New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-05
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE AD-
VANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.
tom Our OWa Reporter.
FIFTH DAY.

10, and amorg the preliminary business, Special
Committee was appointed by the Chair TO repor; on
the proper sbbreviaton TO designate the Society con-
sistpg of Lieut. L. b. Hunt Prof w. b. Rogers, and
DR.. Loomis Of Washington, ID. C. Conspicuous among
the me MIXERS present the Hon. Thos. Ewing and
Com. Wilkes, L. s. n. The latter gentleman wore as
ccmpacent face though his paper on the Zodiaca
Light had not been published in the Montreal pro-
ctedirgs.
Prof. Rogers of Glasgow proposed an amendment to
the Constitution, BY which ladies could be admitted
to membership. Tie proposition under the Constitu.
ton, must lie ever one year.
TIE final meeting for adjournment was fixed at )
oclC OK to morrow afternoon.
Prof. Coffin offered two resolutions concerning the
admission OF members, which gave rise to debste en-
its constitutionalty, by which much time was wasted
in Oiatorics display The resolutions were finally re-
ferred to the Standing Committee.
Section was organized by calling Prof John Lee
conte of :. G. to the chair.
Prof Caswell reported resolutions from the Special
Committee indorsrg Mr. Runkles project for msthe-
ma,cal journal, and Mr.. Rubkles ability to carry 1t
out. =,
The resolutions were unanimously adopted, as fol-
Rt,o,red rhs; we deem the easblishneu. of mathematical
Journal upon plan proposed BY Mr. nunke well exc.
cled TO be highly important 70 the ms,hsnses Ss
full confidence in MI Rnse to DO justice 70 se tax which he
has undertaken. (sigued) 4; CAsWELh,
6Eo v, coAKIsY
Ii was voted that the Section subdvide, and that
Chemistry and MeteorOlogy be allowed TO form asuo-
Prof. s. Alexander read paper on the " Numerical
Harmonies of the Solar System lie lad shown al
Montreal that il we suppose OF the planets 70 %
double planets we can fulfill the phylloaotic series of
nun bers with remarkable accuracy. lie now pro-
ceeds to show simple law on which this doubling or
dividing of planets takes place. He also showed many
special analoges between the sever. half planets, and
aso between the several double planets. lie showed,
also indications that the periodic comets supply the
place of planets missing in his series, apd closed with
summary of inferences and facts elected by hs
invent gators.
Mr. Cbauncey Wright offered some criticisms on the
paper ...,..
of a much more careful Investigation OF the move
mepts Of the Florida Gulf Sream. lie thougnt that
the difficulties of navigation among those reefs were
exaggerated and that the rates OF insurance there
were too high Nevertheless, the risk Is great and
he thought national potsge should be established
From ersona observation at Key West and the neigh
borhood Lieut.. Ii. was convinced that the popular
views of the movements of the currents there embody
serious errors. All currents are accompanied by ed
dies or reflected currents and this phenomenon isAes
place on magnificent scale in the ghborhood OF the
Florida Strait and knowledge of these eddies is OF
great vantage to navigator there but Is acquired
with difficulty since the eddies vary somewha. wththe
season and the winds. The paper was illustrated oy
maps and fortified with aburdaI quotations from ship
masters accustomed to that region, both from success
full and from sbpwrecked men.
Prot. PIERCE made some remarks upon the hydrooy-
nsncs of currents in which he corrected the popular
error that curreLt naturally tended to move IN
great circle This would only be the case were the
earth stationary As to the heapug of the waters IN
the Calf by the trade wnds-the original theory OF
Frsnkir-it was theory worthy OF that great man.
1t would require only nine inches elevation In the
Gulf produce the whole current Of the Gulf Strean
Prof. Bache stated that the Coast Survey had been
0r five years more studying the course OF the cur
rents in that region and that they would continue to
observe them. Very many experiments have been
made and floating bottles thrown over to indicate the
course of the waters.
member gave an interesting account Of bis per-
sor al obse sons the stranding Of drtwoods from
South America, and also from the Upper Mississippi.
Lieut.. L. Is. Hunt very earnestly dlscaimed any in
.enton discreG the exertoDs Of the Coast Survey
to theorze against the settled deductions Of hydro
d. namics.
Prof. Joseph Henry gave the results Of SONS sbser.
ya,iops made in September 1857, upon the spray Of
Niagara nom which il appears that vapor Is there
produced which actually forms clouds; those clouds
he WAS assured sometimes became electrical, aad
were turned into lncpient thunder showers. The base
# tie column Of spray is evidently made of solid
spheres Of water since it produces rairbows; but the
upper part produces no prs matte coorsLt Is cloud
that s according 10 popular view, vescular-accord
small globules. But bis principal observations were
upon the temperature. The question was whether
the water in tun6liDg over the great ca ti
oped in body falling $50 feet Is supposed to be
equivalent 10 one degree OF Fahrenheit. The temper.
ature OF the air was about ~. The water abo the
Fall, tested in various places, was precisely oy me
micdle of Lake Huron two days before, was only 81
This rse d. ubtess due to the sun and air on Lake
Erie. On testing the water below the Fall he fouod 1t
50 Co., II any heat had been generated BY the Fall
Il bad betn carried Of by evaporation and ascend'd
with tie CLOUDS from the spray Seven hundred thou
sand tuns Of water pass over every minute Ihs I'M
nepse power i. partly used up in shaking the earth,
partly in making the roar smother part 10 making cur
rents, &C., so that but small part may be used in
enerating heat.
Pref A. ID. Bacbe presented paper by Mr.. Joseph
S,1tOD, the application Of rotating mirror 10 the
sueroid barometer. TIE Professor stated that NJ.
Ssxton had applied 70 arg mirror, as carly % 1872
TO the measurement of expanding metals and TO the
compep saion pendulum. He exhibited It 10 LONDON
1884 and has since applied it TO the base apparatus
OF the cceft Survey In this application use Is s'o
made Of CAUSES principle OF reflected ray. Inc
attest app icatiop is 70 the anerOid barometer he
thus removes TIE uncertainty OF the motion of the
~heelwork in the instrument, substituting the motion
If tied besm Of light This renders the anerold
much more delicate ana eccuraue TuPiesonioOoi
th8n any in existence.
Mr.. Avian Clark remarked that he had used a rota-
ting mirror 10 great advantage IN cenerng the lenses
o, telescopes Mr. CLARK, 1t will be remembered, Is
ne Boston sItist WHO has succeeded 80 marveously
. the manufacture Of object glasses.
The Section now adjourned.
Ia the subsection OF Meteorology, Mr. w. +. VIII
lsns had been reading come notes upon the tempsra-
'O Dr Henry wurtz ef Ne~.York read p,per upon
tie detection of nitric scid with observations ON the
&C ion Of esquisal's Of iron upon indigo and metallic
g, al 90 naturalization Of the colors Of metallic
,y'utlors, Illustrating it by experiments DR.. Wurtz
slso read curious note upon the slow corroson OF
eaden bu It, mbedded for thsn forty years in
m4bs Ing.
All the Sectors reunited at o'clock 20 hear pi-
per BY Dr. Isyes Of the second Grintell Expedition
disouSsfg some VI the evidences brought ~ light n
that expedition TO prove TIE existence Of opsu water
40 Ut the pole. he briefly referred TO Rinks charge
70 biz paper recently reed to the Royal Geographical
society. Of fslsehood agsinst Morton, and lack OF
rtnetistiou IN DR.. Kane. After falI discussion OF
TIE geographical questions DR. Hayes announced that
be ~as earnestly engaged 10 endesyodpg 20 organize