New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-24
SCIENCE.

WORK SINCE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
PAPERS ON WAR QUALIFICATIONS PHOs-
PLATE BEDS IN THE s0UTH-MATHEMAfIcAL
INSTRUMENTS DEEP SEA sOUNDlNGS, THE
TIDES, &C., &C.
IPRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, ID. c., April 19.-The National
Academy Of Sciences met in his city on the Ath inst
The sessions held In the hall Of the Georgetown
Medical College. and attended by many OF the men,
beers, among whom may be mentioned Profs LOUIS ana
Alexander Agassz, of Cambridge; Prof Stephen Aexan
der Of Princeton College, f. A r. Barnard President OF
Columbia College, N. Y; Gen. ]. G. Barnard. Prof g. F.
Baird, Prof j. II. c. Coffin, u g. Navy Prof VIM. Fer
rell Cambridge; DIR. Wolcott Gibbs Dr. b. A. Could
Prof. j. E. Hngard. u. g. Coast Survey; Gen. A. A.
Humphreys, u. g. A.; DR.. j. LIE Conte, Philadelphia; j.
p. Lesley, Philadelphia; Prof d. H. Mahon, Military
Academy, West Point Gen. M. O. Megs, Dr. 8. W.
Mitchell Philadelphia; Prof. Benjamin Perce superin-
tendent IT, s. Coast Survey; Prof Farman Rogers Prof.
O. NJ Rood Joseph SaxtOn, Dr. VIM. Simpson, Dr. John
Torrey, Prof Joseph Winlock.
The officers of this Association are as follows: Prof
Henry President; Prof William Chauyenet, VcePres
dent; Dr. wolcott Gibbs Home secretaryi Prof LOUIS
Agassz, Foreignl Secretary; Prof fairnan rogers
Treasurer; John t. Hoover, Clerk
During the war the Academy made definite progress
although the country was distracted and all branches OF
industry disturbed Many valuable papers upon scieho
subjects lave been read, and quarto volume OF the
nemorsof the Academy conslstingof $40 pageshas peen
published, containing;
Reduction observations Of the fixed stars made BY Joseph lie
osos Of tie corresponding Oe equinox Of 1906
Tie 5, ss"fal.n system, BY Benz. Pierce.
distribution Of certain important diseases the United States
s. Killed guns W. H. c. Bartlett -'''''
This volume has been distributed through the agency
of Smithsonian Institution TO "a public libraries here
and "a abroad, principally TO societies and colleges.
second volume Of 5l pages has been published by the
aid of the members and distributed to members OF CON
gress heads OF departments, and the principal puphc
Libraries OF the country.
Among tho principal papers on abstract science (:
The Relation Of Language to Ehuooey BIZ W. D. Whitney
The Secular AceseIaou Of the Moons Mean Motion JoHn ~ STOCK
Origin Of Solar Heat Beu PIERCE
Correlation Of Gravity and Tsmper,igre p Ch,se S...,
Grounds Of Analogy between Linguistic Science and Physical Sciences
Recent SoaSdlugs ia the Gulf Stream. Henry Mitchell
4 New TheoTy q Planetary Motion. Theodore strong
Go the Sady Of Young Animals and IT'S Bearing on the Progress Of
On the Mass OF the Satellites Of Saturn Benjamin PeIce
JOSEPH .yih'IRt ss1y III N''''l'' 70 SCUM " h'''''
On Observations Of zoiacai Light Benjamin PIERCE
Among the papers relating to the practical industries
and industrial professions, we have:
Silver Reduction Process Of Nevada with Statistical Tables and
% sodium AmsIgu@ applications separating precious metals
especially gold b. lhman
GA the Primary Ianegon Of the cost c0nnec
eerlaia Mineral District. q Arizona B. sili%an sr
Or the Influence otbe Hour Day the Hghts obtained by
ome,ie Measuren eutA Arnold Guyot
on Table for Facilitating toe Conversions Of Longitude aud Latitude
Ga tie sin Spider Of South Carolina b. g. wilder
On the Practical Character Of Tie S,9 Ihsm'nsc Scales and
ComPo The Iro9 Meter Of The Aweca phdsoPhea Society
Meter VI The COaraioie des5Ar' Aei'r' 10 Pan" f. A. T.
Treatise Of Typographical Drawing BY EHhOaE j.
HigarL
Prof Joseph Henry called the last meeting to order
hv Irnf Alav la
" Age OF Beaver Dams" Prof Benjamin PIERCE, Of Cam
bridge delivered short address upon "The Cooling OF
the Planets" and remarks were made upon this
paper by Messrs. Chase aud Henry.
On the 18th there were present in addition TO those
mentioned above, Prof W. II. c. Bartlett. West
Point; c. +. Brown, Alexis Caswell, Prof. Wm
Chauvenet, ST. Louis; j. c. Dalton, N Y; j.
ID. Dana, Yale c. H. Davis, U. s. Navy
Prof J. f. Frazer Prof. Arnold Guyo Prof James Hail.
s. W. Johnson, j. p Lesley. George Marsh NJ. 8. Weir
At the request Of the United States Sanitary Commits
slon Mr. A. b. Could Commissioner Of the United States
presented the Academy published volume OF Stalls
tics collected by the Commission during the war; and
showing the whole number lof enstments, the number
Of deaths from disease and wounds. The statistics
clearly showed that the oft repeated assertion that
foreign population fought our late war was untrue as
about three ourths OF soldiers native born, and
that deserters aud bounty jumpers were nearly all OF
foreign birth The statistics showed also that the man
but that there seeming suspension Of growth at
about "a years OF age.
Prof j. =. Lesley read paper on the most plausible
reconstruction OF the original Appalachian surface. The
idea Of this paper TO draw out light concerning
the folding crimpng OF strata presumed TO be caused
by cooling OF the surface Of the earth The
Professor described section Of the Allegheny
Mountain chain on line extending from
near Gettysburgh to Frceport near Pittsburgh, IA
distance Of about $50 miles Assuming sur
face ne and giving the geological strata its proper in
cnatlon at the point Of crossing, and filling the anti
cna and syncna openings by an imaginary restoration
OF the geological strata aud measuring the length OF the
restored strata, there found great excess Of length
surface Of the earth, which in the
Of the section given about per cent The increase
IN the mountain section greatly more than the other
portions and IL the approximate law thus found
be applied TO the whole continent from 10 ocean,
at about the same latitude and considering the plains
between the mountains sensible equal to the average
surface, and the two mountain sections as highly
phcated and the section equal to say 1900 miles,
sixth OF the earths circumference aud considering
sixth equally plcated. either on land or under the
seas the pcaton would DO two per cent for each section
or say 80 miles IN each section; II the doubling were
to take place III one mountain range, such mountains
would be nearly miles high and Elk such ranges would
be accounted for the surface Of the earth Now
considering that these ranges would be nearly opposite to
each other the surface it Is readily understood that
the diameter Of the earth would be decreased by so miles,
by cause OF the pication and 1t would be worthy of
study TO determine II this pcaton could have been
caused by the cooling OF the earth That say would
the cooling OF the Interior Of the EARTH and also its
crust, causing shrnkage and consequent folding or
crmpng OF the earhs crust causing mountain chains to
RISE corresponding depressons take place where
now tho dark blue ocean rolls" satisfy the faotsf
Upon this subject Prof Perce remarked that so great
reduction Of tho diameter OF the earth by reduction Of
temperature would require the loss Of about 6ooo Of
heat centgrade which quite preposterous and that