The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-01

much worn, but still Appear 10 have oeen Cead Tners
delicsis shells of nolluc from depths bejoad
500 fashoms, whore they were certainly living"
SECTION MEETINGS.
SECTION A, OF PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS.
Prof. Joseph Lovising, of Cambridge, Chairman.
Prof. W. Chauvenet, U. S. Naval Academy, Sec
rotary.
The Standing Committees consist Of its officers,
and Profs. Z. LOOMS, II. L. Eustis, and J. VIM
lock.
The first paper read before this section was, " On
the resistance of vertical plates Of tubular bridges
by Herman eampt Superintendent Of the Pennsyl
vania Central Railroad, read by Prof. Eusts." As
this paper Is very practical IN its nature, aud from
Of the ablest men in the country, will give it
Tomorrow.
Second paper -"On the Tides at Key West, Flori-
d. from observations made in connection with the
U. s. Coast Survey, by Prof Bache." As this paper
is practical and valuable, give you the following
abstract -
The results are from years hourly observation Of
the tides Fort Taylor Ke, West. Inc tides soo .sd
how twice In the twenty four honrs but The d,urnh
irr.sua,i,y eight is relatively large amounting
fifty sc feet reaching in extreme csses eighty
three feet The mean rise srd f. o. the tide beiog
dnrnal irtgulafity BY which successive higu or io~
waters may differ is very important Tue corrected e'
tab,i bnent KEY Wet is hours % minI'ss Tne
diagrams show the Ieeuari les Of these t,dcs oy tie
daily There besg two tides 10 the dss the oh
servatiops sdu II OF discussion bv The ordinary Detaod
by tsose adopted by me for ths TIDES OF the CUR OF
Mexico comparison OF the results as been Instituted
The halt monthly rregul.Iity is rho go IN rabe Aod
the acc ympanyirg diagram. the Ia. OF iute val and
height compared With theory, and the didee
very small The tran-it 20 whco the tide saou d be
referred is the BOD bvfore the high ws'er Tns
COZ st.nts are reduced from the formula. Toe di
urosl nIegolsity also obia,Ded by the usu.l
Method, Jha. OF high water is greater than that u
low IN the proportion Of seventy nine 10
arisoD Of The oiuss inequality IN ntrrv made
With theory The discussion nsou.d oy cscom pos,
s ibe Of obtrvatoa into two feni diu nal
and nal CONTEMPLATING The Interval bet seen their
ordInstes vsrissle. The mode OF aosstisg
~. clio nAaf
paTng with the Of observation ID sno 70.
The III curves compA ed On tina ciagrsm b-ore
referred to The hs moutnly inequality Of times aod
heights found IN this way agrees remarkably vito the
formula, sDd ooF'ec Ion beng applied Tor the d.
