New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-13
TIE BRITISH SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION

FssOR FRANCIS WILLIAM SEwMANsPAfEhS
-siR john DUKE COLEIIDGE OH On mr. -, "a. .,,r
GARIrY OF THE RAGE OF NE"NH'' Nv mn
Miss BECKERs SPEECHES
lFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
Evv,vp Arc d IT isaucw invention of these
later generations that men Of science should meet
together They encourage each other ana they III
snire outsiders Many solitary thinkers make INC
acquaintance acquire the friendship and Obtain the
aJyicc of costudents. II science be thing IN ltSeI
of Glory and benefit, it is great thihg tnaV '''
yotaries should acquire on their ardnouS way GU
couragement and inspiration. rev thlngS arc '"olo
pIeasin, and promising for good than the generous
I'D oo,li,I way in which the leaders of science
81 ,,,,liclv Of each other. Society recognizes the
olua NJ the students of science. In the glorious
Summer which prevails this week in Exeter the
Aaos hang ont day and night in every portion OF TINS
noble old city Science is welcomed as a KING ana
o,oror No tbeOlogians excite the same enthu-
sasnl. No flags wave IN England Wbele LnfS n.ano
an advent. The nation knows now lts denYeIei H.
and rings its bells. waves its banners puts on us
holiday clothes, and makes Jubilee wherever iiei
tread new and prOud power mas allseh' M ni
moves like royalty without taxation ana olhuSeS
Irosi,i,nt George Gabriel Stokes made the public
pronainted with the latest stellar facts and OF the
methods by which may now measure the approach
or recession of distant stars, ana explained tnaII
Sirius is Tetreating from MS. Inc PRESIDENT staeu
verv clearly the respects in which this association
of men of science is distinctive. and how III JuStlheS
itself SCleitlnC societies, he S;lt COIlCCJ pun
fish to the world the results arrived at by Isolated
students in or other special branch III when ue
Society is concerned. But who is to survey me whole
of these societies. and collect their general results
N they remain unknown, men of science are in
danger of wasting their time III SOLVING prop
lens already solved To prevent this this
Association appoints competent persons to report
upon the progress made IN each great
department of scientific Investigation. mus mus
investigators were guided 10 make new discoveries;
and a general method of study was Indicated ana
enforced. This was sueclnct relevant ana delelS-
i've statement much needed ana uSel9 III ocean
soundings, he stated that animal life had been found
in considerable variety at depth of 200 tathoms
Newspapers would have a very feeble circulation
down there, Sir Stafford NOrthcOtc. who was IN the
Indian Department under DiSraeli and wanted to be
Chancellor of the EXcheQuer, seconded the motion
made 10y the Earl of Devon. of thanks to President
Stokes. and expressed himself very much concerned
10 hear that the solar system was ltSet moving
through space M the rate of 1900 miles minute:
Sir Stafford is afraid shall go of all together ANA
being politician OF the stationary school ne ODecIS
10 the universe moving on, Next session ne VIII
probably make motion IN Iaiilanet upon llo s,,D-
ject FOrty-three thousand miles day Is SATIRE
upon political immObility.
Exeter has its complement of local wits. Exeter
Change one poetical producuon-the " Mag
atherium" was better title of another. But the
highest compliment was the erection of new hall
TO hold the philosophers m, IL Is PLAIN put sue
1t holds nearly 1000 persons, and IS admirably
adapted to the voice 1t is a perfect,hearng hall;
In the cathedral town of Lichhed the Town Council
have lately erected magistrates ROOM III whleh the
effect produced by their worShips voices is SAID 10 be
that of dozen people chatterlng IN a drum. Inc
proportions of the Exeter Hall l32 feet in length
ly o. feet in breadth. The ceiling Is arched, rising
from the walls % feet high, and reaching hight OF
a. feet AT the crown The orchestra where the speak
ers stand is dOmed. The floor aud gallery hold 1000
chars.
