New-York tribune., 1879-08-29


ing Professor Marsh delivered an interesting
address on Paleontology, Of which the greater
portion is appended.
THE PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL
INTERESTING INFORMATION RLICITED-MUCH IN
TEREsT MANIFESTED.
[FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE.I
SARATOGA. Aug.2S.-The American Association for
the Advancement of Science got fairly to work to-
day. and its various divisions plunged with zest into
the manifold labors of their week of sessions Dur
ing the day the reading of papers and discussion OF
their contents went forward actively and in three
places at once. and in the evening the profound
and able address of Professor Marsh on PaeOnto-
ogy was delivered. SO many obtruse treatises
were presented that it is only possible to glance at
some of the features of the meetings which are of
more general interest than The rest.
At the opening of the general session this morn
ing, the attendance was even larger than that of
yesterday. As the general secretary of the assoc-
ation DIR. Little. Of Atlanta. had not arrived, Pro-
fessor H. c. Bolton, of Hartford elected TO the
place. Thirty-five new members were elected, and
then the two main sections, and b, separated for
the consideration of topics belonging to their re-
spective departments
Ia Section the session was opened with the
reading of a paper by Professor Ira Remsen, of
Baltimore, who was absent THIS was devoted TO
the relations between organic chemistry and
chemistry in its broadest sense. BY or
ganic chemistry, 1t was explained, was meant
the chemistry of the compounds of carbon. The
study of organic chemistry Professor Remsen
claimed, is sadly neglected IN American colleges
and universities, which compare very untavOrably
In this respect with the German institutions of
learning. This neglect Is often due TO the errors
l. . I,II tI,+,4 ,Ifrtf.
chemistry almost the only branch of the science
worthy of much attention, and pay little attention
to organic chemistry. The Importance of the latter
was shown by many facts and arguments, among
which was one to the effect that many of the great
est changes in the modern science of chemistry have
been brought about by the investigation Of the
compounds of carbon. Much of the most important
work in chemistry going on to-day is in cOnnec-
ton with those compounds. An incidental remark
in the paper will certainly be of interest to manu-
facturers aud indigo planters, coming from so high
a scientific authority Professor Remsen. lie said
that the indications are that the supply of indigo
will yet from the chemists laboratory, as two
methods are already known by which 1t can be
produced. AS yet. however, these methods
are not cheap enough for general use The
paper cOntrasted at considerable length the chemi-
cal instruction Of Germany. where chemistry is
taught as science, not an art with that in the
United States. The hope was expressed that the
time would soon come in this country when the
name of chemist would mean one who understands
the science as is not it was. and when would
have higher meaning than that OF a mere analyzer
Of compounds.
THE VELOCITY OF LIGHT.
Albert A. Nicholson, Of the United States Navy,
read paper on experimental determination of the
velocity of light. This described in great detail
and very clearly series of brilliant experiments at
the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the result Of
which was TO determine the velocity of light at
1SG305 miles per second. Mr. Nicholson is a
young man with fine head and graceful figure,
which must appear to great advantage in a naval
uniform. He is very enthusiastic In scien-
tIfe work, and indefatigabe in his efforts
to secure accuracy. and his paper and
manner of presenting 1t and explaining the expert
ments made most favorable impression his
hearers Remarks in regard to the paper were
made by Professors Barker, Newcomb and others,
who spoke in very high terms concerning It, Pro-
fcssOr NewcOmb said that appropriation of $4,000
had been placed at the disposal of the Secretary of
the Navy to for experiments in determining the
velocity of light in connection with deciding
the solar parallax. He expressed great graft
hcation at the result of Mr.. Michelson's
work, ana at tno very CdreIu manner IN
which serious error had been guarded against.
But he thought it advisable that experiments be
made with a somewhat different method, which
might perhaps avoid some possible of slight
error In Mr.. Michelson's experiments. Pro. essor
Benjamin Pierce, of Harvard favored the continu-
ance of the experiments proposed by Professor New
comb and expressed much satisfaction that such
excellent scientific work that of Mr.. Nicholson
should have been done by a gentleman in the active
Naval service
resolution was adopted in commendation of the
labors of Mr.. Nicholson, aud also recommending TO
the association that representations be made in
proper way to the Secretary of the Navy in favor Of
carrying on the experiments of Professor Newcomb.
Professor Newcomb spoke briefly of the importance
of the Government providing permanent set of
instruments for experiments of this character. Pro-
fessor Langley the presiding officer of the section,
characterized the paper Of Mr.. Nicholson one of
the most valuable ever given in that section.
William Beebe, of Yale College, presented the re-
suits of an investigation of the orbtof the comet of
1771. and Professor Pierce said few words
about it, Some observations made by Professor
Brockesby, of Trinity College, on the depth Of
snow as compared with the depth of water it
Yields were read, and then P.ymaster-Genera
Alvord. of the United States Army, made a
statement of generalization reached in regard
TO the intersection of circles and the intersection of
spheres. paper by Professor L. G. Mendenhal,
of Toxic Japan, on an experimental solution OF
a problem in the doctrine OF chances, was followed
by some remarks from Professor Pierce on throwing
dice to determine If any relation could be discovered
between the number of faces and the number of
times each would come up IN a given number of
throws He was not able to get any satisfac ory
results however as the indications apparently pre-
sented by one series of thousand throws con-
tradicted by those Of another thousand.
WORK OF sECIION b.
Major Powell presided over Section b. A paper