Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
ADVANCE OF SCIENCE
Progress Shown in Report OF
Smithsonian Institution.
ART GIFT BY w. 7. EVANS
Collection of Paintings to National
Gallery.
RESULTS OF INVESTIGATIONS
Papers on Chemistry, Physics, Me-
teoro1ogy and Other
Subjects.
,ESULTS OF INVESTIGATIONS

Every Year the board of regents of the
Smithsonian Institution submits to Con-
gross, through the secretary of the in
st tuition, a report of the operations. ex-
penditures and condition of the scientific
work of the great institution under their
supervision.
The publication of this report has come
to be regarded as an important event in
the history of science. largely because it
contains in it's appendix papers by mas
ter minds describing the advances made
in science during the year in the various
specialties in which the writer's arc rec
ognized authorities. Thus a splendid
summary of the development of knowl-
edge accompanies each report. making it
most valuable yearbook Of science.
Gift of Art Collection.
In the volume just issued from the
press-that for the year ending June IL,
19OS-there is given first a discussion of
the operations of the institution. Men,
| ton is made Of the fact that at the De-
cenlber meeting of the board of regents
considerable discussion concerning the
National Gallery of Art took place. and
the thanks of the regents were voted to
lection Of paintings, and in accepting
which they testified their recognition of
"his public spirit and devotion to the
highest interests of the nation which
prompted his splendid Donation
Brief refe ence is made to the partici-
patton of the Smithsonian Institution in
the Bordeaux maritime exposition and Of
the request by the Department of State
that the Smithsonian officials take com
plete charge of the exhibit for the United
States at that aSnOSitinn
The appendix Is a mine Of authoritative
knowledge, giving as 1t does summaries
by able men of the progress Of science.
Military Aeronautics.
Maj. George o. Squier Of the United
States Signal Corps tells OF "The Present
Status of Military Aeronautics." while
Pierre R. Jourdain of the Aero Club of
France describes Aviation in France in
19OS.'' This author is patriotic enough to
claim that aviation originated in France
in 1742 and therefore is not q new science
From mechanics we pass to physics.
Reginald a. FesSenden in an ample men,
DIR discusses the theory, practical OPP
GRAFTON and possibilities of wireless
TELEPHONY" The wonders of electricity
extend to other practical branches Of sci
| ence, and SO "Phototelegraphy," by Henri
| Armagnat d consulting engineer Of Paris
| and expert for the Tribunal Civil de Ia
SEINE, Is Il DTeSeIldI OH VI tHc lIdUSIiilS-
sion of pictures to distance by the cleo
ical current.
"The Gramophone and the Mechanical
Recording and Reproduction Of Musical
Sounds,.' by Lowell n. Reddie, describes
the various modern Industrial and other
processes which are connected with the
reproduction of sound by means OF the
application OF electricity. OF more the
ION the Light Thrown by Recent Investi-
cations In Electricity on the Relation
Between Matter and Ether" delivered at
the University of Manchester, by Prof J.
]. Thomson. who is pc haps the greatest
living authority on the constitution Of
matter.
Discoveries in Chemistry.
Chemistry follows physics. Prof. w.
Nerust recounts the story Of the DE
vclopment of General and Physical Chem
istry During the Last Forty Years"
Space is given to Prof. Otto n. Wits
development of archaeological Chemis-
try During the Last Forty Years.
Both these papers are transIations of
addresses made at the celebration Of the
fortieth anniversary of the founding Of
the German Chemical Society. They rep
resent, therefore. the ablest presentation
of the subjects attainable.
Twenty Years Progress In Explosives
is the history of a specially in technical
chemistry. Oscar Guttmann, the author.
is the accepted authority on this subject
in England.
Prof. J. c. kapteyn, director of the as
Economical laboratory at the University
of Goeningen, is the author of paper
on Recent Researches in the Struc-
ture Of the Universe This and one on
Solar Worthless and Magnetism in Sun
Spots" by Charles G. Abbot Of the Smith
sonian observatory, are among the latest
utteranceS on astronomy.
Progress in Meteorology.