Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-25
SCIENTISTS IN COUNCIL.
Movement of StOrms-Submarine &c
Ologv Near New York-Kinship.

Movement of StOrms-Submarine Ge-
OlOgv Near New York; inship.
WASHINGTON, April 22-Ten papers
were offered for reading in the National
Academy of Sciences to-day. Goodwin
smith appeared for the first time. To-
morrow is the day for the election of new
members. There are eight vacancies. but
only five new members can be elected in
any one year. The first paper read to-
day was by Gen. Comstock, of the United
States rmy, on "rhe Ratio of the Metre
to the Yard
Prof. Able, of the Signal Service,
read paper by Prof. LOomis, of
Yale College. on "The Progressive Move
ment of Storm Areas, or Areas of Low
Pressure" The movement of storm
areas, he said, had been attributed to
drift in current, as the water of river
is carried. all advancing in the same di-
rection. But it is found taat the average
direction OF a storm does not coincide
with the average direction Of the wind,
but rather with the force and direction Of
the special wind OF the moment, and even
then there is no evidence of exact
agreement. Air rises from the cen
tire OF the low area. Its vapor Is con-
Gensed. and air rushes in from the base
IL is like great atmospheric wave. Often
such waves have two centres starting from
different points and coaiescing, or they
move with uNequal yel0cities al an angle
of ninety degrees or more. one great
storm area may divide and develop several
centres moving with different YelOcities.
When maps are made twenty-tOur hours
apart 10 is almost impossible To identify
the centres as the same. Storms move to-
Waru the east because pressure on the
west is steady and forcihle. on the east
only temporary, ii a storm area is thrust
westward 10 is only for moment. II soon
yields 10 the western wind, a ST. ady force.
Prof Ililgard read paper on the sub
marine Geology Of the Approaches to
New York. which had been prepared by
Prof. Ltndeukohl, and was approved by
Prot. Dana. I'm 1874 specimens We're Sc
cured from the bottom of the harbor and
investigated bY Count POurtates and
Prof. Bailey, Of West Point, within five
years OF the typographical survey. The
sea bottom showed peculiar subma-
rine valley with clay BOTTOM ruuui4e
100 miles out 10 sea. with G.on
on the edge OF the suhmtrr
mud holes were found,
that these might hay
NjuUs Hudson river t.IUnt.. t4r.i,.
suundines finally showed tae mud hole
continuous. The channel is from 3 OF
lnlle 10 mic broad, ITS banks
are OF the same height. dropping from
IL % 40 feet. The bottom is of sandy clay.
and there is at its mouth bar of fine
sand, 50 miles below sandy Hook. Its
depth drops from - 20 13 feet. 1t was un-
doubleday produced hy eraslon. The mud
is the actual sort of sandy clay like that
OF the New Jersey coast. This was part
OF the terminal moraine of the glacial pc
riOd, which tac geological survey found
extending from the Allegheny valley 10
New FORK bay. 10 forms a muddy belt
between the white sand belt and the deep
sea. The bottom falls prccipitately from
100 30 1000 MthOms. 4 line drawn from
Trenton, ~. j., 10 New York bay separ.
ates the clayey strata from the red sand
stone, the alp being 80 feet TO mile. The
bar probably is relic of an antacedent
condition.
The next paper was read by Theodore
Gill on "The Orders of Fishes" He as
serted that systematic ichthyoiogy is a
"reminiscences of past age, It's retention
due to mulish obstinacy. and that il is the
disgrace Of sciences in America. Such "a
word as "fshesv was restricted 20 yerte-