Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-19

Opening Session of the Spring Meeting
Papers Read TOday-OfHcers and Members
to Be Elected.
| No crowd came togetherto witness the OPEN
| ing session of the spring meeting of the Ma
| tional Academy of Sciences today in the ball of
| the national museum. This was not surpris-
| ing as these meetings have never attracted a
crowd. The membership of the academy COM
prises the most eminent scientists of the coun-
| try, and when these learned Swans meet they
discuss subjects that are Of interest to them.
They have their own method and as
rule not only is the manner of
the discussions technical, but the
subjects themselves are extremely abstruse to
| those who are not accustomed to live in the
high, cool atmosphere of pure science. For
| these reasons, mainly, the members OF the
academy have the spacious hall of the academy
exclusively for their own use. The public are
| not kept out. The doors are left wide open
and even tho mere visitor to the city
| in passing through the museum can
pause at the meeting and drink in
| times party of tourists will stray into the
hall, but they don't stay long. The only rep
resentatves of this class known to honor the
| academy with anything like a prolonged stay
are the bridal couples. They come in, drop
| into II back seat and as the scene is quiet and
| peaceful and no one looks at them they stay
| in. There are one or two ladies who always
| attend the sessions of the academy and betray
a deep interest in the proceedings. Then
the there so,ds is small contingent from
come into the hall in time to hear
| some particular paper and then retire.
| But after all the value and importance
| of these gatherings rests on the quality rather
than tho quantity of the attendance. The
members are all leaders in the various branches
| Of scientific work and on fhpea afOpc fhav
| give to the world the results of any investiga-
! tions that has been occupying their attention.
Last year Prot Langley described his interest
| ing experiments in aerial navigation. and pro-
vided theme for discussion which has filled
up good many pages and columns in the
| periodical magazines and in the newspapers.
NO FonMALITY ABOUT THE MEETINGS.
There is no formalty about the meetings of
| the academy. Generally each day the mem
bers meet in council, to which the public is not
admitted. After this meeting they come out
| into the public hall. Prof. o. c. Marsh, the
| president of the academy, takes his seat on the
| platform. Prof. Asaph Hall. the secretary. is
in his place. Then the president taps lightly
| on the table and says, The academy will
paper on the printed program and the academy
| is fairly started. This morning, however, Prof.
Marsh varied the program by stating that the
| academy would be in session through Friday,
H0iu3hS TWO SebbiOns each day, With tae eXcep-
| ton of Thursday, when no morning session
| will be held.
Thursday is an important day to number
who are not now members OF the academy but
hope to be. At present there are ten vacan-
cies in the roll Of membership and 1t is ex-
pected that on Thursday some five new men,
bers will be elected. Only five can be elected
| to membership at one meeting, and the appli-
cants who do not succeed in getting in this
| time will have to wait until next year.
Tomorrow six members Of council are TO be
| elected.
PAPERS READ TODAY.
The first paper read today was entitled, 'eThe
American Moor" BY Prof. G. K. Gilbert Of this
city.
The paper had reference to . large cavity or
| circular basin found on Coon mountain,
Arizona, known as Coon Butte, which, in the
opinion OF Prof. Gilbert was the result Of
| volcanic action.
Other papers announced to be read were BY
R. 8. Woodward, Cleveland Able. F. n. Bige-
low, c. A. Schott and A. s. Packard.
Areception to the members Of the academy
win be given by Prof. Langley at the Smith,
sonian Institution on Thursday evening.
At the session Tomorrow afternoon IL Is ex-
pested that the menoirs Of deceased members
MEMBERS PRESENT.
| The members present were AZ follows:
Cleveland Able, John 8. Billings, ThoS. 1.
Casey, Grove K. Gilbert Theodore N. Gill;
Asaph Hall, George W.. Hill, Samuel p. Lang.
ley, Thomas 9. Mendenhall, Charles A. Sciott,
Charles A. White OF this city, George F. Barker,
Philadelphia; VIM. b. Brewer, New Haven;
George J. Brush, New Haven, Seth @.
Chandler, Cambridge, Russell e. Citizen.
den. New Haven; Cyrus B. Cohstock,
Whitestone, LII; Edward d. Cope, Philadil.
phia; Edward s Dana, New Haven. woIcoss
Gibbs, Newport, r. l.; Clarence King. New York
city; O. Q. Marsh, New Haven, Ed
ward 8. Morse, Salem, Mass. Raphel PUN.
pelley, Newport, RI; Frederick W. Putnam,
Cambridge. Mass. :. Ira Remsen. Baitimsre;
Princeton.