The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-04-30
Reported for the Daily Exchanged
TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING
OF THE
AMERICAN AssoCI TON
FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.
SECOND DAY-THURsDAY,

SECOND DAY-THURsDAY.
The Association re-assembled Yesterday morning
at 10 o'clock, in the Maryland Institute, and was
called to order by Prof. Alexis Caswell the temper
airy chairman.
There was in attendance a large number of our
citiz ms, great proportion of whom were ladies.
The Standing Committee, to whom had been
ferred the matter of nominating permanent pre-
siding officer, submitted the name of Prof Caswell,
the temporary chairman. Their report was unani-
mously adopted.
The chairman thanked the Association for thus
again honoring him. He regretted a better
rangement had not been made, but would serve
them the best he could.
Prot. Alexander moved that the Standing Com
mittee inquire into the expediency of establishing
some regulation providing for the contingency of
the absence of the President and Vice President
at their future meetings, or their declination to
serve, which motion adopted.
The Standing Committee submitted the following
names of gentlemen who had applied for member
ship to the Association, all of whom were unani-
mously elected:
DR.. f. II. White, Baltimore,
Prof. w. +. Aiken, %
DR.. E. X. futile, University Virginia
DIR. Lewis Steiner, Secretary of the Local Com
mittee, submitted to the Association the annexed
invitations to visit the various named points of in
terest in and adjacent to the city:
From Geo. U. Porter, Secretary of the Exchange
Reading Rooms, rendering to the Association the
use of their news files, &c.
From Dr. j.. j. Graves, to visit the House of
Refuge.
From DR.. Donaldson, to visit the Church Home
and 1ntrmary.
From Geo. N. Eaton, President of the Board, to
visit the Public Schools.
From VIM. Norris, to visit the Mechanical Ba-
kerry.
He also read letter from Maj VIM. H. French,
commandant at Fort McHenry rendering tho Asso-
citation an invitation to visit and inspect that me
morable spot, and to witness the evouions of that
famous arm of the service-the light artillery The
letter also announced that Secretary Floyd of the
Cabinet would meet the Association at that point.
He read another letter from Sir VIM. E. Logan
OF the Geological Survey, of Canada, announcing
his regrets at being unable to attend this session.
from official duties, and also rendering the thanks
of the Scientific Association of Canada, for the aid
furnished by this Association at late session in
Montreal
Prof. Bache moved that a vote of thanks therefor
be rendered, and that all these communications be
referred to the Standing Committee, which motion
prevailed.
tee had arranged an excursion down the bay for to-
morrow, Saturday. for the purpose of visiting
Fort Mclienry and Fort Carroll.
On motion of Prot. Bache, the invitation of Ma
Jor French was accepted and vote of thanks ten
dered him for his protfered attentions.
There being no further business claiming the no.
tce of the Association, a general body, for the
day, it adjourned, and divided into sections.
SECTION A.-PHYSIC.
INCLUDING MATHEMATICS, ASTRONOMY, CHEMISTRY
TECHNOLOGY AND CIVIL ENGINEERING.
This section again met. Prof Henry the Presi-
dent of the former day, in the char;-and the pro-
ceedings thereof being read he, according to pre-
vious custom, nominated Prof Bache as chairman
for the day. His nomination was unanimously con-
Cured in, and that gentleman assumed his position
He announced that the first business claiming
their attention was the reading, by its author Of
Paper No. l-"Researches in Analytic Morphology
Part First of New Theory of Curves. BY Benz
PIERCE"
The reading of this paper was listened to by the
audience with an attention which evidenced that
Its contents were earnestly appreciated but as the
gentleman announced that it would require math-
ematcian at least hundred million of years to
fully solve this theory, must decline following
him In his laborious researches. At its close the
author was greeted with much appreciation in the
way OF applause, while he was congratulated by
several gentleman upon the result of his researches
in that particular.
The next paper read was "On supposed Person
al Equation in determining Latitudes by Tacott's
Method, by A. d. Bache."
Previous to its reading, however, Prof. Henry
announced that, there was a room in the north
wing unoccupied, and that the echo from the other
division OF the main hall was such to mar the
effect OF the reading in this, he would move that
TINS section adjourn thereto, which motion pre-
vailed.
The paper reviewed the operations of Talcott's
method of determining ATTITUDES, which it denoted
the most simple and correct of those yet discov-
cred and made practical, and urged that his in
strument was not affected by Personal Equation
cnarC Vi lts operations DelnS submitted TO sustain
what was claimed for it.
The next paper read was "On Wethered's appli-
cation of combined steam, by c. E. Wethered-
read by Dr. Lewis Steiner.
The paper comprised detail of the varied ope-
rations of steam when super-heated and the differ
enees presented between its effects and that of
ordinary steam
frof. Henry desired to caution the Associa-
ION against endorsing the propositions of
th. AUTHOR OF the paper, he was of the opinion
t tha' l1ey could not be practically useful with
GA onao ry engine, and before they received the
or1d Ssnent OF the Association he hoped they
"9ald De tested more fully than had vet been DONE
IIoi; ooseph Lowering next read n paper ssOn the
Australian instrument called the Poomeranp" The
| paper contained description of This instrument
which is used as an implement of war. and renre,
sented as being of the shape of the reann sckln of
olden times, made of wood sharply poiSStad and
being thrown by native skilled therein IL on 't ha
used with dangerous effect, at distance of f;ftv
yards its progress being of rotatory cbaractar!
The reading of this paper succeeded by earnest
applause, having proved highly entertaining.
Prof. Stephen Alexander next read a paper s.On
the curve of Swftest Descent" illustrated upon the
blackboard, and through the aid of which alone can
its contents be described.
At the close of its reading the Section adjourned
to this morning.
SECTION B.
Section b. was called to order BY Prof. Swallow
VINO NO that L. II