New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-23
SCIENCE IN AMERICA.
COMPLIMENTARY REMARKS or SIR W. THOMPSON AT
e THE MEETING or THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

COMPLIMENTARY REMARKS or SIR W. THOMPSON AT
THE MEETING or THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
Sir William Thompson has returned to En-
gland with the favorable impressions regarding the
progress OF science n this country In his recent address
as Prcsdcut Of the Physical Science" section OF the
British Association he began "a follows:
A conversation which had with Prof. Newcomb one
evening last Juno in Prof Hanrys drawlngfO6n IN the
Smithsonian Institute Washington, has forced me 20
give all my spare thoughts since to Hopkins prob
lem OF procession aud mutation, assuming the earth
rigid sph,rOdl shell filled with liquid SIX weeks ago.
when handed I'm England after most interesting trip to
America and bacK, and became painfully conscious
that have the honor 10 address you mere to-day
should bS The subject came home, indeed, wildly i'm
pressed with much that had seen bOth III lhc 1Ielt
Exhibition Of Philadelphia and out OF II, showing tho
turst scientific spirit devotion, the originality, the
iuycutvcness the uaent, persovering th"roushness OF
WORK the appreciatyeuess and the generous or n-nnd
edness and sympathy from which the great things OF
science come.
Warming with his theme, Sir william referred to some
OF our noted men OF science In these words:
wish could speak 20 you Of the veteran Henry. gen;
Pcrce the ounCer OF high mathematics IA hmerichi OF
Dache, aud OF the splendid heritage ne mas iet 20 AGt
OF the great school OF astronomers which fon0wed-New
Draper father and son; of Commander Belsnap aud MS
great exploration OF the Pacific depths by panOIorte
Sir. viii mucrcct apparatus supplied from Glasgow,
out OF which he forced success IN hs own way; aud OF
Can't sgsbec, vino followed with like fcry0r aud
resolution and made further Improvements In the APP
paratus by which he has done naryes OF easy quick,
and sure dccIsaa sounding IN his little siIryeylpSshlp
blake aud OF the admirable Official spirit wlir makes
gucb men and such dOngs possible III tie United states
naval service | would like TO tell you, too, OF
NV rcnsans for confidently expecting that Ameri-
can autobiography Igill soon supply the data from
tidal observations, long ago asked OF our OWE GOFer-
nent I'm vain Dy committee OF the BRUSH Association,
by which the aOung Of the eths elastic yielding to toe
distOlting Influence Of aud moon Will DO measured
and of my strong hope that the Compass Department OF
the American navy will rcnay the debt TO France I'm
gland and Germany, 80 appreelaiHey acknoWedSen ~
their reprint OF tie works Of Poisson, AIRY Archibald
Evans and the Liverpool Compass ny
giving In return fresh marine survey OF terrestrial
magnetm 60 supply navigator with data for correct
ing his compass without sights OF sun or stars Should
tell YOU also OF "Old PROPS" weather warnings, which
cost The nation S25OOOO year. money wei spent say
the Western farmers ana not they aonei III TINS inc
whole people OF the Uned States are agreed ana Though
Democrats Republicans playing The economical Ticket
may for half session stop the appropriations FOR even
the United States survey, no one would Tor mo-
meut think of starving "Old Prob and now that 80 per
cent of his prOLlbites have proved true aud Gen
Myer has Tor month back ceased to call his day fore
casts "probabcs" ana has begun 10 cdl them lndlca-
tons what win the Western farmers call nm THIS Time
next yeari
Sir william Thompson also observed that the UNITED
States Naval Observatory is full Of the very highest
science under the command OF Admiral Davis" lie re-
forred In complimentary terms to the scientific apparatus
he saw AZ Philadelphia and frankly declared that 81
Europe does not amend It's patent laws America VIII
speedily become the nursery Of useful inventions Tor the
world