Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-28
THE 7zpDKaUY OF SCIENTIFIC IsQUlRY

Sir Henry Barkly, GONG, FIR s.,
took the chair at the annual meeting OF the
Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, at Z,
Adelphi Terrace, London, IN the last week
in June. The Honorary Secretary, Cap
tain T. Pesrie, T. r 81 read the report,
by which 1t appeared that the lnsElsnte-
founded TO investigate all questions OF fnl-
Iosophy and Science, and more especially
any alleged to initiate against the truth OF
Reyelation-bsd now risen to l,O20 men,
bers. OF whom about one-third were
foreign, colonial and American, and new
applications to Join were constantly coming
in. An increasing number OF leading men
of science had joined it's ranks, and men OF
science, whether In its ranks or not, CO.
operated IN It's work. During the session
careful analysis hsd been undertaken by
Professor Stokes, FIR S., Sir j. R. Ben
nett, VIce-President s., Professor Bsale,
FRS. and others, of the various theories
OF evolution, and it was reported that, as
vet, no scientific evidence mad been met
with giving countenance TO the theory that
man had been evolved from lower order
in animals and Professor VIrchow had de-
clared that there was a complete absence of
any fossil type OF lower stage in the de-
velopment OF man; and that any positive
advance in the province of prehistoric an
thropology has actually removed US further
from proofs Of such connection, namely,
with the rest of the animal kingdom. In
this. Professor Barrande, the great palaon.
tologist, has concurred, declaring that in
none OF his Investigations had he found any
one fossil species develop into another. In
fact. it would seem that no scientific man
had yet discovered link between man and
the ape, between fish and frog, or between
the vertebrate and the invertebrate animals;
further, there was no evidence of any one
species, fossil or other, losing it's peculiar
characteristics to acquire new ones belong
ing to other species for instance, however
similar the dog TO the wolf, there was no
connecting link, and among extinct species
the same was the case; there was no grad
ual passage from one to another. More
over. the first animals that existed on the
earth were by no means to be considered
aa inferior or degraded. Among other in.
vestig.tions, one into the truth OF the argu-
ment from Design in Nature had been
carried on, and had hitherto tended to fully
confirm that doctrine. The question of
the Assyrian inscriptions and the recent
BAbylonian researches had been under the
leadership of Mr.. Hormuzd Rassam, who,
on his arrival from Nineveh, had given
a full report of the extent of his new
excavations, which were of the highest in
terest. His discovery of Sspharvaim, one
of the first cities mentioned In Holy Writ,
was most important. Professor Delitsch
and Others aided in the consideration of the
discoveries and the Inscriptions found.
Two meetings had been held to consider
the questions raised in Herbert Spencer's
Philosophy, and Lord 0'Neill and others
had shown, by careful analysis of his ar
guments, that greater attention to &C.
curacy in statement would have kept Mr..
Spencer from arriving at those hasty con-
illusions which had made his philosophy
remarkable. Il was announced that the
results Of explorations now being carried
on in Egypt would be laid before the Insti-
tute early in the winter. The discoveries
were very important, especially that of the
site of Succoth. which, like the results of
the survey of Palestine, was confrmatory
of the Sacred Record. The quarterly
Journal, which had been published for ak.
teen years, was now issued free to all men,
bers and associates, whether at home or
abroad. Several interesting speeches hav-
ing beeA made, the members and their
friends adjourned to the Museum, where
refreshments were served.