New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-02-05
NEW ORLEANS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

NEW ORLEANS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
Although the official address sgned,py VI ..
Cones as President of the New Orleans aS -
of Sciences, and published IN the okEstA 800
Friday last, speaks in suf1clenty eioquen
of the history of the Academy anu " 'to ..e.sS
~-,;oh demand a reorganization OF the msutu'loh'
!. 4 scarcely proper to let such an OCCASION
.,..s ,r;tbont adding few words by way Vi GU
courarement to this highly laudable ana penenoen.
,,ovement Whilst it is a source OF sreat ieste'
u, tbe collections which the Academy curing us
r;of ex;stence had been able to make fell sacfi'
g.. a. tho ruthless hand of war, it is gratifying 10
,.now that no efforts will be spared to effect a
r,s,orat;on of these much needed accessories OF
sc;ept;6c inquiry. Many o. the same puohc
snirited. perseyerng and intelligent men who laid
the foundations of the institution, are jealousy
engaged in restoring the fallen structure. zsWe
nav therefore reasonably hope that the New Or
leans Academy Of Sciences will soon assume
among the learned associations OF the word 'he
position which we ill desire to see II malntaih'
In the words of the address before referred 10
the leading objects of the society may be sum
marlv stated as follows: " To place IN the Guy o
New Orleans a varied and, as nearly as possible
complete scientific library, keeping Its DOCKS nlap
and Ea sfama eashaares and
scriptions; to this end, corresponding with the
principal learned bodies of the civilized world. :
But the main object is to acquire and disseminate
complete scientific knowledge of the physical
characteristics of the Enthusiastically OF
the delta of the Mssssppi-of its fora, its fauna,
its geology, topography, and meteorology. All
IL. a{- sc tytar arh
connected with the general coordination of physl-
cal phenomena. A problemto the solution OF "nieh
the scientific world directed in order that the
necessary processes of generalization may De com-
pleted.
| We may remark that point in which the AGA
DENY took very deep interest was the lhVesuga-
ton of the geological character OF the delta, as
connected with the boring Of the arteslan well IN
this city, Probably, in no other way could SO
| accurate an idea be obtained of the geological
history of this part of the continent and of the
relative ages of the various strata which lie be-
meath the al1uyial surface. The light which the
specimens collected by the Academy threw upon
the subject was of great assistance to General
Humphreys, in making up his estimates of the
probable age of the delta. 1t must be remarked
that dependent on the solution of this problem, is
another of vast interest to all philosophic minds
namely the settlement at least approximately of
the era of the commencement of the human period
on the American continent. We may state briefly
that the commencement of that period may be
assumed to be the time at which the Mississippi
river commenced to run-for Immediately beneath
the auyion of the delta is found the compact clay
Of the eocene, or older, tertiary period-a period
in which the dynasty of the megatherium and the
mastodon held undisputed dominion on the earth
General Humphreys came to the conclusion that
from the time when the Mississippi commenced tc
empty its waters into the Gulf, at point neal
Baton Rouge, up till the present epoch, abou
1900 years have elapsed 1t is remarkable, too
that this calculation agrees very closely with tbs
best estimates of the age of the delta of the Nile
Inquiries of this kind, besides many others o
equal scientific interest come within the scope O
the operations of the Academy, and it is pleasing
to know that they are in the hands of gentlemen
who will conduct them with all the zeal and en-
ergy which marks the devotee of science. Indeed
many, perhaps all, of the distinguished scientific
and literary men of our city have been connected
with the life of the New Orleans Academy Of Sci
ences Its first President, DR.. Josiah Hale, was al
eminent botanist and writer on the fora of tn
:
DR.. E. H. Barton, is known, we ma,
say, throughout the world for his valuable contr
buttons to meteorological and medical science; an
| of the recently deceased DR.. J. L. Riddell it ma
be asserted that, for varied and profound scientific
attainments, he was unsurpassed throughout tn
Southwest. Among those who have passed ava.
from EARTH leaving revered and honored names
and memories in the community, we may mention
DR.. Noah B. Benedict, the Secretary of the Acade
my, DR.. Samuel A. Cartwright, Rev. DR.. Campbell
Judge P. E. Bonford, Judge Theo. Fl. McCaleb
Prof. R. Fl. Chiffon, Prof. VIM. G. Duncan, Rght
Rev. Leonidas Polk, DR.. j. NJ. W. Picton, DR.. J
C. Smonds, Mr.. Thos. Cerre Copes, Green B. Dun
can, DR.. VIM. P. Sunderland, DR.. A. Permission
DR.. Charles Pride DR.. Samuel Hardy and R. K
Wharton.
4 We cannot more appropriately terminate th
notice than by quoting the closingf words of tht
address:
"Au these having ceased from their labors AMI
served well their generation, do rest in thei
graves while the living, striving world, advanced
and benefited by their genius, and enjoying thu
fruits of their patient toll. will soon forget, no
alone their benefachons, but their names. Shal
| they have worthy successors in the laudable tas
of fostering the sciences, learning and the usefu
and fine arts? Or shall the work they began, no,
partially destroyed by the ravages of war, be lei
to perish? Let the cultivated minds of New o.
leans answer.''
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