610 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



The following papers were presented by title : — 



On the Thermal Conductivity of Vulcanite. By B. O. Peirce. 



Ferrous Iodide. By C. Loring Jackson and Ira H. Derby. 



Nine hundred and ninth Meeting. 



June 14, 1899. 



Tlie President in the chair. 



The Corresponding Secretary read letters from W. E. Byerly 

 and W. H. Pickering, accepting Fellowship, and from Lord 

 Russell of Killowen, acknowledging his election as Foreign 

 Honorary Member. Letters from Marion T. Hosmer, soliciting 

 a subscription on behalf of the Rumford Historical Society, 

 and from the University of Pennsylvania, the American Philo- 

 sophical Society, and other Philadelphia Societies, inviting at- 

 tendance at the presentation of the Franklin statue, were 

 referred to the Corresponding Secretar3\ 



The Chair announced the death of Francis Minot, Resident 

 Fellow in Class II., Section 4, and of Manning Ferguson Force, 

 Associate Fellow in Class III., Section 3. 



The Rumford Medal awarded to James Edward Keeler at 

 the annual meeting of 1898 was presented, Edward C. Picker- 

 ing acting as Professor Keeler's proxy. 



The President spoke of the proposed exploring expedition to 

 the mid-Pacific under his direction, the United States Commis- 

 sion of Fish and Fisheries having placed the Albatross at his 

 disposal. The vessel will be thoroughly equipped with the 

 newest apparatus for deep-sea investigations, and special ap- 

 pliances will be constructed for use in very deep water. The 

 expedition will leave San Francisco about the middle of August 

 for Tahiti, in the Society Islands, which will be the hea-dquarters 

 during the six or eight weeks required for exploration of the 

 Paumoto Islands. Afterwards a week or ten days will be spent 

 among the Tonga or Friendly Islands, and tlie expedition will 

 then proceed to the Fiji Islands, where a short stay will be 

 made. After visiting some of the Ellis and Gilbert Islands, six 

 or seven weeks will be devoted to the exploration of the Mar- 



