The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-03

| mitted to prison for further examination.
| Vim. LINEN, Post Office clerk has been arrested
at Fayetteville, n. c., charged with robbng the
| mail.
Inc Scientific Convention at Gle vcland-Pr0-
gress OF Science In the United states.
| In another column will be found q continu-
alton of the proceedings Of the National Scien-
tiic Convention now being held at Cleveland.
As critics say Of novels and Serials the interest
awakened by the proceedings of the previous
sittings is fully sustained. New stores of valu-
able information are being opened to view;
new light has been thrown on obscure
points of the worlds anatomy; science is being
robbed OF her secrets, and the complete mastery
Of man over matter is in process Of being
finally achieved. Transactions which may
fairly compare with those Of any scientific body
| in existence, will be compiled from the COM
| bined labors of the eminent Americans who
| have met to communicate the results Of their
study and observation to each other and to
the public. Discoveries may well be ex-
| pected Of them, and practical adaptations
| of the fortuitous discoveries of others, which
| will reflect honor on themselves and their coun
| try, and confer lasting benefits on the world at
| large. We may say Of them what we said a
| few days since of agricultural societies and
| fairs they are product of modern times, a
| comparatively recent invention based upon the
| old rule, that two heads are better than one
rule which has only received practical ap-
| plication in our own days. What fairs and
shows have done for agriculture, philosophical
societies and scientific conventions have done
for science. Out Of the one have sprung i'm
proved methods of fertilizing the earth and
new and ingenious implements for tilling it;
out of the other are daily proceeding new theo-
| ries and inestimable inventions, which smooth
the tolls and increase the happiness of man.
kind
To Mr. Redfeld's valuable paper on the use
OF the barometer on the lakes to Professor
Roche's speculations on sea bank in connec-
ton with the Gulf Stream ; to Professor Bache's
further discoveries on the theory OF the tides
to Professor Brainard's theories on the sand
stone conglomerate to Mr.. Haupt's essay on
the resistance of vertical plates in tubular
bridges; to Professor Brocklesby's paper on
springs, and rises Of water therein we have
no doubt that the remaining days of the SEES
sion Will add other treatises equally rerlato
with information and value. A whole world
remains yet to be explored. Astronomy is in
its infancy. OF pneumatics, the anatomy of the
atmosphere, and the means of navigating it we
have barely an elementary notion. Geology
is as yet hut theme for speculation and dis
cussion. Cosmogony is trackless desert.
Even Of mattria medica we know so little
that the faculty is divided in nearly equal
portions between professors who pretend that
the curative power Of drugs is in direct, and
others who assert that it is in inverse propor-
ton 10 the quantity used. Between the two
the lay public is no farther advanced than it
was In the days Of Moliere, when QUA est in
go rirtus dormitiva was complete and salts.
factory answer to the pregnant query, Quare
opium JGcit d0rmire?
All these and other important problems will
one day lie solved. We do not even despair OF
the soporifc powers of opium being intelligbly
explained. Nor can we doubt that leading
part in opening pathway through the fast
Desses OF science is reserved to the associate
iabors of our American professors We are
fImly persuaded that many of the discoveries
which are in store for the world will hereafter
be credited to our scientific conventions.
See what our scientific men have achieved by
their unaided efforts. Go back as far as the DAYS
o. Franklin, and calculate how much the world
owes him. who said to the thunder: "Thou
shalt be our slave!" and to the lightning
= Thou shalt obey our law!D Bear in mind the
step which steam navigation took under Fulton
and tracing the progress Of the science from his
clumsy boat rolling heavily along the Hudson
at four miles an hour, to the magnificent steam
ers which now bear Collins name across the
ocean; never forget Americans, that as the first
adaptation of steam to marine purposes was
made by your countryman in your waters. so
the most successful application of the discovery
still belongs to you. Nor are your steamers your
only title to the supremacy Of the ocean
American yachts have outstripped the feetest
sailing craft Of Europe; and American dinners
still monopolise those branches of traffic in
which speed and safety are essentially re-
CURED. Soon indeed, may we confidently ex-
pect that improvements on Ercsson's calorc
engine will enable it to supersede both steam
and sails; and Of this discovery also America
will have the credit. Need we speak of the
telegraph of Morse's patent. superior in
1887, to any telegraph used in Europe of the
present day OF Houses wonderful invention.
as extraordinary by its striking results as by
its beautiful mechanism In every branch of
science facts equally gratifying to our patriot
ism meet the eye. Our pbysieia ns discover the
extraordinary properties of e5loroforn and
disarm the knife Of its power Of ialcting pain.
Whitney economies labor, and facilitates
The Development Of our produce with
bis cotton gin. Lieutenant Maury dis
covers a new theory Of the oceanic cur.
rents. by which the unuann " cL. 4