New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
SCIENCE ~ WASHINGTON.
ORC, yrzATloS OF A NEW SOCIETY OK a BROAD



In no city in America. not even in New" 'h'
a,e there so many engaged III sc''"'''
work AS at the National capital Ihis IL NV
IN the nuantity and variety Of srlentlhc WORN
conducted in the various departments 81 the
covornment. WASHINGTON has long been n"tapie
g.. the AGGREGATION ~ astronomers. BIOLOGISTS
r,turalsts. chemists biologists and pai"ontoio'
cists who rcsil. there.
I'm TO the present time. however, THESE III
vcstieatcrs have had no general ORGANIZATIONS
lut have been members of separate SocieueS'
Union has been considered repeatedly, nut never
corsumnated The closest approach to IL was d
sort Of federation. like the Scientific Alliah''
N tine METROPOLIS which embraces tn" Ne"-i YORK
Academy Of Sciences. the Torrey Botanical CIub'
tho \cv,-Yotk Microscopical Society. the LIN
rpan Society," the New York MineralogIcaI 'lup'
the American Mathematical Society. the New
York section Of the American Chemical so
cietv. and the Ncw-Yorl; Entomoloeica society
This arrongernent was entered into by the
washington organizations in 1883. each one OF
which was represented By its regular officers
on what was called joint commission Undef
TIE auspices of that board, directory of mem
beers was prepared. courses Of lectures wer" pro-
yided for and somc other functions were eXer-
cised without any attempt to control the various
bodies.
1t Is row announced that new step has been
taken looking to closer fusion or the od
elements. Under the name Of the washington
Academy If Sciences scventy-fve Of the leading
scientists iau engaged in original research) have
formed a new organization. The charter mem
hers are members Of the old separate societies
and. in fact they were selected for their task by
the joint commission just referred to- Addlt' oha'
members will now be chosen by ballot from
the existing local societies, which VIII retain
their nominal status for time. each one FUR
nishinr 4 vicr-president to the Academy. While
pains will be taken 10 create no alarm or UNI
easiness. it seems likely that the central organ
iZation will before many years eclipse the triDu-
taries ard become z representative body OF
which the Nation may feel proud. These are
its first officers:
President Professor j. r. Eastman. Of the
United States Naval Observatory; secretary.
Grove X Gilbert geologst. United States Geo
logical Survey; treasurer. BERNARD r. Green.
civil engineer; managers. DR.. George NJ Stern
berg. surgeon general. United States Amy:
Professor Charles d. Walcott. director. United
States Geological Survey; Carroll d. Wright.
statistician and United States Commissioner Of
Labor: Professor +. w. Clarke. chief chemist.
United States Geological Survey; Professor ii. >,
Pritchett, astronomer and superintendent United
States Coast and Gcodetic Survey; DR.. Frank
Baker naturalist and superintendent National
Geological Park: Professor Alexander Graham
Bell ply sicist and president National 'i-ographi-
cal Society Dr. c. Hart Merriam. chief Of Biologi-
cal Survey. Department of Agriculture. and Pro-
fessor Lester +. Ward. botanist and geoogist.
The yicc-pres!dents yet to be elected by the
several societies.