New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-13
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS.
TUE SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENTS.

THE SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENTS.
- cu,xcrs RECOMMENDED by COMMIT
w. or TIE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
,y.suxcroN. Dec 1.-THE report OF a
.,,,oo from the National Academy Of Sciences upon
r,zation OF the Signal Service, tho Gcoiog'ca'
80, and the photographic once OF the navy ooPAiV
% =. made publlc by the joint committee OF the TWO
men'' Cnrrcss TO which It was referred. In pre-
'' anna general views respecting the WORKINGS Oh
'cu" ,,r,ments OF the Government, the committee
'"o .h,, Congress should not undertake any Work
cay -, he equally well done by the enterprise oil III
Investigators. The leading universities are con-
.,,. Increasing the means or sclehuno reSe'"on ~
49," fossors and students; and while the Govern
'n'i - with propriety encourage and cooperate with
me-" .noro Is no reason why 1t should compete WIN
tnc ,p scientific work OF the Government ought not
'ho - "a he snch as can be undertaken by ndividu-
:, ho,,l also he confined 10 the increase ana sySe
,,,ion ofknowlcige tending TO promote me general
Wsliar Of the country n 'nT1G is only parfy
nv tne organizations now under consideration
SOME REFORMS PROPOSED.
,,,,o ~ such reforms will be the collection OF all
.h organizations now under consideration toee'hr
n ren other scientific bureaus as congress may see NJ
rpie IN the scheme under one central authority 10
.,i,cl as Responsible for and controlling eerei-
~. ~ ,ioatiac oporations OF tho Government ne
~ f,rn Nou'A be pcthans ihe estahlishS9t OF z QS
ta,nc1i o science uGhaN ~ MhSn sn3Nv ", ST r,s
ppaJ W. t,.Hs,ibfN qay .p,cp bi4HiscGa ANS eoos
t@NWN8 99lHWSA Y 9@8 ,'%',,A af2 ENyat
tA5M Wlal8hAsR& MFFnEs @1@o81es .1tf8
ATTAINMENT ms 9mq,'iifS,E @,M GftTE @HAW
hlhNoGgt A,s,' ,{SAAaat, NNloas, di{ac aaWs
.arl1n. tuUt hutNJu-, uANtNt d., ........,,ol
= The Ces{ ADJ ps5f sggel il 's u Sdyi t. cSu
.toftRNu rnsoi,t coast aid Ccodctig surveys ,.,
rlc Gtopscai sgig, en-. 1tils, ,nnnH,ignrei
W IN. Mcitorniolical Burcau to Whirh suont n'
taos'oqe5 40 Mgc 9! iG 'Goce As ae not nccc',a,
Ia Inc military duties ot that uu'' ., a., ,.., ~
,hS H. rrrstrin radiation aud their application io
urt,otonr,. with such other iuNcsuHSluus ~ M
,n.e ns th, Government might assign T." H. ~ w, ',
,inn ttoutinu H. called to- resolution passed. hN o
recent Electrical conference In fhllad.peh ~
tho establishment, 10y the Government 81 uu'r '
,i'ctrrl standards The committee l. nt tho nlnW"n
,h,t thc functions at the bureau oi W'lhH Any lu'"f
urcs now performed 10y The Coast survey '"uld '' '.'
,ntr.nntl, transferred to the proposed bureau ""l'\
tended so as oiucudc electrical measures
rrto,tNrNpING a PERMANENT COMMISSIONS
II nrrcnr. ,o the committee that the evils already
,,,,I ont tconiro Ia any case the organization OF
,r,,pcnt comm, sion To prescribe general policy Tor
a,hof ncso bureaus. The functions of lhi, comwl'.
zion would De;
rocynminc improve and approve tho plans OF WORK
hN
Inmates boo atcoullucc Win Su'h pau. ~ li' ,.fs
al tl. duty would require consultation WIN mon ,'r4N
,.n,r,llv and srparatcN. respecting INC character "l
Inc woik, and they should Ice mcmpcf'!oi 'h' '""''N
' To approve in detail the methods of expenditure and
Il" Tn r,crmcnd such measures they deem ncccS-
,,ry 10 The efficiency OF The bureaus under ih'r sNt
,i,ion II shond, however lee understood mat tihs
commission i, not charged with purely aInihl,ll4'Ile
responsibility ltWcSenbcs What Sla. ne uo ,a, n
commcnds any measures necessary to secure lh, "n.''
but does not concern itself with aImlh@lidllNc WtH's'
The committee submits The following As It suE-t,,'' ~"
foY the formation and personnel oi such coh>
THE comm sion shall consist OF % the president "i
The National Academy OF sciences; ~ the secretary :"
The Smithsonian institution; i3 ana - Two CIV 'nS vi
lh scientific rrputaiOn not otherwise III the NoNtru
ncnt service to be appointed 10y the President oi the
lie Corps of Engineers of the United states Army 90
one professor of mathematics IN me Navy sSln1L ~.
astronomy these two 10 he DESIGNATED 10y tle
al the United States for term OF SIX years Mh" wan
a. the superintendent OF the Coast ana ocodrlc survey
te officer in charge of the Meteorological service >ha
constitute the commits ,lon OF Inc scc.e'ti 90 }l,
- Department shall be cN-olico president "i inc com
IKE members Of the commission FOR their services as
i.on in the sum Of - dollars per rhcr ncccs-
sary transportation and yelling penSc' shdl 'c pro
Wien ina, Hing on public business cor duty To- hc pad
out of the appropriations Tor tue services uAo'I l"cI
ihc commission slau meet in wa,hiast2n D. c. for
Ire tran.atuoa oI "t>lhc~- h"l "H, t'l l",' u'.'
T. Whenever in his Judgment tlc cXigcrccs OF Tho -"
Wee rcQairc meeting. Tie Commission ,hl.
uf the d Department of -- and under bis sup ru,cnducc
shall fc.e general control Over inc plans ol NvFa q"
liz United states Coast ad GtOlctc survey ile hi'I
STATE, Geological survey and the Mceor1io ical Soy
vice. and small have the charge and custody oi am iAr
a.,lro, books. documents. drawing, models rcnrus.
~ the commission The estimates ul thc head. Of these
ifas or offices SHAH pas. through the commission 10Y
Mons ulNc been made no money -hll Doc Aprnot' '
ihem except after revision and approval by The COM
Z s. az