xvi MINUTES. 



Dr. John A. Miller read a paper on " The Rome Meeting of the 

 International Astronomical Union," which was discussed by Prof. 

 Snyder, Governor Sproul, President Scott, and Dr. W. W. Keen. 



Stated Meeting, December i, 1^22. 

 William B. Scott, Sc.D., LL.D., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Charles Lee Reese, a newly elected member, subscribed the 

 Laws and was admitted into the Society. 



The following communication from Mr. Charles F. Brush, in 

 reply to the letter of the Marquis de Gregorio, was read : 



Through the courtesy of the Secretaries, it has been my privilege 

 to read the letter of the Marquis de Gregorio and to offer such 

 remarks as seem fitting. 



Gregorio contributed a number of very interesting papers on many 

 scientific subjects under the general title " Su Taluni Nuovi Stru- 

 menti," etc., published in the Atti delta Rcale Accademia, Palermo, 

 1895. 



Professor Borgerhofl^, of Western Reserve University, has very 

 kindly prepared for me a careful translation of all of these papers, 

 giving special attention to the last chapter, " On the Contents of Space 

 and the Cause of Gravitation" (pp. 177-181). 



I have studied this paper very carefully, and following is my 

 understanding of its meaning: Gregorio assumes the ether to be 

 everywhere in a state of "tension" (very evidently using this term 

 in the sense of pressure) normally uniform. He says bodies of 

 matter absorb ether, somewhat as spongy platinum absorbs gases, and 

 the absorbed ether is rendered inactive or latent, analogous to latent 

 heat. Dififerent kinds of matter absorb different amounts of ether, 

 and their densities depend on the amounts of ether absorbed. The 

 free ether outside a body exerts pressure, not on the matter compos- 

 ing the body, but on the condensed or latent ether within it. 



Absorption of ether by a body of matter reduces the " tension " 

 (pressure) of the ether surrounding the body in proportion to the 

 amount of ether absorbed. Two neighboring bodies will have less 

 ether pressure against their parts facing each other than against their 

 parts turned away from each other, and they will be urged toward 

 each other by the superior ether pressure on the sides turned away. 



Gregorio continues : " Instead of explaining the phenomenon " 

 (gravitation) "by means of an absorption, one might also explain it 



