BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMO

TION OF SCIENCE.*

The fourth annual meeting of this flourishing association was held at Edinburgh during the past week. The president, on this occasion, was Gen. Sir Thomas Brisbane; the vice-presidents Sir David Brewster, and the Rev. Dr. Robinson, Astronomerroyal of Armagh; the secretaries, J. Robison, Esq., Sec. R.1.E., and Professor Forbes, of Edinburgh.

FIRST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS-MONDAY,
SEPT. 8.

The members of the Association, to the number of 350, dined together, Professor Sedgwick, the president of last year's meeting, in the chair.

Before the party separated, the Professor rose and proposed the health of the King. He then said, that although it had been agreed not to propose formal toasts, circum. stances would probably justify in one instance a departure from strict rule; he alluded to the presence of M. Arago, the Astronomer-royal of France, whose appearance amongst us he hailed as a gratifying sign, that the times were gone past when Englishmen and Frenchmen regarded each other as natural enemies. The health of M. Arago was then proposed, and the toast was received with the utmost enthusiasm.

M. Arago rose to return thanks; he passed rapidly over the routine phrases, and dwelt at some length on the advantages that must result from the union of the minds of Europe; he regarded it as the pledge of the peace of the world, because intellectual supremacy daily acquires more direct power over the affairs of nations, and when the intellectual rulers are banded in friendship, the nations subject to their influence cannot be forced into hostility. These noble sentiments were delivered in a manner that can scarcely be described. M. Arago possesses great physical advantages: in figure he resembles the Farnese Hercules; his voice is, at the same time, powerful and melodioushis action rounded and graceful; his style very much like that of the late Mr. Canning's.

After dinner, the meeting was formally commenced in the Assembly-rooms, which its proprietors had fitted up with great taste, and placed at the disposal of the Association. There were present in the rooms about twelve hundred members, and four hundred ladies. Professor Sedgwick, the chairman at the Cambridge meeting, came forward to resign his presidency to Sir T. Brisbane, and addressed the meeting to the following effect:

For the following details we are partly indebted to the Athenæum, and partly to the Times.

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The duty which he had that evening to perform was an humble one. The Association had exalted him to a high honour, from which he was then on the point of retiring, and he did so with feelings of exultation rather than regret, inasmuch as the trust he held would devolve on one whom they all knew was more capable of performing the duties of it. He, however, would enter on the trust which was not in a bankrupt state, but was going on increasing in prosperity, and would produce an effect on the philosophic world, which would extend to ages yet unborn, and tend to promote the best interests of humanity. The learned Professor proceeded to expatiate on the advantages of an association of this nature. Distinguished men from various parts of the continent and of this kingdom were congregated here, who would mutually enjoy each other's conversation. This was one advantage of philosophic unions; but there were many other circumstances which pointed out the use of the Association. What was man alone?-why in a savage state. He could not be said to have power even over brute matter; but, when associated with his fellow-creatures, he gained power as he gained knowledge. This was the great good which arose from association, for there was a power derived from concentration quite different from that which a man possessed when acting by himself. It was said the greatest philosophic discoveries had been achieved in private; but it would be found that the sparks which kindled them originated from mingling with the world, and having intercourse with men of kindred spirits. He strongly deprecated any infringement of the rules of the Association, for if it should ever break up, he might predict that it would be by overstepping its laws, and entering upon political topics, which were totally foreign to the institution.

Sir Thomas Brisbane then took the chair, and shortly addressed the meeting. He congratulated the Association on its present state of prosperity, and hoped its advantages would extend to the remotest parts of the globe.

Mr. Robison, one of the Secretaries, gave an account of the arrangements which had been made for the accommodation of the members, and the general order of the business of the week.

Professor Forbes afterwards gave an outline of the different subjects under discussion, mentioning the names of the individuals by whom reports in their respective departments would be drawn up.

SECOND DAY-TUESDAY.

The different sections elected their respective presidents and committees, after which each proceeded to business.

