380 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



In consequence of observations from Mr. Bond, Professor Peirce 

 remarked that, as long as Saturn has a ring, the natural hypothesis of 

 its solidity cannot be set aside from any argument of mere improbabil- 

 ity, without the suggestion of some more probable hypothesis. The 

 argument from uncoraputed perturbation is especially vague and un- 

 certain, and cannot be admitted into science, which is knowledge, and 

 not ignorance^ The hypothesis of a fluid ring was at the time of Mr. 

 Bond's memoir more improbable than that of the subdivision into 

 solids. For the mutual resistance of the particles of the ring to inter- 

 nal currents would sooner or later reduce the ring to one uniform 

 velocity of revolution about Saturn, which would at once be its com- 

 plete destruction, just as certainly as if it were solid. The fluid consti- 

 tution is therefore quite impossible without some kind of action to coun- 

 teract this tendency to break to pieces ; and no such action was ever 

 suggested or known to science until Mr. Peirce's own investigations 

 upon the tidal action of the satellites. 



Professor Peirce offered some remarks on Captain Rod- 

 man's work and experiments upon the construction of heavy 

 ordnance. He regarded this work as of great scientific and 

 practical value, and the observations as entitled to the highest 

 confidence, on account of the accuracy and fidelity with which 

 they are made. He found no corrections in the reductions of 

 the observations which materially impair their value for the 

 use for which they were made. 



Five hundred and flftlii meeting. 



March 10, 1862. — Adjourned Statute Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



The Corresponding Secretary read letters from Sir William 

 Fairbairn and from Captain Duperrey, in acknowledgment of 

 the official notification that they had been elected Foreign 

 Honorary Members of the Academy. Also from Alvan Clark, 

 Esq., of Cambridge, in acknowledgment of his election as a 

 Fellow of the Academy. 



Rev. James Mills Peirce, of Cambridge, was elected a Fel- 

 low, in Class I. Section 1. 



