102 proceedings: philosophical society 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The 47th annual meeting (796th regular meeting) was held at the 

 Cosmos Club, December 8, 1917; President Buckingham in the 

 chair; 29 persons present. The minutes of the 46th annual meeting 

 were read. The report of the Secretaries was read by Mr, Sweet. 

 One member, Thomas W. Smillie, died during the year, one member 

 resigned, and one member was dropped. Two members were trans- 

 ferred to the absent list, and two members were transferred from the 

 absent to the active list. Twenty-four new members were elected. 

 The present active membership is 170. Fifteen regular meetings were 

 held, at which 37 formal and 7 informal communications were 

 presented. A complete revision of the by-laws was adopted on No- 

 vember 24. According to the new by-laws the functions heretofore 

 performed by the Executive Committee and the General Committee 

 are concentrated in the General Committee. At the same time the 

 General Committee is reduced to thirteen members. 



The Treasurer's report through December 1, 1917, was read by 

 Mr. Mueller. The total receipts for the year, including cash balance 

 of $443.66, were $2,537.29; the total disbursements were $2,353.16; 

 cash balance on December 1, 1917, $184.13. The total par value of 

 the investments now held by the society is $12,500: The report of 

 the Auditing Committee, consisting of Messrs. Mauchly and Bearce, 

 was read by Mr. Mauchly. This committee reported that the state- 

 ments in the Treasurer's report had been found correct. The reports 

 of the Auditing Committees and the Treasurer were ordered accepted 

 and placed on file. 



The report of the Committee of Tellers, consisting of Messrs. Sils- 

 bee and White, was read by Mr. White. A total of 43 ballots was 

 received. From among those placed in nomination bj^ the informal 

 ballot, the following officers were duly elected for the ensuing year: 

 President, G. K. Burgess; Vice Presidents, W. J. Humphreys, R. B. 

 Sosman; Corresponding Secretary, E. C. Crittenden; Recording Secre- 

 tary, H. L. Curtis; Treasurer, E. F. Mueller; General Committee, 

 J, A. Fleming, W. F. G. Swann (two year term) and R. L. Faris, W. P. 

 White (one year term). 



The rough minutes of the meeting were read and approved. 



Donald H. Sweet, Secretary. 



The 797th meeting was held at the Cosmos Club, December 22, 

 1917; President Burgess in the chair; 39 persons present. The min- 

 utes of the 795th meeting were read in abstract and approved. 



The paper of Messrs. E. D. Williamson and L. H. Adams on Meas- 

 urement of the compressibilities of solids under hydrostatic pressure up to 

 12,000 megabars was presented by Mr. E. D. Williamson. The paper 

 was illustrated by lantern slides. Specimens on which measurements 

 had been made were exhibited and some of the actual apparatus shown. 



The compressibilities of the principal earth constituents are of 



