OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, 471 



Under these circumstances, the single duty incumbent upon the 



Academy in this case woukl appear to be to present the subject to the 



earnest consideration of all parties interested in the maintenance of 



these great and growing channels of transportation of human beings, 



and to urge them by all means to co-operate in some plan of this kind 



to avoid, so far as they can, the manifestly growing dangers from the 



extension of their enterprises. If it should be found that, by any 



other plan than the one proposed, still greater security would be 



likely to be afforded, such a result would be hailed by us with still 



higher satisfoction. The great object of saving life and suffering is 



highly worth any amount of labor and cost expended in attaining it. 



It does not appear to be within the province of effective legislation. 



A proper direction given to public opinion all over the commercial 



world is believed to be far more likely to be efficacious with persons 



who must largely depend upon public opinion for their prosperity. 



.Neither is there any reason from their past action to infer them to be 



unwilling to do every thing that may reasonably be demanded to insure 



the general safety. 



Charles Francis Adams, 



George T. Bigelow, 



JoHx H. Clifford, V Committee. 



H. H. IIUNNEAVELL, 



J. IXGEUSOLL BOWDITCH, 



It was A'oted to accept this report, and authorize the Sec- 

 retary to send copies of it to such of the daily papers and 

 steamship companies as he deemed fit. 



The President read a letter from the President of the 

 Geographical Society of Paris, inviting co-operation "on the 

 part of the Academy. 



Mr. AVashburn presented a report of the committee ap- 

 pointed to consider the question of Expert Evidence. It was 

 voted to request this committee to continue their labors. 



Six hundred and seventy-flftli Meeting. 



January 12, 1875. — Monthly Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



Professor Wolcott Gibbs announced the discovery of an 

 extensive series of well-defined salts, in which molybdic and 

 tungstic teroxides play the part of bases. 



