The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-04-28
.4Ome Gorr&sgonbente.
Our Philadelphia Letter.
PHILAprIrH1A, April %, 1s6O.

PHILADELPHIA, April ~, looo'
Mr.. EDITOR last lecture in the
course before the Banneker Institute was
delivered by Mr.. Jacob G. White, Jr., on
Tuesday evening last, in the lecture room
of st. Thomas Church. After mentioning |
that the subject upon which he should
speak would be dry one, Mr. White pro-
ceeded to discuss facts in the history OF
mathematics. He said: at is true that
the discussion of ones and twoS, KS and
US, hypothenuses and perpendicular, tan
gents and co-tangents, cyclaids and by
perboles, seems at first sight to be very
far removed from practical application;
and formidable array of letters, lines and
figures has little in it to impress the unin-
itiated with belief of the attachment OF
any utility to it. But we will point out
some of the uses of the science and leave
it with each one of you to determine for
himself, whether it be of any Importance
or not Mathematical principles are ne
cessaryin mercantile transactions for keep
ing, arranging, and settling accounts, regu-
lating the price of goods, estimating the
profits of trade &c. in navigation, for
directing the courses of vessels on the
ocean, for placing the sail in the most IA
vorable positions, calculating latitude and
longitude, the bearings and distances of
points on shore, &c.; in surveying, which
is kindred branch, for measuring, divid-
ing and laying out grounds, fixing boun-
diaries, and the like; in civil engineering,
for constructing bridges, canals, railroads,
aqueducts, &c. in architecture, for estima-
ting the strength of materials. forms of
arches, &c. The science is of great use in
constructing defences. Many changes
have been made in the art of building for
tifcations. They have been rendered
necessary by changes in the mode of war
fare, and have been adapted to suit circum-
stances and afford such protection as would
be equal to the emergencies. If any one
will gaze upon the heavens, survey the
arched dome from horizon to zenith, think
of the magnitude of our invigorating and
life-giving sun, OR of the less fiery lunar orb,
try to conceive of the immence distances
of the fixed stars, and then turn for mo-
ment and think of the precision with
which the revolutions of the different plan
cts are calculated, the accuracy and min
uteness of detail which characterize the
calculations of eclipses and indulge in the
thousands of other thoughts which will
suggest themselves to cultivated mind in
the contemplation of the wonders of the
armament, and the application of the
science to astronomy will be readily recog-
nized. While those of old were obliged to
be content with viewing with wonder and
admiration the creations of the Omnipo-
tent which bestud the sky, we, with the
light of mathematical science, can appre-
ciate his works more fully and demonstrate
what to them was, at most, conjecture. l
have in mind an instance of Philadelphia
lawyer who was in the habit of reading
and studying 'Euclids Elements as
means of making him reason closely; and
his success as an eminent man in his pro-
fession attested the advantage of mathe-
NAUTICAL study as powerful and effective
instrument in mental discipline" In this
interesting manner the lecturer continued
to cite cases where the application of
mathematics were a necessity-an indis-
pensable agent. He traced the history of
the science throughout the various stages
of its origin and improvement since the
dawn of authentic history, and concluded
by citing some interesting cases of indivi-
duals who possessed rare mathematical
talents, and among them a negro boy, as
follows: "This slave had no idea of God,
and when asked who made him, answered
nobody. He had never been over half
mile from his birthplace, and not mind
enough to do the ordinary work of slave.
He would not ask for anything or touch
food, however hungry, unless it were offer
ed to him. He was never known to CON-
mence a conversation with any one, nor to
continue one, beyond merely answering
questions in the fewest words. He did not
know letter or figure, and still almost
the only manifestation of mind was in re-
lation to numbers. He gave the product
of any two numbers under 100 with as
much certainty as school boy would give
you the product of l2x12. He multiplied
thousands, added, subtracted and divided
them with as much certainty, though with
greater mental labor. Having made
some calculations, says Mr.. Hammer, we
asked him 99x99? He answered, 1901.