Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-18
SPECTRUM'S VISIBLE RED
Prof Langley's Paper on Results Of Work
Done in This City.
National Academy Scientists Are Told
of More Than a Hundred Lines
in the Spectrum.

The National Academy of Sciences con-
tinued it's sessions at the National Museum
this afternoon, and a number of valuable
papers were read. Notwithstanding the
fact that the papers as a rule contain little
OF popular interest there was a much larger
audience today than yesterday. To be frank.
the subjects treated by these men Of science
are away up over the heads of most people.
The papers are Of an intensely scientific and
technical character, and, as rule, give an
outline of original researches conducted by
the writer's.
Prior to the open meeting today there was
business meeting of the academy, at which
the following were elected members Of the
council: E. ]. Brush B. A. Gould. S. P.
Langley, T. c. Mendenhall Simon Newcomb
and Ira Remsen. A number of amendments
to the constitution were proposed, but these
will not be acted upon until some subse-
Quent meeting.
Results of Work Done Here.
The principal paper of the day was one
read by Secretary s. P. Langley of the
Smithsonian institute, on the subject of the
infra-red spectrum. showing the results of
the work done in this city in the past three
years to find out what there Is beyond the
visible red. Most of the recent work has
been done in the recently constructed astro-
physical observatory in the rear Of the
Smithsonian, and Prof Langley exhibited a
number Of the delicate instruments with the
aid Of which such remarkable results have
been reached. The lecture, for 1t amounted
almost to that, was also illustrated with
stereopticon slides showing the lines that
have been discovered by means Of the bolom-
eter, a sensitive instrument, which does
away with the personal observer and re-
duces the possibility of error to an incon-
ceivably small amount. The region where
photography is Of use has been long past.
prnf q norlA nf M
elder Herschel, who found by means of
thermometers that there was something
beyond the visible red, and that this energy
took the form of heat. The work was con-
tinued until 1t was thought that the end of
what could be accomplished had been
reached. OF recent years. however, i'm
proved instruments never dreamed Of then
have carried the work far beyond that
point and it is sail going forward with the
most fiattering results, and promises of
even greater Importance. Where formerly
1t was thought there were only four lines
in the spectrum Prof. Langley today
showed on the screen a drawing that con-
tanned more than hundred, and he ex-
poets In time to uncover quite twenty-four
hundred. All this. he said, he thought
would be of the most Importance from
especially upon meteorology. and pracu-
cally upon agricultural matters.
The paper was discussed briefly by Prof.
T. c. MendenhaE, Prof. c. A Young of
the value of the researches so far as made.
Prof Young took the ground that at the
rate advances are made nowadays in every
line of scientific work 1t will not be long
before photography is so developed that 1t
will be available where now 1t is not.
Papers to Be Read.
Other papers entered to be read at this
meeting of the academy are as follows
1.-The Coral Reefs Of the Bermudas," A.
Agassiz; THE So-called Serpulae Reefs of
the Bermudas," A Agassiz; THE Bathy-
metrical Extension of the Pelagic Fauna"
a. Agassiz: New Method of Determining
the Relative Aftnities of Certain Acids" NJ
Carey Lea: ION the Change of Young's
Modulus of Elasticity With Variation of
Temperature, as Determined by the Trans
verse Vibration of Bars of Various Tenn
peratures." A. NJ. Mayer; ION the Produc-
ton of Beats and Beat Tones by the cow
bration of Two Sounds, so High in Pitch
That When Separately Sounded They Are
Inaudible," A. NJ. Mayer; ION the Motions
of Resor ators and Other Bodies Caused by
Sound Vibrations With Experimental Illus
traitor s. also a Reclan ation," A. NJ. Mayer;
ION Late Researches on the Variation of
Latitude" S. c. Chandler; THE Bacteria
of River Water" ]. S. Billings; 1.-The In
fuence of Light Upon the Bacillus of Ty-
phoid, and the Colon Bacillus" ]. S. Bill
lings: Recent Gravity Instruments and
Results" L. c. Mendenhall: The Geo.
graphical Distribution of Fishes" Thee.
Gill; Mote on Possible Increase in the
Ultimate Defining Power of the Micro
scope" c. s. Hastings.