendance TO eight or nine. This ought
10 suffice 70 furnish the fifty to sixty papers now
I'D In WednpaiGv AGAasFy
will give bis results in Florida and on Thursday
evening the Address Of the President Of the Cam
bridge meeting, Prof Henry, will, by request, be
re.deliyered