The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-10
The British Scientific Association.

which reach us by mail from the seat OF SEES
sion of the body in Norwich, present such
medley of Subjects extraordinary in incep-
ton, aimless in object, and for the most part
profitless by treatment and in inference and
conclusion, that they almost compel the COM
pound inquiry-Is there an exact limit to the
power of investigation of the human mind as to
natural phenomena and their causes, has that
limit been reached, and does man in his en-
deavor to exceed it illustrate merely the finite
of his own reasoning power, leaving the occult
matter just the same and making himself
ridiculous? We confess that the progress
of the MunainatS assembled in Norwich, like
as did the results attained in Chicago, 60 far
to strengthen an inclination to an affirmative.
In the English scientific assemblage within
few days Professor Newton read paper on
the Extinction of Copper-colored Butter
fly" which was at one time familiar in Britain,
and which may have been preserved in that
country with proper care, the learned gentle
man alarming, we presume, the few American
visitors present by his PREDATORY remarks lest
he was about to demonstrate how copper
colored political butterflies and reptiles may
be tended and perpetuated in this coun-
try during Presidential elections. In his
treatment Of the subject however, he did
not expand beyond the insular limits, and
kept closely to his first regrets concerning
the defiinct British fly, although not very
clear as to the date of its existence, its
particular use at the time or in what man
ner society loses or is injured by its absence.
Miss Becker, strong minded lady advocate
Of woman's rights, attracted great crowd to
listen to her paper son the Supposed Differ
ences in the Minds of the Two Sexes of Man,"
in which she said that if we cast our eyes over
the various subjects debated in the field of
politics, literature or science, as they affected
the interests of humanity, it was impossible
to avoid being struck by the entire omission
of all direct reference to the feminine portion
of the race, asserting that whether any dis
tinction existed between the minds of
men and women seemed to be a
proper subject for investigation by
scientific society, more especially as the ques-
ton involved practical consequences of a very
important nature to many millions Of British
subjects. Miss Becker ga learned lady, famed
for every branch Of every science known"
rolled up her paper without saying word
concerning the sewing on of odd shirt buttons,
the darning of stockings, cooking Of a beef.
steak or washing and dressing baby, leaving
all such small affairs to the British matrons
who did not attend in Norwich and who have
not yet heard of the ''Two Sexes Of Man."
The next paper, as if in happy mean between
the 'Copper-colored Fly" and Miss Becker,
was by Mr.. E. Charlesworth, F. G. S., "On
the Substitution of Hand for Shoulder Guns"
Illustrated by an explanatory exhibition Of On
elevator hand gun, calculated to destroy
greater number of men in battle and thus
afford wider field for the exertions Of en-
in the deadhead advertising line as was one
by Professor Zenger, of Prague, who went to
England purposely to exhibit new automatical
telegraphic apparatus. Professor Huxley took
ZIP the much vexed question Of whether life
can be sustained at the bottom of the sea, and
produced some slime brought up from the bot
tom of the Atlantic by the first telegraph
cable. He had re-examined this substance,
and what he had discovered was sufficient to
convince him that life existed at the bottom of
the ocean; so that mariners and shipowners
may set their minds at ease as to infusorim and
where timber-eating animalcula come from.
Mr.. =. lie Neve Foster Jr., read paper on
the Irrigation Of Upper Lombardy by New
Canals to be Derived from the Lakes of
L,gano and Maggiore," work which will
scarcely be undertaken in our day unless the
Italian Treasury should become suddenly and
most Unexpectedly flush of cash. A paper on
the cattle plague was brought forward by Mr..
w. Smith, honorary consulting veterinary
surgeon to the Norfolk Cattle Plague Assoca-
ton, in which he pointed out that treatment
by means of drugs, homeopathy and vaccina-
ton signally failed; SO that the New York
Board of Health is just now as far ahead on
that subject as are the agricultural societies of
Great Britain.
The only really useful matter, strange as it
may read Of an English scientific association,
came from Rome and from the pen of a Jesuist
Father Secchi, who forwarded to the section
on mathematical and physical science on in
teresting paper described as son Some Meteoro
logical Results Obtained at Rome and on the
Relation which Exists Between Meteorological
and Magnetcal Phenomena" Setting out
with the principle that meteorology is local
as well as a general science, and comparing
what is going on in different countries, the
Father finds relations of opposition and Of
similarity. The cases of opposition are very
rare; but in this year while the summer was
hot and dry in higher ATTITUDES of Europe it
was wet and rainy in Rome contrary to the
ordinary rule. These results, although oppo-
site, can be due to the same origin-that Is, to
different limit which has been reached by
tbo aerial ctirrents Tho author thou oht