New-York tribune., 1877-10-26
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
LAST DAY OF THE MEETING.


Although Yesterday was the last day OF the
meeting OF the National Academy Of Sciences at ColHn
hia College 10 tas CITY, there were few additional mem
bers In attendance. TIE new supply WAS not enough
however 20 make up for the deficiency OF those WHO hau
dcrarted II r. no; considered all impote 70 the rest
for member 4 the Academy button up his oNcrcoat
after reading orrather rcctnc his aud Immediate
ly take the next back @ his home The meeting
looked upon chiefly as the proper time and place Tor "
nourcins and recording discoveries Some months after
ward the essay may published In full inc scientific or
technical magazine or I'm the limited issues of scientific
society Meanwhile it has Than once happened taa
the publication an in THE TRIBUNE has been
the and almost the ouly means Of putting the dis
eovery on record al early date. The Importance OF
such publication was shown not long ago. IN famous
discussion 90 priority OF announcement Of discovery
between Professor Henry, Of Washington and Professor
Tyndau; report in THE TRIBUNE fixing beyond contro
versy the claims of tine venerable Secretary OF the Snh
sourn Institution. The National Academy OF Sciences
does indeed publish volume with some OF It's proceed
iues; but the contents chiefly obituaries ana de'as
Of business
Yesterdays session was briefly interrupted. at Pro
fessor Cnaudlcrs invitation, to witness some expert
mrnts m the chemical leCture-room. The JanlochAou
electric candle was exhibited The current was supplied
from wallace electromagnetic machine. driven by
steam engine Jud0ns from tnis exhibition II is sac 10
sy that the Jabocbkon invention superior 10 previous
electric lights II sputtcrs less and does NOT often SUD
sute darkness for ght compared wtD the ordinary
theless II appeared % have its imperfecuonS IL
required snufinC about often as talow dip NEhe
il was working well. It's light was bright ana St'ad!
II Is on the road perfection but as yet not close TO the
goal
An apparsiu, was also shown az WORK. which proved
that steam might be decomposed by simple heat into the
constituent gases of water-Jxysca and hydrogen The
heat employed was little over ordinary reduess, out
did not reach whenes This experiments of the high
value illustrating possible cause OF boiler eXllo
sOus The apparatus was beautifully simoe-a nisG III
which water was heated tube conveying the steam mo
closed platinum crucole. where I was again heated oy
spirit lamp. ana tube thence carrying tie super
heated steam ard The liberated cases 10 an Ordinary
pneumatic trough. where lc mixed gases were coDec'ed
iu test tube. while tae steam was absorbed Al tue
conclusion OF le experiment the gases thus collected
we've exploded 10y lighted match, showing beyond queS
Ton hat they were The couuoucuts o.: water. The cx
pertinent int Gates tha, tls explosive mixture OF gases
nav ba formed iu q steam b0i.r But it can ~ result
FROM tae most cuplllc ctrciessucss. The boiler must a'
lclst in part Doe raised 90 fuu red neat. Iuch
cold water be ie.c- for so long rs steam 'nd the
cascs arr m xed latrer cannot explode The iniec
ton of water coudcuse ihe steam iu TIE boiler b
fore 10 coos tLc rcl-ot iron. Al these ooni boInS
fulfilled. an explosion OF the gases may ta"e place
Whether ans engineer pu trial for homicide caustd 10y
TIE o,ou Of boiler under DIS care viii ever ailegc
frla $50 oi circumstances excuse for Che accident
fer.i. O. hc -rea I would need shrcwd lawyer. to
make isry believe tlat ,ucl an explosion was an un-
av.dabe accident The following are abstracts OF es-
savs presented at tle meeting:
TuE IAUsr~r or LASD ANIMALS
Profs-sar o. a.. Marsh opened tie day, session Wl,h
IN ...vou some O. au.ic Duo,auran Reptiles from
TIE W..icu Of ilc Rocky Mountains" on the eastern
ful of tuo.. mountain, thDre sa Otit o. ROCKS Known
as tfc DAKOTA Group" Thor strata Dice between t1c
Jul.-.c below arl w..-uaracd Cctoc ous bed, above
1ar fossils discovered ih,ic. uuui recent date have
l,.a plano. ana a tc" lI'ci c'i"l' 'iIs N.,i ",t,
n.i aia .-.l'. i.l'', '.' ',. .,, 80 ,.,, f,.