New-York tribune., 1870-04-23


Of the Navy but after four months deliberaton they
have reported remarkable bin which reforms nothing,
but actually increases and pcrpeuates the evils already
existing This bin makes prospective reduction in the
grades of lieutenantcommander and ensign, that s
duces them fast they shall reduce themselves by
death resignation but increases the higher grades
already enormously of the needs of the service
All the chiefs of the little bureaus in Washington
posed Of four clerks each, to be commodores and
everybody who retired after years service to be
a commodore also There s besides great increase OF
rank made in the staff TO which SO captains TO be
added The Committee have taken notice Of the fact
that there already three times many captains and
commodOres there vessels to command, and that
Of the 2s commOdores in service only three are at
The bill, which was chiefly gotten up in the Navy De-
partment impose the ignorance OF Congress- ought
to pass and the House ought to instruct the Com
mittee to report bill reducing the Navy In harmony
with the Army Reduction bill, reported by the Commit
tee ON Military Affairs and unanimously passed
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE.
OUTLINE PERSONAL SKETCHES OF THE MEM
BERS-FLOWERS AND THE LADIES-HUMAN
sKULLS-DR. HAYES AND HIS LATE TOUR IN
GREENLAND.
WASHINGTON, April 15.-While the rest of
washin gon eating lents before Easter, going
out to shooting matches in the country, few immured
themselves daily in Lincoln Hall, attending the semian
ute if you please, at mention of this high dignity which
holds equal rank in this country with the Royal Acad
emy of Great Britain and the French Academythe last
q so illustrOus III its simplicity that its claim is
better than all the cordons in the world beside. Does
everybody know yet that have such First Estate Of
Science closely allied TO Government created for its
aid and counsel in matters beyond the ordinary STUDENT
The idea of such tribune is extremely noble. But 1t
furnishes in reality nothing TO excite the imagination.
There are such meetings those of the
brilliant French Academy, where audiences OF
5000 persons meet at the Palace of the Institution during
the annual session. No impassioned description fired by
the mysteries Of science courty presentation OF fact
in royal garments Not more than 75 persons were
present at any Of the meetings, and scarcely half the
members of the Academy found it worth their while to
attend. With all reverence, would ask how 1t is
possible to keep enthusiasm for scientific association
which meets only twice year. Such ghOstly cOrpo
ration with nothing tangible in its relations, with not so
much as hall Of its own, a ribbon of insignia may
well be divorced from any violent affection in its men,
bers These be suspected Of holding TO 1t only by
strong love of science equally strong sense of the
dignitics of All VI. A. A.
The Academy met at II o'clock each day. dotting the
seats next the stage by twos and threes each group
seeming determined to ignore its neghbor II possible
Many fine merdians Of theory might be traced dividing
the assembly. Radicalism and orthodoxy wear their
swords into this peaceful haunt, though, believe
they never drawn here. One man wears electricity
for his Device and would solve the problem OF the fall OF
man by its aid if possible; another wears the tip of
monkeys tail by way Of a Development badge One
ears by Postvsn; another protests that ancient phil
osophers penetrated further into science by their specu
lations than all the Experimentalsts of to-day. The
soundes in American science were represented IN
the audenceBaird Silliman Coffin and their compeers
Agasz was there because he Sick much 10 the
grief Of Prof Gill; the ichthyologs holonged to renew
with him the two the Darwnian theorywaged
last year at the meeting Of the American Scientific Asso-
citation. The attack will probably be renewed at Troy
next FAN. The assembly of peaceful, vigant-ooking
men could be easily assessed to its social values
Young science there in irreproachable morning
costumes pale gray rewsers Newmarket coat and blue
neck-kerchief, with whskers and mustache Of the
latest cut not dsdainng eyeglasses as a piece Of par
tculary scientific coquetry due who supposed
to strain their eyes out taking microscopic photographs
or gueng their lids telescopes by the hour These men
import into tho grave and select Academy all of that
"1avor of my hdy's chamber" on which the French
Academy prdes itself and at best these nice scions Of
knowledge Woodworking subordnates in the navy or
army medical service French savant to-day studies in
q sort OF boudOir surrounded by flowers and cage
birds, Snd danes Of highest fashion are glad
10 ehter his receptions. Science and scnti-
ment &c hand in hand in his researches. This
is TO here The nearest approach we have to the
domescaon Of science is in such examples that os Mr.
Rutherford Of secondave in your own city, who has his
perents with the aid of the ladies Of his own family
The list Of younger contributors TO the Academy includes
such names as Surgeon Otis X. W. Raymond, and DIR.
Craig The longest and most interesting papers read
during the session were frsm such men, who are en-
couraged 20 bring forward their cnterprsng IDEAS while
the older and established members content themselves
with announcing briefly such progress seems most val
liable from year year Not always this wellkneaded
bread allowed the Academy when Prof Pierce cooly
announced the last day but OF the meeting when
asked for paper that he had prepared mathematical
essay but there on three men in the Academy
who could understand IL, and those were not there
This In the presence of the honOred President too. No
wonder Prof. Henry moved TO tone down this de-
caration by reminding the gentlemen OF the Academy
what an infection they had escaped in the shape Of an
unntelligible communication. Dean Ransay's Jock,
who preferred his minister's preaching because he liked
what "be.jumbed the jcodgment, and confoonded
sense might regretted the loss Of such calcula
tons. He might have consoled himself at least win
Prof Poeys essay The Polarization of Light and Prof
Gups Classification Of Mammals Of which the Academy
frankly owned as much appreciation as shoal Of seals
would have of Greenland missionary.
The main body OF scientific men to-day are not pale
faced exhausted creatures who look as hey Ied the
midnight lamp with their own tissues, but vigorous,
| ,esl conditioned men, with broad shoulders, ruddy
faces whose clear keen eyes and kindly expression are
passports TO esteem An exception to this may DC ouhd
On prof Newton whose slender figures and white, trans
parent face give impression OF almost fraHny
accounted for by his reputation as the hardest VI
the oountry Prof. eillnans solid, cheerful face
crowned with such brow In the pictures OF
Gall ia mirthful in certain lights and science has spared
her usual tonsure his head and only frnged Dis red
| dish-brown whiskers with snow. His hgure Is
hale enough for a navy man, ana looks III
| to grapple with large amounts OF work. Prof
| Baird Of the Smithsonian is taller ana equally
welldegeloped with very pleasant char ana
discerning regards features the blue eyes, and In