New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-05
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
CLOSE OF THE MONTREAL MEETING
nrr,nu OF TIE WORK Done N TIE PRINCIPAL

SFCIIONS-pEPARIIkE OF me Ni'ii'''-'
MONTREAL Sept Am evcnttul session OF inc
British Association has been brought TO c'o'o
tbo rrcdcnt Of the Biology section is to be believed
the most important information that has been oo'O
utcd TO the worlds knowledge Is the announcement
c. procossor Iiversedge in Australia that the mono
tremes have been shown 10y actual investigation !" O0
ovinoroua The Indictment of more practical IL less
rrdi,o observers is that the most beneficial eocl VI
bo, hos boen IN reality an international soenuhc con
fororco has hccn the familiar interchange OF views pe
tUccn American and English men OF science Inc Eng
lsh members meeting year after year III tue In'''
Kingdom have become familiar with one announcer
views and methods of investigation. The American
and Canadian college professors in Ike manner are
personally acquainted, and meet annually TO compare
notes on the advance Of science rather than to receive
novel impressions and positive intellectual stimulus
Enqlishmen and Americans differ essentially IN their
mental constitution, habits of thought and methods o
Investigation: and the attritOn of mind with nina mas
thrown out bright sparks Of intelligence and kndled
STRONG glow of intellectual activity. Americans have
no reason to be ashamed of their scientific progress
In many respects their own association is stronger and
more practical than the British Association. and the
general results Of an annual session, as will speedily
be demonstrated at Philadelphia, will compare favor
ablv with the outcome Of the older Association Yet
their representatives unite in affirming that the pres
ent session has been of great practical benefit ana that
the opportunity of meeting the masters OF English sci
ence on n familiar footing has been an education IN IL
self If the largo delegation of the British Association
which is to attend the sessions of the American Assoc
alton concurs in this Judgment at the close OF another
week il ought not to be difficult matter to make ar
rancements for international scientific meetings at
which all branches OF the English-speaking race shall
be represented
A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE MEETING.
general survey of the Montreal meeting indicates
that the most important work has been done in The hrs
or Mathematical and Physical section. In chemical
science biology and geology great number OF papers
have been read bat no revelations Of phenomenal i'm
nortance have been made The sessions of the An
tbrooolocy section have been devoted mainly to Amer
lean subjects and if they have been remarkably inter
etn the result has been largely due to The presence
of American investigators and especially OF Mrs j. A.
Smith. Major Powell Mr.. Gushing and Lieutenant Ray
The Geographical section would have been q con.pic-
IONS failure if Licuenants Greedy and Ray hHd not
read papers at the closing session and excited great
popnlar interest The Economic section made an cH-
ceent beginning but the interest of the sessions was
not sustained throughout. Mr.. Atkinson an American
frec-trader discussed the question Of wages without
tbo slightest discrimination against the protective avs
fem which his country upholds THIS in excellent
f.t2fp \
mtcd .hc grave blunder Of giving characteristic cK-
nrc..ion t. his own country'- hostility to protection,
and startled the audience by proposing an English ,y'-
fem of 1cprsals which he predicted would soon bring
Americans to their Another paper open to criu
csm on the score of good taste was Belgian on Land
laws which was marred by communisuc ideas. In
mechanical science American engineers have taken a
prominent part in the proceedings English electricians
have been perhaps too ready pronounce the United
States backward in the practical applications Of Their
spccia science and especially in electric lighting
visit to Philadelphia Will undoubtedly enliShlen them
in this respect
THE CLOSING WORK.
Four sections held short sessions yesterday morning
in order to complete their records and to secure the
printlng of fow papers which had not been read
These were Geology, Economies, Mechanics anl An
thropology Twentythree papers were read, but they
seemed of secondary Importance.
The closing meeting of the association was held ut
Queens Hall. The Council aud section presidents
were on the platform, and there was large Assem-
hlooe Of members. The treasurer reported that the
recejpts for the meeting had exceeded $4,000. The
secretary read list of financial appropriations orYar-
Gus scientific purposes, amounting TO 5000 Inc
Hon A. c. Voron Harcourt read a series of recommen-
datous from the Council, including memorials TO the
Rr;ti.b Domiuiou Government respecting tidal Obscr-
vations and resolution referring the proposal OF
American scientists for an international scenthc con-
cres to the General Committee Tor report at the next
meeting of the British Association
Sir " liam Dawson on behalf OF McGll JnlNersllY'
| conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws upon the
president OF the association, the eight section ie'l
dents, the secretaries and Sir Lyon Play aI, IIo-
! lessor FARMLAND and Captain Douglas Cation. The
same degree was also conferred upon Lord Lansdowne
/ Sir John MacC onald, Professor Asa Gray Professor
James Hall and President Daniel Wilson. The de
gree, were handed to each one upon lhs name being
| called very much graduation certificates are DIS
! pcnsed in public schools. Sir William Dawson
speech was delivered with charming grace. All the
! learned men received Their degrees very graciousv.
Lord Kaylegh next returned thanks lot the splendid
ho.u tality which had been extended and pronounced
tac meeting great success from all points of view.
He announced that fund had been raised for endow
| inc q GOLD medal probably IN applied mechanics, for
McGil University as token of the hearty good will of
the association t. the generous hosts In the Dominion.
Sir Richard Temple Professor Dawkins and Sir VIII
lam Thomson referred 10 the movement for & alb
/ fishing free public library in Montreal, ana sug-
oested that all members Of the association who had
written books should send copies to the institution
when founded subsequently II was announced that
,o.Ient of Montreal had given $4,000 for the Cstab
lishment Of such q library Sir Lyon IlaYimr iead
resolution Of thanks 10 the Dominion Government FOR
the pccunary grants made 10 members OF the assoca
ton TO enable them to attend the meeting lis speech
was an admirable He referred to the brilliant
success of the experiment Of having the association
meet outs de the United Kingdom. tie spoke Of
science as being in all lands and not belonging 10
any one nation but to the universe lie recalled the
incident of Sir Thomas Carcy's ride TO Scotland 10
pfoclan James |. King OF England. and showed That
The association had occupied lees time in crossing the
Atlantic to Montreal. As sangtine politician he tclt
il woull be possible 10 make confederation OF Britain
and tho OUTLYING Greater Britain, and argued that the
federation Of science accomplished hero was move
ment in that direction. The motion Of thanks was
seconded by Sir j. II. LEROY, and suitably acknowl
edged bv a member Of the Dominion Parliament, Sir
William Thomson in moving vote OF hearty thanks to
all the corporations and associations which had eI-
tended iavors the British Association, pronounced
the meeting then ending one of the most satisfactory
ever held and he had been attending such gathering
since $40. His section never had worked with
greater zeal and than 1t had here. lie
also acknowledged great additions 10 lts working power
from the nitrd States As an lfshnan and scotch
man hc protested against the ugly word Britain and
remat kcd that they were all, even the Canadians
fellow Englishmcn. The local committees were then
thanked for their hospitality, aud the association was
tu,ilv declared adjourned.