The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-24
THE SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS,
American Association for the Advanccm ment a
Science.

/ AnAnD DAA-&oANiNU dENERAL SESSION.
i ALBANY, August o. 1865
The Chair was taken by Professor Hsl at ten mnutss
| past ten.
Ine following gentlemen were proposed for member
ship and elected-Rev. NJ Sturtevant W. B. Hodgson D.
s. Ixtes, DR.. s. E. Marsh, T. r. Ballard e. Hunserford
b Elliot, Osten Sacken Of the Russian Legation A.
Mccoy, DR.. Howard Townshend, Hon. s. A. Rockwell, G.
b. Spear, DR.. D. Anderson, ". d. Moranes DR.. W. W.
Sanger Or. A. Thompson Chas Rice and Professor A.
Crosby.
The Standing Committee offered a resolution limiting
the time to be devoted to the reading Of papers strictly to
the time set down in the programme and dscussioa on
each paper to half the time occupied to reading it, Car
ried.
1t was agreed that Dr. Blachford, representing the
Amtr rcan Medical Association be presented to the Ao-
citation to morrow morning
The Association then adjourned 10 meet In secons
SECTION OF MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY.
The meeting called to order quarter past ten
The President Prof PIERCE called the attention of he
section to the resolution limiting the time of reading and
discussion Of papers, which had been adopted by the As
sociaton
Prof HARE said that the limitation Of the time for dig
cussion he deemed unwise II papers to be read
and pas without discussion he did nos see much
use In reading them at ALL They generally paperG
that no person but the author could follow and
companed by mathematical demonstrations the black
board, which but few could understand These allow
ed TO pass without discussion merely like speeches
The PRESIDENT called the gentleman to order Thsre
WAS no question before the section.
Prof HART perseveret for some time in attempting to
order, arc he took his seat.
Prof. McCoY was called to The chair for the day.
The first paper read was by Prof STEPHEN ALxxANDKR
possible modification OF the methods OF ascertailin
the density OF the earth"
This paper, which was purely scientific experiment,
and devoid Of general interest elected long and tech
nica discussion in which Dr. Gould and Professors Bart
lett, Vaughan aud Henry took part the three former op
posing the method proposed by Prof Alexander as not
Prof. ALEXANDER explained that he did not claim for
perfection, but only improvement on the former sys
| tens.
The second paper was an nvestigation and CaIcula-
ten of the Results of General Process Of Causaon,"
by Prof JoHs PATTERSON which had no general interest
The third and fourth papers passed over and the
fifth was taken up This was s'0n the Notifications Of
sesquioxide Of Chromium" by Prof. f N. HoRsFosD.
The fourth paper was read by Prof. ALEXANDER, "On
the relative age OF the different portions OF the Moons
surface, and the catastrophe to which large porisn
seems TO have been subjected /"
Prof ALEXANDER said that at former meeting of the
Association he had offered some remarks relative TO- the
formations the being the those OF the
earth, and he believed the Association had been more
amused than convinced
The white portion Of the presented APPEARANCES
OF complete ncrustaons which seemed to show that the
moon had not only been subjected TO the same convui
greater extent and that the white portions vast bodies
thrown up by these convusions lie thought the difference
in the age Of these ncrustatons formations could be
ssceraned by the study OF their appearance The paper
cid not appear 10 fully carry out It's tte for neither the
relative age Of the portions OF the moons surface
the catastrophe that had led to their accumulation
| touched upon, except by bare suggestions.
Prof. VAUGHAN made some remarks respecting the pos
sibty OF eruptions without atmospberlca Tho
noon supposed TO have air, but he considered n
settled that without this the eruptons could have taken
| pace
Prof. MucIKIt said that the marks upon the moon
lake or ocean and on one side rocks There s DO
fggs wAsa the sun casts shaie over the lake, whhs
rcntly flowed river He used i6sse pSili pSilifh s,e2aa
there others to II singular tact that
thus river actually tunneled hl going in al one SIDE
Il -
Prot McIKrI said he did not mean to say aad did not
suppose there such things lakes and rivers In the
moon. was subject he did not profess to know any
thing about.
