258 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



Mr. W. C. Bond expressed his preference for the latter name, 

 because it had ah-eady been given to the new planet by the 

 English astronomers. 



Professor Peirce continued his remarks on the subject of 

 the loss of force in friction, which he attributed in great part 

 to vibration. He thought that the rising and falling of the 

 moving body, occasioned by superficial asperities, could pro- 

 duce but a very small part of the loss that actually occurs. 



The President stated that the rising and falling of the mov- 

 ing body would cause loss of force by increasing the space 

 traversed by it. 



Mr. Bo wen suggested that heterogeneous attraction must 

 take place in friction, and be one source of this loss of force. 



Professor Lovering remarked that adhesion would increase 

 with smoothness, and friction with asperities of surface. 



Professor Treadwell concurred with Mr. Bowen in attribut- 

 ing a loss of force to incipient or partial cohesion. 



Mr. Whitney communicated some statistical facts respecting 

 the increased annual products of silver and gold. He thought 

 that the relative value of those metals is destined to undergo 

 a great change. 



Mr. W. C. Bond communicated a letter from Colonel Sabine, 

 and an extract from a letter sent by Dr. Holland, both ad- 

 dressed to Mr. Everett, and giving information that the British 

 government had decided on continuing the Observatory at 

 Toronto. 



Colonel Sabine having requested specific information as to 

 the wishes of the Academy in regard to the observations to 

 be made, it was 



" Voted^ That the subject be referred to the committee formerly ap- 

 pointed to take charge of it, and that that committee be empowered to 

 conduct the necessary correspondence. 



Mr. W. C. Bond communicated a letter from Hon. William 

 Mitchell of Nantucket, giving an account of the occultation 

 of Aldebaran on July 16, 1849, of which the following is an 

 extract : — 