between the solar and lunar DAY agrees pssfec'y
With the previous results. Tney afe compared 10
on the diagrams. The oiurnsl Inequalities in
beg 4 deduc.d from the Daxmon ordinstes agree re
msThably with theory. Is tho~n by table std ds
gram in vhcn their results pared Toe expl4-
patton siven of the d rent Law fao rsd b,
squaiittes Of high and water. The diagrams saoE
different OF interference which tbs
rads'es and the distance bet seen the hga
waters IS made 10 vary. The sum Of the squares OF
the tih. rsr CT between theory and the computed
rearl,s after correcting for psralisx Of the moon,
Is les than huLdrsd.h Of foot for tue ~no'e
year Tbs d cucon of the value Of the iaervA bessssa
tbe cresa Of the t~o waves Is Ia progress Arem.rka
Bile change in The level of the water At KY West
throughout the year noc-d on edac Dg
the resuits The hgn OF neat tide 10 Aa OF
the higher the high Of spring tides Ia
the Other half This prob, os due 70 the snds, tDs,e
teDd raise the toc tbs hAroor prevailing duri1s
GRE h. Of year and thnss FEEDING u depe-s H tbs
other This by pohe, has not fully exxnined bat
Approximate results are pre- vhicn fead-r us scsd
Iaey probably. is no. tflr curioas that metoog
The results for the level in opposite parts VI the
year there the curious ii pointed out oy
Prof Airy, and hitherto fully eeduced from
ton bang half ssiar year Tor ts period, aod the
ether hall defamation pc iod OF the Moon. Adsgram
l. given 10 show that the results when stoapsi BY me
moons and suns deolipatons, sont0rm 10 the iA~ OF
change They co MT suahcs "a Criterion OF the ~avs
,beorv, or equilibrium tbe"y, the result Tor the NOON
requiring the snnssos 10 he zero, sad shose for the
~ hs one third or even greater
Prof. PIERCE remarked on this, that he thought II
impossible TO determine much this subject by the
thermometers; that the Dathematcians could never
make safe summary OF all these results; that rs
they were uncertain and must fail at last, it GER
tainly best to get at theory soon a. posi-
BILE, whether il be the equilibrium theory or any
other; and that this could be done by observations
only, such as those instituted by Prot. Baehe.
The third paper was "The Zodiacal Light, the
periodical appearance of heteors, and tie point in
space 10 which the motion OF TIE solar system Is
directed. by Daniel Vaughan. Cincinnati Read
by Prot Cbauyenet. This paper supposed that the
yodiscal light was caused by the COLLECTION Of large
number Of su All mesors in the path Of the The
paper was one Of speculation rather than mathens-
tics.
At the close Of the reading Prof Gould wishei
the author Of this paper was present, and could
show Of the mathematical f0rmn o. here REFER a
10. lie thought curious pager, full OF ingeniol -
specnlations And fancies. We are very ignorant OF
this zediaca light. ehsyc numerous and differin
10 observations and facts.
Professor PIERCE thought the efec. OF thu resist
ing medium would be 10 bring the axis of the orbit
OF al the cometary bodies In line at ri yht s1glss
t. the direction OF motion Of the medium and Al jig
trated lis opinions by diagram.
Professor HENRY said that he agreed ia the main
with the remarks OF DIR. Gonld, but thought that
perhaps DR.. u. was too severe upon spec stion.
Speculation restricted by proper conditions, is very
useful 70 science 1t should, OF course, be so con
Quoted es h lead to On exact discussion upon ithe
matical basis, while pure speculation. founded on
vague aDaloges mere imagination, should be dis
counteHanctd.
The fourth paper was ~ On the southeast monsoon
~ Texas the northers OF TEXAS and the tuf OF
Mexico, and The ABNORMAL atmosphere movements
OF The North American continent generally. by
Lorin BlodGtt Of Washington
Before this paper Vas read, Professor Henry rose
and remarked that large series of meteorological
observations had been instituted by the Smith sonan
Institution. by reason Of tie fact that nr Smithson
had bequahed bis money fol such pur 10 es Tor tle
advancement of human knowledge. These 0bprsa.
tons of Mr.. Bodg,t; had been maze under The
auspices Of the institution, aud sold be credited
Il. Mr.. Smithgon was worthy OF the hnuor aud all
these papers should be credited eman ting from
tho Institution. Mr.. Blodgeit's observ .tous were
valuable, atd as such should cmauate from tne
proper prornotive source.
Mr.. Blodgetts paper endeav0red 10 prove, am5ng
other points, mat TIE monsoon OF Iexa-, south.
east vino, wac caused by the air being heated on
the exposed surface Il the earth, aud r.ing 40
rapidly ~ to induce an innamin0 current from the
COLI Fix months IN summer aud ctce ysySu
After the lceditgo Of Nr BlodSetts paber. PROF. is0f
CAswELL asked whore the nesting surface Which
produced tho hitting ~ the dir was itu,'edf
Mr. BtoDGErr answered hat any 6ltbe laal On The