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In the section of Mathematics and General Physics, Dr. Brewster read a paper on capillary attraction, after which an interesting discussion ensued, in which Professor Whewell, M. Arago, Professor Forbes, and Professor Powell, took part.

In the section of Geology and Geography an animated discussion took place, in which Professor Sedgwick, Dr. Buckland, Mr. Greenough, Mr. Murchison, Professor Lyell, and Mr. Phillips, took a leading part, on a question proposed by Dr. Boase-" Are the primary rocks stratified?" On this point Professor Sedgwick delivered a most instructive and impressive discourse, in which he contended for the impossibility of drawing any fixed line of distinction between the so-called primary rocks and those deposits which contain organic strata. The Professor drew all his illustrations from the English and Scotch rocks, which he maintained afforded ample proofs that the proposition of Dr. Boase was perfectly untenable.

The section of Chemistry and Mineralogy was principally occupied with a discussion on certain experiments made by Dr. Daubeny, on the nature of gas from thermal springs. The atomic theory also formed one of the prominent topics of discussion, in which Dr. Dalton, Dr. Turner, and Messrs. Johnston and Harper, took part.

In the section of Natural History, a report by Mr. Jenyns, on the recent progress and present state of zoology, was read. The first part of a paper was also read by Professor Hooker, giving an account of an excursion in Quito, and to Chimborazo, by Colonel Hull. The Professor pointed out as particularly deserving of attention the general similarity of the climate of these districts to the climate of the south of Europe, and at the same time the injurious effects produced by the continuous spring, contrasted with the beneficial influence on animal and vegetable life of the alternate seasons of other climates.

In the section of Statistics, Colonel Sykes stated that he had some statistical returns relating to the Deccan, which, however, were not yet in a fit state for publication. It was mentioned that in addition to the Statistical Society recently established in London, another had been formed in Manchester, under the superintendence of Mr. Benjamin Heywood of that city. This association had already acquired much important information relative to the state of the working classes of Manchester, having visited no less than 4,102 families, comprehending nearly 20,000 inhabitants; of this number 8,851 were children, and of these 252 attended day-schools, and 4,480 attended Sunday-schools, so that nearly one

half were entirely destitute of education; 689 families were found in comfortable circumstances, 651 less so, and upwards of 2,500 in uncomfortable circumstances.

In the section of Anatomy and Medicine, a paper was read by Dr. Allison on the dependence between the muscular irritability and the nervous influence.

In the evening there was another general meeting at the assembly-room. Sir Thomas Brisbane, the President, called the attention of the meeting to the reports of the transactions of the various sections during the day, which were then read by their respective presidents, but which it is unnecessary to repeat here, being only a short summary of what we have before stated. This business having been concluded, the Chairman called upon Professor Robinson, of Armagh, who then addressed the company at considerable length upon the subject of comets. The term "comet" had, he said, been from the earliest times almost synonymous with spirits, terror, and all the pageantry of unholy and superstitious apprehension. They knew that still such terrors were found-they knew that lately in Paris, the capital of one of the most civilized and enlightened nations, such a panic prevailed at the expected return of one of these strangers, that to calm the apprehensions of the people, it was necessary to have recourse to one of the most eminent philosophers, M. Arago, to satisfy them that they were neither in danger of being suffocated by its noxious influence, nor crushed to pieces by its concussion. But to philosophers it presented itself in a far different aspect. Instead of announcing a tempest or a revolution, or the forewarning of some dreadful scourge in the world," with the fear of change perplexing monarchs," which its presence formerly conveyed to the mind, they now beheld in its track one of the greatest triumphs of human genius, and derived the strongest conviction that the person who should pretend to say to human knowledge-" Thus far shalt thou go and no further," was as yet in blindness-in infancy -unpractised in his strength-ignorant of the state of power to which the human mind could be raised. The learned Professor then entered into a most interesting disquisition on the history of the great Halley comet, which it was calculated would once more appear in the latter end of the present year, although it would not make its nearest approach to the earth until the 6th of January, 1835. This expected comet would bring another triumph to those who would hail with exultation its prompt obedience to the mandate of the mathematician. He concluded by giving a scientific analysis of the interesting subject of cometology. During his speech, Professor Robinson made some

observations upon the nature of light, in which he advocated the undulating theory.