Fuller in the seventeenth century, said Exeter was
q Clearly city. The AheagWm quotes adiSagreeable
remark of SOutleys made sixty seventy years ago.
Exeter is ancient and stinks This could never be
eyery place, in part The city is most bright and
fresh now. Its sunny sort of York As in all
cathedral cities IN England there narrow intOler-
ance, and a broad, valiant lDeralty me UeSt@A |
Times gave expression TO this sentiment during the
meeting of the Association. The New" Victoria
Hall IL said, did not fall and crush the 1000
thoughtless persons who crowded into it to meet the
high priests OF science, an event 70 which many
persons IN the city apparently looked forward.
ACKNOWLEDGED the toast of the clergy. He said the
Bishop, it was true had not come forward as a
,lasm nor vet of the umbci Of analla9amat1c sur
1aces-but he had studied the queen OF sciences,
fleoogy and had left his mark upon his day. The
Kind OF mark the Bishop has left The Bestop
Times explained 10 the Association in these terms:
I'VE have an Established Church which IS set up 10y
the State ms teacher Oh relIgQh' III mas dohe
great deal in this respect If we look at the stock OF
religion with which it set mp. The Bishop OF the
diocese who is the head teacher of re giOn here ap
pointed has never been noted for any superabund-
anCe of religion himself. II giving freely out OF a
slender stock denotes liberal mlnd then assuredly
Bishop PhillpOtts hath been liberal teacher of Te
lgiOn. lie not however, as teacher of religion
that he got his appointment here lie
an ardent ana ulStlupulOOS pOlllCldn lie
wrote pamphlets of very abusive character in sup
port of the Tory Government of the day. and for his
service in that direction he obtaIned the promise OF
a bshOpric He defended the Tory Government for
their conduct in respect to the Manchester massacre
He published q pamphlet against Queen Caroline,
and had a general aptitude for taking the stronger
elde-for lie was bent OH making money, and on
making high position in life. The language of his
pamphlets abusive, and the style scuTrllous. |
When he prosecuted the editor of this journal for
libel some fourand twenty years ago, the pamphlets
were produced in court IN proof OF tins statement
Exeter journalists, You will see do not lack sharp
pens nor independence Of terms.
Exeter has many buildings OF age and renown. The
Guildhall projects INTO the High-st The massive
ANTIQUE structure has stood there amid all the |
changes of time and fortunes OF more than 800
wears. The two great northern towers of the |
Cathedral rise square and massive over all other |
buildings The front of the Cathedral is ornately
sculptured. No end Of figures, now much decayed |
crowd its front Within, in the imminent room, is a
miraculous copy of the DOmesday Book. William |
the COnquerOr had two copies made OF that remark
able work One of these copies is in Exeter Cathe
dral 1t is 800 years old 1t has never left the place
The leaves composed of two sheets of parchment
so well joined that not even at the corners is there
any indication of it. Archdeacon Freeman very
cOurteousy submitted the book TO our examination.
The letters of the text very much resemble
those OF the present day. They look like printed
characters. II is a splendid specimen of pemnan-
ship. The ink is as black the coors of Illuminated
letters are as deep, and the gold brilliant as
though written yesterday and the parchment is as
white as clear. and as firm as a new book The
phrase "musty parchment "timestaned pages"
lave reference TO this ancient book 1t is neither
Inusty stained. There is also a splendid copy Of
Euclid nearly as old, written by Bishop Gillston,
and bearing his autograph. The diagrams in
the margin. and are the same as those with which
all mathematical students are familiar
The Archdeacon Freeman, who showed us the vol
umes, tine antagonist OF Prof. Huxley, referred
10 in former letter. The ATchdeacOn has sharp,
cold clerical features, giving you feeling Of glad
ness that thumb-scTews are not now IN force. The
Archdeacon is an able man. He boldly discOursed on
the type of the cheTubm which united the character
istcs of the eagle, the lion, the OK, and man." The
Association very curious as 10 the development
of this extraordinary creature and Prof. Huxley or
f1DrOf Owen would much Ia a gDecimeu for the