XII NOTES BY THE EDITOR 



establishment of an American school of mines, to be located in New York, 

 under the auspices of the Institute. Dr. C. T. Jackson, of Boston, is 

 named as the Director. The plan embraces courses of popular lectures on 

 geology, mineralogy, mining, metallurgy, and chemistry proper, together 

 with practical instruction in each of the above named branches of science, 

 and also in civil engineering and nautical astronomy. 



A new university, projected upon an extensive scale, has been established 

 at Albany, N. Y., Judge Bronson, President. The lectures upon medicine, 

 law, and various departments of science, have commenced, and are in 

 progress. The university in plan more nearly represents the European uni- 

 versities than anything now in this country. It is intended that the pro- 

 fessors shall be remunerated by the fees which they receive from those who 

 attend the lectures. By a generous subscription of the people of Albany, 

 four persons from each senatorial district of New York, and certain other 

 persons, are allowed, this year, to attend upon the lectures gratuitously. 

 Among the lecturers connected with this university, are Prof. Mitchel, on 

 astronomy ; Prof. Norton, scientific agriculture ; Prof. Hall, geology ; 

 Dr. Henry Goadby, entomology ; Prof. Agassiz, Guyot, and others. 



Since the meeting of the American Association at Albany, active meas- 

 ures have been taken to secure the establishment of an astronomical obser- 

 vatory in that city. Twenty-five thousand dollars have already been 

 raised, to which sum Mrs. Dudley contributed thirteen thousand. A valu 

 able lot of land for the site of the building has also been given, by Mr. Van 

 Rensselaer. The director of the observatory will be Prof. 0. M. Mitchel, 

 formerly in charge of the Cincinnati Observatory. The instruments are to 

 be purchased in Europe, by Prof. Mitchel. 



A resolution has been introduced in the Board of Aldermen of New York, 

 authorizing the appointment of a committee to take immediate measures 

 for the erection of an astronomical observatory in that city. It is to be 

 feared, however, that there is too great an indifference among the commer- 

 cial and mercantile interests of New York, to secure this important object. 



An observatory is in the course of construction in Buffalo, N. Y., under 

 the direction of Dr. Van Duzee. It is to be furnished with a refracting 

 telescope, of eight inches aperture and ten feet focal distance, together with 

 all other necessary instruments. 



At a meeting of the photographists of New York, July, 1851, an associa- 

 tion for the promotion of heliographic science was formed, under the name 

 of the " American Daguerrean Association." M. M. Lawrence was elected 

 President, and S. D. Humphrey, editor of the Daguerrian Journal, Secre- 

 tary. The first annual address before this Association was delivered Oct. 

 31, by S. D. Humphrey, Esq. 



Three vacancies in the limited number of the foreign correspondents of 

 the French Academy have been filled during the past year ; two in the sec- 



