OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



243 



reply to a remark of Dr. Holland of London, Dr. Jackson gave 

 some account of the researches of Professor Daubeny of Ox- 

 ford, England, who had been employed by the British govern- 

 ment to investigate the economical value of the phosphate of 

 lime of Estremadura, Spain. Prof. Daubeny found that the 

 mineral phosphate of lime answered as well as bones in pre- 

 pared phosphates for agriculture, but that the supply in Spain 

 was too limited to be of much importance. 



Three hundred and thirty-eighth meeting. 

 November 5, 1850, — Monthly Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



Professor Guyot, in behalf of the committee appointed to 

 consider the expediency of recommending the adoption of the 

 centigrade thermometrical scale, and the metrical barometrical 

 scale, made a report, to which was appended a series of resolu- 

 tions. A discussion of considerable length ensued, in which 

 Messrs. Horsford, Levering, B. A. Gould, Jr., Paine, Guyot, 

 W. F. Channing, Peirce, Agassiz, Everett, and Treadwell took 

 part ; and the resolutions were amended and passed as fol- 

 lows : — 



"1. Resolved, That the American Academy earnestly recommend 

 the adoption of the metrical scale for the barometer destined for the 

 observations made in behalf of the State of Massachusetts and of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, not only for the sake of convenience, but also 

 as a first step leading to a general adoption of the metrical system of 

 weights and measures in scientific matters. 



"2. As regards the thermometer, that the scale of Fahrenheit, in 

 actual use in this country, be retained for the present. 



" 3. That a committee be appointed to consider the propriety and 

 the practicability of introducing the modified Fahrenheit's scale men- 

 tioned in the report, or some other possessing similar advantages, as ^' 

 a universal scale, and to correspond with eminent meteorologists and 

 scientific societies. 



" 4. That notice be given to the Smithsonian Institution of the opin- 

 ion of the Academy on the subject of this report." 



The Academy then 