Prof CLARKE read paper on "a New Method OF Meas-
| uring Celestial Ares method invented By himself
Prof llEncf PAID high compliment 10 Prof Clarke,
and considered his invention TO be Of the highest value,
mechanical continuance OF his telescope, BY which the
management Of the INSTRUMENT, was placed easily and IN
trely at the command OF the observer, great i'm
provement OF ITSELF Independent OF the other recommcu
dations tha, could be urged In favor OF the method
lrof. BAc1E moved the appointment OF committee q
dve examine report tue result of
their invesiigaton TO the Association. Carried
Of the North Pacific ocean, with Chart showing their
Courses Of Progression by W. Q. Redhed.
This memoir comprised notices OF about thirty cyclones
violent character In the trade wind attitudes OF the
North pscihc As regards the several months Of the
one; April one; May two; June, two; Jaly ,nree Au-
gust, four; September, four; october SIX November,
our; Dccembcr one AT the Marian Islands, about lat
udc Is degrees north they are looked FOR in Decsmbsr
al January as well as in the summer mouths Various
other cyclones in the more northern atudcs 81 the Pact
| &c ocean we're also noticed In the commu ,icailon
Some Of the cyclones were well clucida,ed by dAts
obtained from ms losbooks and reports Of the United
| kindly placed them with Mr.. Reined for examination
and report. The route Of Of these cyc ones was
brought 70 the notice OF the last meeting at Provdencs
together with few other the manuscript chart
This chart with large additions IS new engraved ana w
l soon be pub ished.
In this memoir Mr. Redaeli notices The relations or ths
cyclones 70 the monsoons and the trade winds o. the
Pacific and he remarks, also, on the universally OF tho
laws OF cycionc progression aud seton 20 the lower por
tion Of the atmosphere throughout all oceans and geo
| graphic zonts
Professor HArr asked II Mr.. Rtdacli would explain
Mr.. RufIun said be meant wind tat blew, not I'm .
.rccs r, nne eas egrye more o. ~ snoua en-
occupying the attention Of the Association needlcsly
Professor Haas denied the tteory Of travelling whiri
1 winds, and announced that he about to publish
| boob which would settle the question He very
we're on Mr. Reded, who declined entering into any DIS
The hour Of adjournment having arrived the members
l scrarsed
1 Prot. Foster took the chair.
The order OF the day the discussion OF Prof DAw
tou paper on The geology Of Nova Scotia, read yeser-
Il was Iur,ber explained by Prof Dawson and sir WIN.
comment e. and to show that the analogy between
The sra,oca,on and geological formation Of Novs Scotia
| learned professor (Dawson) had supposed.
l Prof. Dawson explained again
Pro AcAsz all 1ded 10 The discovery OF turtle 10 the
white sandstone by Sir Wm. r. Logan he had denied al
the time that the impressions those Of turtles and
held that they were o. artlcglacs Of trlosnes lately
he had that rof owen had alluded 10 the discovery
| 81 triltbies IN The rock. He wished 30 know
whether the remark applied TO and the same fossil,
| or 10 two different discoveries
| sir WV LccaS replied that they were one and the
same specimens The hrst sen, 10 Prof Owen were not
very distinct, and the Professor admitted that he had
been deceived Ia supposng the trsces 20 be those Of
chelonIan and that tie tracks were crustacean nos
/ chelonian.
| Prot Aeasrz was quite satisfied.
Tho discussion was prolonged for some length, until
Prof Hnt observed that the time SLOWED by the rule
| had expired.
Co F,~oRy then said that the state OF his throat pre-
vented bis reading the paper he had prepared on the
| Topography, geology agricultural resources Sc OF the
country adjacent TO the boundary line between the United
| states and Mexico; but he would exhibit few maps
| which be did accordingly.