Professor Whewell followed up the observations of Professor Robinson by explaining that part of the subject which is usually involved in ambiguity,-namely, the tail of the comet. By diagrams he illustrated the causes of the alteration in the size and brilliancy of these appendages of comets, and showed that they resulted from the prox imity of the body to the sun. The interest

ing subject of the existence of a thin ether filling all space was brought under notice, and the retardation in the periodic return of comets was mentioned as a proof of the fact. Professor Whewell also alluded to the physical constitution of comets, showing that from the tenuity of their structure, &c., all apprehensions as to the injury which they could inflict on our globe were groundless. They were, in fact, clouds of radiant dust, which might pass over us like a simoom across an African desart. He also took occasion to make some remarks upon the density of some of the smaller planets, Mercury, for instance. The matter composing some of these must, he observed, be lighter than water; but as a fluid body could not by any cohesive principle exist together under such a temperature as that to which these planets are subjected, we must therefore consider them to have a physical structure something like ashes or pumice-stone.

A report was read by Mr. John Taylor, the treasurer, from which it appeared that the number of tickets issued to new members on the present occasion amounted to upward of 800, and that 150 more had applied, and would probably be admitted on the next day. The Association, at its commencement at York, numbered 350 members; at Oxford they increased to 700; and at Cambridge last year to about 1,400; so that at Edinburgh it already included 2,200, which would in all probability be increased to 2,500 before the present meeting was concluded.

THIRD DAY WEDNESDAY.

The committees of the various sections met in the college at half-past ten o'clock, and shortly after eleven o'clock all the sections were busily engaged in discussing their respective branches of science.

In the section of Mathematics, Professor Powell brought forward his views of dispersion in reference to the undulating theory. Meteorology also formed a prominent feature in the discussions of the day. On this Mr. Phillips read a report, which was afterward discussed at great length by M. Arago, Sir Thomas Brisbane, and others. Amongst other meteorological subjects, the origin and

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suspension of clouds, the origin of hail, &c. were also dicussed.

In the section of Chemistry, crystallography formed a prominent object of discussion. A paper by Dr. Williams, on combustion, was read. Dr. Daubeny read another on the relative heating powers of coal-tar and splint coal, in which he showed that the tar might be used in fuel to increase combustion; but that it did not give much more heat than good coal. A third paper was read with regard to the destructive distillation of organic substances.

In the section of Geography and Geology, Mr. Stevenson's report as to the relative levels of land and water was read. This called forth some very interesting remarks from Mr. William Smith (the father of English geologists), as to the gradual encroachments of the sea on some parts of the coast, in the course of which he brought forward some facts tending to disprove the popular notion that England and France were once united. Professor Lyell (who has recently returned from Sweden) gave a very lucid account of the result of his observations on the coasts of Norway and Sweden, the result of which he stated to be a firm conviction in his mind that a gradual but regular rise is taking place on that part of the coast which lies in the neighbourhood of the Baltic, From marks which have been set up by the Swedish Government, and measurements made under the superintendence of the most eminent geologists of that country, he estimates that a rise of somewhat more than three feet has taken place in the last 100 years. A paper was also read by Lord Greenock on the coal fields of Scotland.

The principal subject of discussion in the section of Natural History related to the question of the altitudes at which certain kinds of vegetation exist. The limit of perpetual snow was another subject of discussion, the result of which was, that theory and observation were often at variance with regard to it, the character of the country always forming an important element in determining at what height snow may be found permanent.

Section of Medicine.-In this section only a few papers were read, which did not call forth any discussion of importance.

Section of Statistics.-In this section a paper was read on the advantages of infant school education. A paper by Dr. Clelland of Glasgow was also read, containing much valuable information respecting the statistics of that city, in the course of which he took occasion to remark on the numerous inaccuracies of the parochial registers; he also stated that he had found that the opinion

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very generally entertained in Scotland, that the average annual fatality of Glasgow exceeded that of other places of a similar size, proved by comparison with Manchester and other places to be incorrect.

