New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-20
NAVY PAPERS ON SCIENTIFIC TOPICS
THE SESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY AZ
AN END.

THE SESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY At
AN END.
Washington, April 10 tspecisl).-Ths annual meet
ing of the National Academy Of Sciences closed to-day
Little business was transacted the working session.
but large number Of papers read IN public
session. and the discussion exceptionally spirited
The first paper, by Professor A. A. Nicholson, Of
Cleveland was on The Feasibility Of the Establish
nent of Light Wave as the Ultimate Standard OF
Leneths in leu OF the artificial standards gen
orally employed The second paper-on tho general
laws pertaining TO stellar variaton--was one OF
strictly technical nature and was By Professor B. O.
Chandler of New Haven. Most Of the fixed stars
emit light and heat constantly, but about $50 Of
these distant suns are variable. Professor Chandief
has sought to dednce the general Laws to which these
eccentric stellar bodies conform. The third commune
cation was review Of the trivial names In FazsPs
star catalogue By the venerable asterold hunter u
H. T. Peters, of Hamilton College
Dr. J. s. Newberry of Columbia College. followed
with deliberately illustrated on the
fora OF North America DR. Newberry has recentfy
examined al variable collections of the cretaceous
fossils this and In several European coun,rfes snu
has thus placed himself in position to correlats more
accurately than before tho various crefaceous
deposits Of the world. statement of the results
of this correlation and is bearing upon geological
history formed the gst OF his interesting paper.
Another geological paper was by c. d. Woicots
of tho United States Geological Survey, on tho plano
Of demac alton between the Cambran and
rocks The deposits OF the cambrian period are the
oldest and lowest known 10 contain either animal or
plant fossils and ell later rocks accordingly claSs
Hed and correlated by mineral composition. structure
etc. Ono Of the most serious problems OF The gcoio-
eys relates 70 the transition between these sariy un-
fossferous s and those Of later age ard enor 70
distinguish them have frequently proved futile By
careful study on the ground, however. Mr.. wolcots
has been able clearly to separate and map the two
classes of rocks parts OF New England in NewYork
In Nova Scotia and New. Brunswick, In Texas. in Ne
vada In Northern NewMexico and other parts Of tho
country and hts work and that Of his colleagues takes
rank among the leading events IN the geological pro-
gress Of the decade.
Other papers of the day On Terrestrial Mag
netism,n by Professor Cleveland Able; on @Nerth
American Plaghae,s and on @The Development Of
Cr,tacca" ~ Professor w. K Brooks, and report Of
the American eclipse expedition TO japan in 1877,
By Professor ID. p. Todd.
There has been only one death among the active
members of the Academy during the past year, thai
OF DR. John C. Dalton. the noted psychologist OF New.
York. two Dreign associates have. however passed
away-Dr Rudolph Ciausins. of the University Of
Bonn, and te centenaran chemist, II. Chevreul, Of
Paris.
The autumn meeting Of the Academy win be held as
Philadelphia, 1ovember -, 1882