New-York tribune., 1870-08-24
MODERN SCIENCE.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.

MODERN SCIENCE.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
ATOMICITIES - PHOTOGRAPHY A THEORY OF
PLANETARY MOTION-PICTURES OF THE suN
SEEDING COMPASS PLANTS.
TROY, Aug. 23-Yesterday, the Association,
on invitation of the City of Troy spent the day OF Sara
toea wbere theyfvere entertained at Congress Hall.
Late in the evening party returned to Troy In the
evening brilliant reception given to the members
of the Association by John M Francis, proprietor OF
TIE Troy Times This morning, at the general session,
the members appeared in undminished strength ana
there was large accession of names from all parts
of the country There is sanguine expectation OF per
manent Organization similar to the great scientific
bodies in Europe. Among the , recent aninais ,nn
and scholarship. Many weLknown gentlemen here
whose not entered for papers WORK III the
year &C. delayed the proceedings of the general session
until quite late but RAPID TSrR Tas % of sg
offered resolution looking 10 the establishment OF an
observatory of the highest points of the Pacific
year at least to investigate certain important points in
astronomy and physics the subject attracted general
attention and Government aid is to be asked
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A.
The first essay on the Bessemer Fame," read by
a Mr. j. NJ siman, who had proceeded but short way
when he fell Imply the floor in fantng t and
carried out amid some excitement the part OF the
lady spectators Prof BOcke of Yale College followed
n
cue s the smallest quantity of matter that can exist
in free state. Matter differs only in the atoms that
compose the molecules; and molecules are di-
pound. Ample illustration accompanied the
paper, which received considerable attention.
F. W. Clark of Boston& read brief but excellent paper
atomocities, subject somewhat absruse but very
integiby explained The paper interested students OF
Tllman Mr.. Clinton Roosevelt of New York read paper
entitled e whom due the credit % OF the most IMPORT
the subject from De Gura in i9 to the first successful
test in 1900 by Dr. Ss Of who Pro Ps a
ering of Boston introduced an ingenious method
which the never-endng discussion Of the pn-
certainty of decimal fraction position also
found place. Usually the curve covers but small part
of the paper the Irregularities of the form cannot
be detected. II, however, we make vertical distances
and the observed point enlarge the scale to
render very obvious the errors in the most
method is thus avoided. A number of experiments
proved this position.
PROCEEDINGS SECTION b.
Prof Hitchcock led off with paper arguing that the
North American Continent had been submerged beneath
the the drift period The proofs relied on to
sustain the existence OF % species of maritime
plants in the interior along the great lakes. These
plants were originally introduced by natural emigration
along ancient estuary, and many OF them remain 10
this day. consequence of the existence or CONDITIONS
Spring Of New.York were introduced this way
easily proven The Sya had been desrSye1
mi might explain the existence of salt water
plants about the springs wS4id IN NOT the shSw fSy
interior II Ia that the continent must have been
mon the ordinary arguments of the past and the clay
about Erie and Lake Superior must nave Deeh VI lhe
marine estuary origin - ~,
voge of Berlin read paper photography OF value to
iect this point made specially prominent: Photo
grsphy does nOt necessarily give true picture pc,
center is perfectly round while the two outside bal are
-eptical This dssimarity results from the placing Oh
picture of Apollo shown in illustration taken at diff
distances from the camera proved hat as the d
tapce became greater the figure became souter the ar
incining more backward, the head seeming to incline
forward the chest widened and the % t
the differences produced by these various distances ana
will not make stout person still stGner Dy Pselng ine
them too closely TO the instrument The camera once
set works by rigid mathematical laws. ,.-.,
Prof stockwen of Ohio brought out some interesting
facts con the testimony o. ancient eePseS @ Eb 70
period at rotation is gradually becoming longer com
pairing the path of the Moons shadow across he Earn
rotatory velocity the method II the path Of an
eclipse across the earth agrees with
if the rotation uniform and does not agree when II s
supposed to variable. this would be conclusive evi
that the rotation was uniform Te tins Proi New,
comb of Washington did not accede. He doubted IL any
aid could be derived from ancient ecpes 10 throw nght
upon the subject I6e difference % e tse atbed
TO the rotation OF the earth produced by the con OF
the stars visible. Ancient ecpses give no reliable
data for the apparent acceeration OF the moon CONSIDER
uRt
PROT Ennis Of the Philadelphia Scientific Institute in
troduced remarkable series OF conclusions ION the ds
s 70 the the results Of many years study The
earth said and flies in its orbit at the rate Of
miles in the time. The nebula theory proves this
Newton by the Coperncsn theory discovered that gray
which proved the truth of the Coperni-
can theory The proof that gravity the force which
tbeorV Hbsl"' to be true. This theory regards all
matter ha wing originally been difused equally through,
afinn hnOu
diffusion matter broke up into large nebuous clouds
These clouds fell into one another by force OF gra
formed far apart and OF the reach of each Others
! gravity each of these became a siderial system
When the original nebulous clouds were coming 10.
gether no two strike each other in the direction Of
their centers OF gravity they must strHe Gphaue
it will fly straight onward; II struck obiquely 1t
will spin around-so the nebuone clouds struck OBJ,
are ever contracting the rotation must increase III
velocity Each particle Of rotating and eontracting
direction of inclined plane. and gravity hastens It's
descent this velocity, by force OF gravity is readily
calculable; the velocity OF rotation in contracting
globe is also calculabie The independent
velocities known a. suns, moons stars, DC, tnoagn
ON different axis, agree precisely with the
veloces due to gravity and as all these varied motions
clear that gravity is the power that put all the heavens
claimed is the greatest in modern astronomy This
discovery shows that gravity formed the orbits them
selves and put the planets In notion ghs n anr
and warm discussion tending to show that zimmerman
al an earlier day had hinted at somewhat similar ds
Prof Young OF New Hampshire, in the course OF very
interesting paper on "The Solar Pr0trupefhnces III
spectroscope warranted him in believing that ne should
be able to Rho,osaPh the suns M Esy
approaohing by successive involues Of circle 10 he
ogarhmic spiral which bernoI m caed ,e spa "A
an emblem Of resurrection and syinDO OF suhdry ny
ares of the Catholic faith. DIT Hill used In the demon
bia od "A UeW