The assembly in the evening was very numerously attended. Sir Thomas Brisbane having taken the chair, the presidents of the various sections read the usual reports, after which Dr. Lardner delivered a short lecture on the merits of Mr. Babbage's calculating machine, which gave great satisfaction, and evidently identified the lecturer as the author of the very able article on the same subject in the last number of the Edinburgh Review.

THURSDAY-FOURTH DAY.

In the Mathematical section a paper was read by Professor Rennie on the subject of hydraulics, embracing some notices of the river Thames previous to the erection of the new London-bridge. Mr. Phillips read a paper on a new form of the dipping needle, whereby errors regarding the centre of gravity could be corrected. Professor Robinson made some observations on the Edinburgh observatory, showing the great necessity of some scientific improvements.

In the Chymical section, the most important part of the business was a discussion on chymical notation, which was introduced by Mr. Johnston; the subject was referred to a committee, with a view of introducing a more uniform system.

In the Geological section Mr. Nichol read a paper on the structure of fossil wood.

Professor Traill opened a discussion on some fossil remains found in Orkney, which was taken up with great energy by M. Agasis.

In the section of Natural History, Mr. Selby read a lengthened notice of the birds observed and obtained during an excursion in Sutherlandshire, and on the structure and use of the orbital glands. Sir William Jardine read a paper on the various species of the genus salmo, collected during the same tour, exhibiting specimens and drawing. On this subject some observations were made by Monsieur Agassis and Dr. Richardson. Mr. Trevelyan read a notice on the distribution of the phenogamous plants of the Faro Islands. A paper was read by Mr. J. G. Dalzel on the propagation of Scottish zoophytes, illustrated by many beautiful drawings. He stated that he had kept some individuals of this species alive in his house for several years. Dr. Arnott read a paper on the coculus indicus of commerce, and Mr. Murray made some observations on his success in cultivating phormium tenax.

In the section of Anatomy and Medicine, Sir Charles Bell delivered a lecture on the nervous system,

In the Statistical section a discussion ensued on the present state of the new statistical account of Scotland now in progress.

Lord Fitzwilliam suggested that some means should be taken to obtain more minute details regarding the subject of agriculture. On the suggestion of Lord Jeffrey, the committee undertook to communicate with the Highland Society on this subject.

At the meeting in the evening, Dr. Buckland delivered an interesting and amusing lecture on rare and extinct species of fossil reptiles.

FRIDAY-FIFTH DAY.

At the evening meeting, Sir Thomas Brisbane called for the reports of what had been transacted in the different sections during the day.

Professor Robinson read the report from the section of Mathematics and Physics, at which, among other topics, Dr. Knight had explained the method of rendering the vibrations of heated metals visible to the eye.

Mr. Russell read an account of certain experiments relative to the traction of boats at considerable speed on canals.

Sir D. Brewster read an account of a series of experiments relative to the surfaces of crystal when in solution.

Sir T. Brisbane made some remarks on a kind of silicious sand found in New South Wales, from which glass of a superior quality is manufactured.

Dr. Christison read the report from the section on Chemistry, in which papers on various subjects connected with the science had been read by Mr. Harcourt, Dr. Clark, Sir David Brewster, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Kemp.

Professor Phillips reported from the section of Geography and Geology, that Mr. J. Bryce had read a paper on certain bones found in a cavern near the Giant's Causeway. Mr. Murchisson had also read a paper on the fossil fishes found in the old red sandstone of England, and also in Forfar, and other counties in Scotland. Dr. Traill announced that the fossil fishes he had brought from Orkney had been inspected by M. Agassis, who had discovered among them five new species. M. Agassis also read a paper on certain fossils found in the quarries near Burdiehouse, which he conceived at first to be reptiles, but which were in reality fishes, partaking of the character of reptiles. This remarkable fact was now brought for the first time under the notice of science.

