MEETING OP THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 125 



co-o])erativc shops^ but added that the data upon which he grounded 

 his conclusions^ were not so extreme as to preclude the possibility of 

 subsequent inquiry inducing him to change his opinions. Several 

 members joined with Professor Babbage in the view he had taken, 

 and instanced various cases where the plan had been adopted and 

 failed. Dr. Orpen concurred in the objections made to co-operative 

 shops. — Dr. INIaunsel read a paper upon coroner's inquests and the 

 extent of infanticide, and the section then adjourned to next day. 



At five o'clock, upwards of three hundred persons sat down 

 at the ordinary at Morrison's After dinner the President of the 

 Association, who was in the chair, proposed " The King," — ** Suc- 

 cess to the British Association," — " The late President, Sir Thomas 

 Brisbane," — " The health of the illustrious foreigners," which was 

 drunk with the utmost enthusiasm. Dr. Peithman, of Berlin, Pro- 

 fessor Moll, Monsieur Agassiz, and Colonel Dick, severally returned 

 thanks. The company then broke up and retired to the Rotundo, 

 which w^as densely crowded. Nothing could be more brilliant than 

 the appearance the room presented on this occasion. The Pro- 

 vost of Trinity College, who was in the chair, said that the real bu- 

 siness of the Association w^as transacted at the various sections, but 

 an abstract of the proceedings which occurred there would now be 

 given the meeting. The reports of the sections were read by Drs. 

 Romney, Robinson, and Apjohn ; Professors Griffith, Graham, Har- 

 rison, and Babbage. The chairman said, that the impulse given to 

 science should be considered, if they w^ould receive any proper im- 

 pression of the benefits conferred by this Association. The Associa- 

 tion had, in fact, given an impulse to science never heard of before, 

 and it was utterly impossible to fix any limits to the extent of its 

 operations. After some other observations, in a similar strain of 

 eulogy, the learned chairman called upon Professor Powell, to deli- 

 ver his general views on the " undulatory theory of light." Pro- 

 fessor Powell then went into a technical and most able dissertation 

 upon light, and advanced some new facts which elicited great praise, 

 particularly from Professor Hamilton. — Professor Whewell made 

 some observations upon the phenomena of the tides, and referred, 

 with satisfaction, to the evidence now being collected, upon which 

 to form correct data. The tides were to be considered with reference 

 to time and space. Professor Whewell referred to the different tide 

 returns, furnished by the coast guard in 1834 and 1835, and also to 

 the calculations agreed to be furnished by the various maritime 

 powers, as most beneficial in affording means from which to deduce 

 correct references with regard to the action of the tides. The meet- 

 ing adjourned shortly after eleven o'clock. 



Thursday — Section A. — Mathematics and Physics. — Mr. Jer- 

 rard had prepared a long tract on the solutions of equations of the 

 fifth degree. It was, however, far too voluminous to be read in the 

 section. It was accordingly handed over to Professor Hamilton, 

 who undertook to explain its contents to the meeting. We believe 

 that it had been only in the hands of the learned Professor from the 



