New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-23
SCIENCE AT PORTLAND.

OF IHE AMEfSlCAN AccOCiAi hOA'
DISCUSSION OF THE EVOLUTION THEORY HAND
SOME DONATION FOR SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.
IBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIDUEE
PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. 22.-In the session Of the
American Association for the Advancement OF
Science this afternoon there brilliant discus
sion of the evolution theory in which Profs. Swal-
low, Gill and Morse took part. The discussion was
abruptly adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Miss Elizabeth Thompson of New-York. has made
donation TO the Association of 81 000 for the pur-
pose of advancing scientific original research; and
she intends repeating the donation annually during
her life. At large meeting of the Association, this
evening, Prof. Lowering declared that the Stand
ing Committee were not only surprised but
astonished at gift from lady but recently con-
nected with the association and proposed that the
thanks of the association be presented to Miss Eliza
beth Thompson Of New-York City. Mr. Alex. Cas-
well of Providence, in brief speech referred
to the need of science for such assistance
science, whose benefits knows no limits OF
race, locality, or religion He spoke of the
arduons labors of scientific Investigation and the
advantages of the combination of endeavor to pro-
mote 1t by the Association. This donation is a
stimulus to renewed effort, purely for the love of
truth; il is sowing the seed which shall bring forth
such harvest. Prof. Hall of Albany, n. Y.
State Geologist, related the history Of an
assemblage of State biologists, more than
twenty years ago, that formed the nucleus of
the association The British Association at Brighton,
he said, announced the receipt OF many thou
sand pounds in donations for promoting scientific
research; he was gratfed that a lady led the way
in the American Association.
member, who should thank ms for withholding
his name, took the opportunity, in brief speech
respecting this gift, to throw outrageous sur on
one OF the most recent and municent endowments to
science ever made DR.. Vanderwyede of New York.
who acted as the agentof Miss Thompson In presenta
ton closed with few appropriate remarks The adj
dress of the retiring President, j. Lawrence smith,
now absent in Vienna, was read by the Secretary,
Prof Putnam.
A DAY OF CLOSE ATTENTION TO BUsINEss-MANY
PAPERS READ-A "REMINISCENCES or THE tx
CITED DEBATE OF THE DUBUQUE MEEING-AN
ANIMAL HITHERTO ACCOUNTED MoLLUsK
TURNS OUT 10 BE WORii.
[FRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUSEI
PORTLAND, Aug. 21.-There never was so
industrious session of the Association 1t Is well that
such is the temper of the meeting for there is an unu-
sualy large number of papers TO be read AS soon as
the doors open-and the punctuahty IN the
hour OF opening is unusua-the members
flock in 90 rapidly through the forms prescribed break
INTO sections and proceed to business The record OF
the day 49, therefore, simply OF reading papers and
|
| that am convinced that The TRIBUNE cannot spare
space for ALL even If there had been tine 10 prepare an
abstract OF each for the present letter Only Few are
therefore given, and some will have to be postponed
| THE MErAMoRPHIsM OF RoCKs-BY PROF. T. sTERRr
HUNT.
The various changes which rocks undergo under the
influence OF water air and various gases, and their
changes IN molecular structure briefly noticed, and
the use OF the of metamOrphic rocks as now gen
orally applied TO crystalline strata, considered Whie
some biologists had supposed that many OF these such
as gnesses greensones serpentnes tacose, ana cno-
rite rocks we're gneous products more or less modified
by subsequent chemical processes, others maintained
| that they were formed by aqueous sedlmen-
taon and bsequently crystallzed. This was taught
by and When early In this century the crystal
line rocks Of the Alps shown TO rest upon uncrysa-
line fosserous strata 1t suggested that the overly
! ing crystanes newer rocks, which had uh-
dergone a metamorphism from which those
directly beneath had been exempted. This
notion spread until the great crystalline
center OF the Alps was considered TO be in part OF
secondary and even OF tertiary The history OF the
extension Of this notion to Germany, to the British
Islands and to New England then skeched and II
was shown that similar crystalline rocks from supposed
stratiraphical evidence to be referred to ora
lions of very different in paeozoc or more recent
geologic time The author detailed the course OF
study by which he had been led question this notion
he showed there according TO Faure no longer
any evidence in the Alps in support OF the view ABOVE
noticed that sedgwick III England and NicoH IN scot
land had rejected the views OF the aeozoc age OF the
crystalline schists regarded by Murchson as Cam
brian and slurian and finally gave the observations
by which he 1.-THE speaker) had satisfied himself that
the crystalline rocks Of the Green Mountains ana the
White Mountains, and ther represep pi pJ aHD ~
Quebec, NewBrunswlek, and IN the Blue kidge were
more ancient than the oldest CatnDrian or prlhOrual
fosseTou strata he showed now scosnd ed To-
the notion that these crystalline rocks We're III many
cases newer than the adjacent tossieros STRATA anu
mentioned that the sujecC would be further Illustrated
10y paper the geology of New-Brunswck
THE ROTATION OF THE PLANETS As RESULT OF THE
HEBULAR IHEoRY-RY PROF. BENJAMIN FIERCE
Prof Peirceis paper set forth explanation OF the
actual rotation OF the planets the supposon Of their
being formed according TO the neouar hypothesis from
rings thrown of from the rotating main body In the pro-
cess OF condensation. He instanced more particularly
the planets Jupiter and Saturn The inner portions of
snch n ring having a less velocity than
the outer ones, axal rotation IN the same
arection as that of the primary would be determined
in the breaking up and running together OF the ring
into a planetary body He showed by mathematical
ANALYSIS OF the movements OF the particles composing
the ring that velocity Of the resulting rotation must
he uch AS is Actually observed in the case of the planets
referred whose mass represents nne-ehtns Vi lhe
whole planetary system
In Jupiter and Saturn the velocity OF particle in the
n,anet ia very nearly the velocity OF the planet itself
Then Jupiter and Saturn must have derived their mate
rial from the whole Of the planetary system. The
hest theories of the earth make it OF uniformly decreas
ing density from the surface to the center Suppose
that after Jupiter formed it were condensedthat
might otherwise explain its velocity. He showed that
in the case Of the planets the velocity of material had
il been one-haf what 1t actually was would
have resulted In their having no revolution.
This theory was applied 10 the absence OF
rotation in the case OF our satellite. He
showed the probability that the original nebular ring
from which the planets formed may have been OF
tbair