Professor Graham read the report from the section of Natural History. In this section Dr. Traill had made some observations on a new species of thrush found in Brabant. Mr. Pentland made some observations on

the remains of what appeared to be a extinct variety of the human race, which had inhabited a district in South America, extending from the 16th to the 19th degree of south latitude. From relics found in various places, it appeared that ths of the brain was placed behind the spinal column, the consequence of which conformation would be that they would have great difficulty in keeping their heads erect, and be more inclined, as the Professor humorously observed, to be star-gazers than geologists. It ought to be observed, however, that Mr. Pentland failed to convince the section that this conformation arose from any other source than the habits of savage life. Sir D. Brewster gave a masterly account of a remarkable structure in the webs of the feathers of birds, for keeping the laminæ from separating during flight. This fact had hitherto escaped observation.

Dr. Abercromby reported from the section of Medicine, that several papers on that subject had been read and discussed. The learned doctor then took occasion to express the gratification he and his brethren had experienced from the meeting of the British Association in Edinburgh, and their anticipation of the happy results to which the friendships thereby commenced might lead. He was not one of those who were of opinion that the pursuit of physical science was hurtful to the higher interests of man considered as a moral being. He believed that infidelity and irreligion were the offsprings of ignorance, united to presumption; and that the boldest researches in physical science were calculated the more to display the power, the wisdom, the harmony, and the beauty which marked the works of Him who guided the planets in their course, who ruled a thousand suns and their systems, and whose name was the Eternal.

Colonel Sykes reported from the section of Statistics. Here Mr. Drinkwater had related the progress made by the Statistical Society of London, which now consisted of 400 members, connected with every part of the kingdom. Captain Maconochie read a long and interesting paper on the population and state of crime in France.

Mr. Whewell then delivered a lecture on several interesting phenomena connected with the tides. At the last meeting of the association, the investigation of this subject was pointed out as of vast moment, and one from whieh facts of considerable importance were likely to result. He observed, that the state of information with respect to tides, amongst philosophers, was precisely in the same situation as that with respect to the general principles of astronomy among those who were least learned, The general fact of

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tides being governed by the law of gravitation and the attraction of the moon and the sun was known to the learned, but of the particulars they were in a great measure ignorant. At the last meeting he therefore called upon intelligent individuals to institute investigations upon this subject, and the consequence had been that at Bristol a society was formed for the purpose of carrying on these investigations,-Bristol, which was above all other places calculated for observations, as the rise and fall of the tide there averaged from 50 to 60 feet; a person might walk at low water along the valley of the river, and see the ships lying dry, never dreaming that in a few hours these would be floated by the tide. To facilitate these inquiries, a self registering instrument was constructed to ascertain the rate of the rise and fall of the tides, by which the relative altitudes at different times of high water were delineated on a sheet of paper, one of which was exhibited to the meeting. By this means, the fact, first developed by Newton, from observations made by a gentleman residing at the spot where this instrument was now adopted, was verified, that at one period of the year the evening tides were greater than the morning, and at other times the morning tides were greater than the evening. This circumstance could not be observed in London; and this arose from the peculiar position of that city, which he believed to be unique in the tides of the coast. Mr. Whewell then described the manner in which tides were brought to our coast, and showed that the great tidal wave of the Atlantic in approaching the shores of England divided into three columns, and that two of them met exactly at the mouth of the Thames, one of them twelve hours after the other, so that each tide was compounded of an evening and a morning tide, and in consequence there was no alteration in the daily tides of that port. In order to prosecute the investigation of these phenomena, application was made to the Admiralty to direct the Coast Guard service to make observations on the subject; and the officers of that service had shown an alacrity and zeal in the matter which was worthy of their character. He had received their observations from the 7th to the 23d of June last, but he had not yet had time to examine them fully; but from the cursory view he had been able to take of them, they appeared to be of great value, and they were at present undergoing investigation by direction of the Admiralty. Mr. Whewell concluded his interesting lecture by expressing, in very warm terms, the feelings of gratitude entertained by himself and other strangers of the Association, for the kind and hospitable reception they had met in Edinburgh.