New-York tribune., 1872-08-29
SCIENCE.
TIE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.

EXCITEMENT AMONG THE SAVANS-A GOAT
AMONG THE sHEEP-THE MOVEMENTS or
ANIMALs-A NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL DIS
COYERY.
IRON THB SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OP THE TRIBUSBI
DUBUQUE, Aug. 24.-The Association has
commercially given itself up To hard work. with the
exception OF few hours ride railroad yesterday,
the whole time has been devoted TO reading papers IN
sections OF majority Of these are usual so
purely technical in their details possess but little pop
ular interest 1t relief from such work when, as last
night really popular lecture is delivered; and the
thrOn gng and GIFTED audience that testified by fire.
duent applause their appreciation Of Prof Morses ef
forts TO put the facts and discoveries Of science In
shape adapted to general comprehension furnish abun-
dant proof that science always be made attractive,
only its professors will take the trouble to present 1t In
agreeable way
THE CHINESE INDEMNITY FUND-P0LTfcs.
The proceedings this morning before the Association
were divided into sections and diversified what
promised for the moment TO become political discus
SION The President OF the Association had made few
remarks favor OF resolution offered by Committee,
in reference TO urging the Government TO apply the
surplus OF the Chinese Indemnity Fund to establish an
American college IN China 1t VIII be recOllected that
such disposal Of this fund has been recommended by
President. Buchanan and Lincoln, Secretaries Cass and
Seward Minister Burlngame and Others it being as has
been frequently explained in THE TRIBUNE, an amount
which China Overpaid in settling for damages to United
States citizens which, when informally rendered to the
Chinese Government, was declined with the intimaton
that pressure the subject would be hurtfu to Asac
PRIDE No better OF it than that proposed and now
already sanctioned by resolutions Of many prominent
colleges and public bodies could possibly be devised
The following resolution was reported by the Com
mittce:
whereas A surplus from the so-called "Chinese In
demny Fund" amounting now, 1t Is believed, TO ABOUT
S5OO remains in possession of the United states and
It the opinion Of competent judges mat ths surplus
belongs ia law and equity 10 the United states; ana
whereas, bill Is now pending IN Congress Whlcn pro
poses appropriate of thus surplus for the education
OF Americans and Chinese in the languages heratures
and sciences OF the respective nitohs 10 Iac'St Coi
mcrcia, diplomatic, and scientific intercourse between
the two peoples ana Tor the increase anu unuSon VI
knowledge among men; -
Resolued That the American Association for the Ad
vancement of Science heartily indOrses the purpose OF
the Aforesaid bill to devote to the uses OF education ana
science III China any portion Of the sOcalled Cnnese
Indemnity Fund" which may equitabS remain IN thc
possession OF the Government Of the U1ited States
In expatatng upon the propriety Of this resolution
President Smith alluded the insecurity of the present
position Of the fund in the hands Of the United States
Government, since it offered premium for trumped-up
claims and already $4,000 had been thus distracted
from it; that If 1T remained much longer unappropr
ated, Japanese well Chinese claims would be intro
duced against IT, and might eventually suffer the fate
OF the Smithsonian funds, which the Government had
20 make good after the loss of a considerable portion
COMER-DEBATEs.
A gentleman, whose face to nearly all the
members OF the Association, TO oppose the motion
and controyert the suggestion OF President Smith, that
the fund was safe in the hands OF the Government
He declared that this nsnuation made by President
Smith without foundation fact and simply for poht-
cal effect. The astonishing want OF courtesy IN TINS
speech, which was only checked by eau to order,
induced extensive inquiry to who the speaker was
one OF the Now Workers present identified MIN as tho
examining physician OF life insurance company VINO
seeks notorey in variety of ways either from love Of
nsiu ID
cut OF his coat the OF the Association generally
spoke OF him during the day as " Claw hammer he
was by no means done with when the Association, under
the "preyious question:" passed the resolution on the
Chinese Indemnity Fund without debate.
Before coming to the great event OF the day. IN when
Caw-hammer took part, let me mention some OF the
minor proceedings resolved that the Association
regrets the absence of a signal station at Dubuque
place that has recognized the Importance of meteoro-
logical observations and has kept records of this nature
for 20 years and the Association respectfully requests
the War Department to establish station here II prac
ticabe In the paper presented by Prof e. b. Andrews
of Ohio il will be recOllected that main point made
was his assurance that coal seams seldom or never d-
yerged widely from each other within small areas that
their subsdences had usually taken place in so equabe
manner that they laid horizontally parallel except IN
rare instances where basin Of coal might be covered
by something like a lid. The discussion on Prof An
drews's paper was postponed to this morning. Proi'
A. H. Worthen. State Geologist OF Illinois, eX-
pressed himself as of opinion that coal
seam ia not unfrequently divided and entirely
separated by divisions which gradually increase
to the extent of many feet He mentioned particular
instance ont OF great many where this separation was
great that the mine could longer be carried on as IN
single seam Specifying the most persistent or the coal
seams OF Illinois the Big Muddy" he considered u
the best in state, its impurities being comparatively
few 1t is highly bminOus, and could only be used IN
making iron by the Semens furnace. Prof. Cox OF
Indiana added his testimony to the division and separa
op of coal seams to the extent of feet in not great
many yards. DR.. Foster could not agree with Prof.
Andrews in his denial of the separation OF coal seams
and Dr. Foster cited instance in or near PotsYle,
Pa referred by eminent geological authorizes, Whee
seven seams united in thickness OF 4 feet were
afterward,yidely separated. Prof Andrews aware
of tho facts cited lie did not doubt that there were
occasional instances OF the Sort but in general he did
not believe that there frequent where seams
separated widely. Seams Of coal rule, with rare
exceptions were Of parallel levels from uniform subs
dences .. -.,,
As the day wore on some Of the more inqusitlve
members scertaned the individual they had dubbed
CIawhammer had entered the fold OF the Association
within but few hours indeed could scarcely be said TO
have entered it, not having paid mis- dues that he came
as the representative Of some Temperance Society ana
WAS to make an address the cod-water question TO-
morrow night. 1t was afterward noted that Dr'
Palmer OF some eminence advocate OF total aost
nence had almost as recently become member or the
Association. Now Prof. b. c.. swallow the missouri
geologist had paper announced Tor TINS atennOOn en-
fried Good Wine a Social and National Blessing,
and Caw-hammer gave out during the day ntlmatlOns
that ne expected demOlsh the doctrine OF that mead
mo An abstract OF Prof Swallows paper, which was
ose ana principally devoted to the details OF Wine
,ooihtps viii he found elsewhere. He had scarcely
conciuded the reading OF his paper when DIR.
Palmer arose, and, in tones OF the deepest
5Sents OF the Missouri professor IL Is difficult
to 1--WE by description the impression OF horror at the
s 70 oT Prof swallow that seemed 20 affect Dr.. Palmer.
Tbat man who had been prominent In the Maine
- rnnvr1nent shnnd advocate the growth and manu-