New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-17
THIRD DAY.

largest assemblage which has ever been seen al an
entertainment given to the Association. Concert ian
is immense. The main body is capable Of seating
geo people, and there are retiring ard refreshment
rooms innumerable. Toward 8 o'clock the human
food set in, ard aeon after that hour 2ooo or 3,ooo
people were promeDsdng in grand eonvertazione.
The bald Of the 39th Regiment contributed to The
festivity in the main hail. and Dr. Hare in small
CON nittee room exhibited little red'hared medium
in psntaloops-that and nothing more
To recount the beauties, the worthless and the dig
pares would be an endless, if not an mprudent task
OF the $50 members Of the Association who have
already arrived, 100 are accompanied by wife or
dau ehter and the elite OF Canada perfected the assem-
blage.
The numbers OF the audience and the size of the
auditory were 70 great, that Prof Halls address was
but imperfectly heard In fact, before ne had con-
Guided and he shortened it very much in the dev-
ety. considerable portion of the company had fopnd
its way to the refreshmentrooms. The collation. was
abundant from ts nature.
MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS
The section being called to order by Prof. BAeHE,
DR.. A. w. SMITH of Mddletown Coma, was ap-
pointed Chairman for the day.
The first paper was by the Rev. Gro. JONES, L. 3.
n, on the zodiacal light, as observed III Quito,
Ecusdor. during leave Of absence rom the Navy.
He reached Quito, owing to unavoidable hindrances,
late in August when the best season for observation
was past The atmosphere was SO exceedingly clear
that The zodaca light was visible entirely across tue
sky from west to east. HIS observations completely
established the fact that this light circle surrounr
ing the earth, forming an a1gle OF 81 ~ with the
elliptic the ascending node being at longitude b.
Mr.. Jones gave vivid description OF the brnancy Oh
A. r., in al
altitude, showing the stars and planets with as mucn
unusual clearness a. it shows this nebulous ring be-
tween us and the moon The width of the ring is
about $50, as seen from Quito and Its distance from
the earth something like loo, 600 miles.
Prof. PIERCE spoke at some length OF the novelty,
value and interest of this view of this zodiacal light
We might be proud OF its origin IN our country, but
We should also be careful that all necessary criticism
that by his Investigations Saturns ring, the sun
could not sustain ring except between Mars and Ju-
pier; and even there, the great tces produced Dy
those planets would break up the ring in small pOr.
tons, forming, peihaps the asteroids 10 sold per
number and weight, such as Saturn has around him.
In regard to our zOdacal light, IT cannot be composed
of small pieces because it can readily be shown that
they would pass in conflicting currents. Butt gaseous,
wby does il not show the great tides wbi n our lai ge
ana heavy moon would produce That It is really
ring is manifest, but here is difficulty in recouclng
the existence of ring with the non appearance OF
IL.
of further criticsm After Little conversation, the
subject was dropped.
Prof. BAcHE then read paper on the winds of the
Pacific coasts its object being practical, namely to
give Iuyigators information concerning the average
force and direction of the winds at different Seasons.
For scientific purposes these observations are aeo re-
duced to quantities. that s the quantity of air passing
,ch day and each hour OF the day IN diertnt dIec'
tions at San Diego, San Francisco and Astoria The
whole observations are beautifully represented by
three charts upon which the eye Instantly peIeeves
at what season of the year and what hour of the day
the wind blows in any dnection or win any force;
The observations at the three places are compared
with each other by means of otser charts. The hrst
general e u il the great prevalence Of westerly winds
showing great flow CT air from the ocean over tn'
land which increases IN Summer The lew east winds
are ON Winter mornings The west winds are usually
afternoon breezes from April 10 October June Is the
wind;est month, and September and March the most
calm months. - ,.
Prof HENRY next read paper by Mrs. Elisha
Foote uro,ipg that the rareiacton and condensation
of air produce electrical excitaton the kind OF cleo
tricitv VARYING with the condemnation or Iarefacton.
The effects on oxygen gas similar, but IN carDonc
acid Mrs. FOote obtained no results
Prof. HEsRY afteIward read a psper OF his own, II
lustated by large maps, upon the PHYSICAL conditions
oeIminiI the climate Of the United Staes He thinks
that we should rst consider and eliminate the better
known causes and pass TO the consideration OF more
variable and intricate pheIomena After the astonl-
cal poson Of the place the next great element Is the
motion of the air the first cause OF which Is the differ
ence Of temperature in the frigid aud torid zones.
Then comes in the peturbng nfiueneeo the condepsa-
ton OF moisture first pointed out by Mr.. Espy This
action Of the latent heat given out IL ram clouds must
be very great and produces many fitfnl changes in
wind ard weather. Afterward we must consider the
effect of the great ocean currents the cold currents
which creep down eastern coasts irom the pole, aud
the warner currents Ike the gull stream 10 MD ocean
and on Western coasts. Next 10 order come the noun
tain ranges and general elevations, acting by their al
tn ude and also by their direction The Professor
then distributed printed charts OF lie sotherma lines
In es on the North American Continent reduced 10
level From thefe charts il was evident that the Al
lechsnies produce TO sensible effect on our tempera
tuie while the Pacific mount AIS exert very marked
Influence lying they DO across the path 1.-THE wlnds,
he atng the winds by cOndensng and freezing their
moisture. These mountains cutting off all moisture
from the Pacific and the rotation oil the earth turning
the Gulf winds eastward, produce the great sterilty
Of The western parts of the Mississippi valley The
Prof, ssor then gave some general views concerning
The origin and cause If storms the eastern par! OF
tle United States giving the specuaons Of others, he
said rather than bis own.
Dr. WAYNE spoke for few minutes upon The
Irfuerce Cf The Gull Stream upon the summer Gil
aits Of the Atlantic Coast lie SAID The recent
examinations conducted by the officers under the d.
leotion If the Superintendent Of the Coast Survey
have shown that the bottom OF the Atlantic Ocean
presents Iarge Of mountains, pursuing similar
course 10 the Appalachian chains some distance back
rom the coast. These examinations have not yet
he,u COMPLETED but 20 far as they have been prose-
,u;ed they clearly demonstrate the continuity OF this
chain Of submarine mountains and ITS general course
Tne flee; Of this coLfCuraon Of the bottom OF the
ocean over the temperature of the water is clear and
rr,opivocal. The whole extent Of this influence has
not Iet beer Diet mined but thus far it shows that the
Gull Stream IS rot one uniform mass OF warm water
rursurr north easterly course along the coast at
ir,ttv uniform distance om ii, but series of bands
VAIN water. interpreted with colder ones These
bay. been laid down by Prof B.che with precision in
lis nap oereatieg the distribution OF temperature Of
m. Guif Stream An underlying Polar GU rent of cold
alter even in the more souihery explorations i like
wise clearly established The position Of Ibis moun-
tain Chain 10 a citing the temperature Of the air along
the ccas, ss well as the water OVERLAPPING IT, has been
az clearly demonstrated.
Lieut.. Msuiy in his pilot-chsrt OF the North Allan.
tic, has recorded the direction OF the wind for each