114 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



W. F. M. Goss, Purdue Universit}-, Lafaj^ette, Tnd. Grant No. 1 14. 

 For a 7'esearch to deter^ninc the value of high steam pressures in 

 locomotive service. $5,000. 



Abstract of Report. — This work involves the operation of the heavy 

 machinery making up the equipment of the locomotive laboratory 

 of Purdue University, an organization of men supplementing the 

 regular staff of the laboratory, the presence and assistance of uni- 

 versity students, and an analytical study of experimental data. The 

 outline provides for 76 formal tests of the university locomotive, 29 

 of which have now been made. Each test involves a run of approxi- 

 mately 100 miles. 



Assistance has been given by the trustees and president of Pur- 

 due, by whose approval Professor Reynolds and his laboratory staff, 

 while receiving but slight aid, have thus far carried on the tests ; 

 also by Mr. William Garstang, representing the Cleveland, Cincin- 

 nati, Chicago and St. I^ouis R. R. Company, who contributed four 

 carloads of coal, amounting to 130 tons, in return for a report 

 respecting its quality. 



It is expected that the work of the laborator}- will be completed 

 by February next, and that the whole research will be finished and 

 reported on by September, 1905. 



EXPERIMENTAL PHONETICS. 



E. W, Scripture, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. Grant No. 

 121. For researches in experimental photietics. (For first report 

 see Year Book No. 2, p. xl.) $2,700. 



Abstract of Report. — Among the results obtained, the following 

 may be mentioned : The technique of speech recording and tracing 

 has been developed to a high degree of accuracy-. The method does 

 for speech what microscopy does for tissues. Curves have been 

 obtained of hundreds of American vowels for different speakers ; also 

 of various musical instruments. 



Concerning the vowels, various hitherto unknown or uninvesti- 

 gated properties were definitely established. The law of circum- 

 flexion in melodj^ and of circumflexion in intensity for American 

 vowels (previously discovered in my researches on Cock Robin 

 record) was definitely established. The modification of this cir- 

 cumflexion for purposes of expression, the fusion of several circum- 

 flexions into a larger unit, etc., were investigated. The unified 

 nature of a diphthong (as opposed to the view that a diphthong con- 

 sists of two distinct elements) was established, as were also numerous 



