New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-21
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
CLOSE OF THE ANNUAL MEgTISG-ISTEREsTISd
ADDRESSES AND PAPERS.

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
CLOSE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING-NTEREsTISd
ADDRESSES AND PAPERS
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.l
WASHINGTON, April 20.-The April meeting of tho
National Academy of Sciences closed to-day. Tho
business session this morning long one, and IL
was after / p. 10. when the reading of scientific
papers was begun.
The first one was " On the spectrum of an argand
gas-burner" Strictly speaking it was not paper"
at all, for Professor Langley spoke almost without
notes aud illustrated his talk by frequent references
to a large chart upon which were dellneated the
curves produced by the rays of the sun and Of an
argand burner respectively, as shown in the spec
trum. Professor Langleys experiments were do
signed to ascertain the amount of energy which IL
reflected In the form Of light only by argand
burner; and for purposes Of comparison he had sub
jected sunlight of equal intensity olke experiments
He showed by the curves on the chart that, OF the
energy expended to fill an area of, say 1000 parts
976 parts lie outside of and beyond the visible spec
trum while only "a parts fall within its limits; In
other words, 976 parts of energy are wasted whiio
only "a parts performed service as light. Ke-
duced to percentages, the waste energy Is repre-
sented by 97 6-10. and the heat employed as light
by 4-10. The same amount Of energy expended
by the furnishes "a per cent of light and 66 per
ton, Professor Langley estimated that, puttng the
value of the gas-pant of the country used in pro-
ducng hight at $50, 900, about 90 per cent
of it is wasted. as compared with an
ideal light in the production Of which there shonld
be no waste of energy An argand gas-burner uses
in the form of light less than per cent Of the eB-
ergy required for its production. The same process
which would increase the quantity Of light from
given degree of energy would also improve its quail.
ity and Professor langley suggested that in tho
solution of this problem the inventor would find
most profitable field, and, if successful, might add
millions, perhaps tens of millions, OF dollars to ths
| national wealth.
Professor Barker, in some comments upon the re-
marks of Professor Langley, declared that he had
fuy,demonstrated the absurdty of producing light
by combustion That and the steam engine, which
uses 20 per cent or less of the energy applied, he
characterized as two blots upon nineteenth
century civilization"
Professor Rowland called attention TO the beautt-
full symmetry of the curves produced by Professor
Langley's experiments but protested against bis
presentation Of the economic commercial side Of
the subject. II don't think are concerned aboat
that and don't care whether millions of dollars
are saved or not they are rarely expended for tho
benefit of science exclaimed the young proiessnr
In some remarks later in the day Professor A.
Graham
of the Academy, said few sturdy words in defence
of the practical side of scientific investigation and
its results
A paper on tie " efficiency Of storage batteres.'
by Professor Barker had been announced. am
sorry cannot give you copy Of 1t; but the factnI
never write out anything until after have delivered
it, said the professor to TRIBUNE correspondents.
One of Professor Barkers conclusions was tnAs
some material better than lead must oe found ior
the positive plates of storage batteries liz disens
ing the relative advantages Of thick rates and thin
plates Professor Barker remarked that the former
are much better than the latter nevertheless, he
had been Informed at the Patent Office that very
large number of applications had been filed ior
| patents on devices for thin plates
Every visitor at the meetings Of the Academy
must have observed two of its members, of veRer-
able years. who have been inseparabIe companions
since the sessions began. These men met aod
formed friendship at the Unlver-
sity of Berlin half a century ago.
when both of them were students
The older man Is Professor Charles +. Petera tho
distinguished director of the Litchfeld Observa-
| tory whose astronomical achievements have mado
| him famous the world over. The younger IS FRO
| fessor Otto Won Struve, the eminent astronomec-,
royal of Russia who gave the Academy grapaie
description to-day of the great oblect-giass-hs
| largest in the vorld-wnlch uas Ieceh1S "0on ""
pleted at Cambridgeport, Mass, for the kuss@n
Government. Next year, said Professor struSe.,
| we hope to have in use at Pulkowa ObserSa'srI
| the greatest rcfracting telescope IN the world
Russia is indebted for It TO the United States and
abe will try to show that she Is worthy OF suea2 .
| treasure"
Professor Struye spoke in Engishwith consideraaie
difficulty, often hestating for the right word he
| succeeded in making himself understood however,
and was greeted with several rounds Of hearty sc-
| of some remarks said he had no hesita-
| tion in prououncing the obleet-gIass ID<ss-
| featured Tor Russia the best one IN the wotla
| and he elected hearty applause Wh.h III Ca eAP.ea PIJ
90 into the custody OF one OF the very hrs' a''0A
Professor Peters followed in an interesting tag
about comets taxing for his text naon
This snbiect Professor Hall said that the comet oS
$50 has period of about 500 years aceotding %
the computation OF Professor ~ Ti'V Wright Of Yale
| Coilege described Some experiments Upon
Setbod ~ forming visible image of the solar co,
| Tona az other times than during a solar ecnps..
as yerv Interesting, and the results
SST. highly praised by Professor Barker ard others
| Professor Wright also made some rem1txss n1,s
| upon his experiments whtch Iiu.
IN showing tho phosphorescenee OF sulpaz
| ~ neutrality-suspicious. which were inspired ~
| those relating 10 the solar corona .sh
Professor Barker then read pspgd1 g1,yers.2
and entitled Further gehefa']A''o" i's
| complex inorganic acids, ~ ,oo 5..r f,r
| al is altogether too complex ana 700 deep Ior
me-" said Senator Hawley, VINO took ms oat LIT
| "a soon as Professor Barker Des%h !" Tau ~
| metamarphoslical ACID
| Az ESTIMATE OF POSTAL REVENUES.