PROCEEDINGS, OCTOBER, 



OCTOBER. 



The monthly meeting of the Royal Society of Tasmania was held on 

 Monday evening, October 12th, the President (His Excellency Sir Robert 

 G. C. Hamilton, K.C. B.,) in the chair, a large number of ladies and 

 members being present. 



The President said before calling upon the Secretary to give a report 

 on the progress of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of 

 Science he was sorry to have to inform the members that Sir Wm. 

 MacGregor had wired to him stating that he ^ouid be unable to be pre- 

 sent at the meeting to be held in January. His Excellency said he was 

 pleased to say that he had a letter from his friend Sir Robt. Ball, 

 Astronomer Royal of Ireland, who. although unable to be present, had 

 promised to forward a paper to the astronomical section. (Hear, hear). 



The Secretary (Mr. Morton) said Professor T. W. E. David, F.G.S., 

 Professor of Geoloey at the Sydney University, had been asked and had 

 accepted the presidency of the geological section, rendered vacant by 

 the death of Mr. C. S. Wilkinson, and for the geographical section Com- 

 mander Paaco, R.N., of Victoria, had been appointed. Committees of 

 the various sections had been appointed, and the preliminary programme 

 was now in the hands of the printer, and would be ready in good time. 

 Titles of papers had been received from members residing in the several 

 colonies, and the bulk of most of the papers no doubt would be forwarded 

 during the next few weeks. Mr. Morton referred to the recent meet- 

 ing of the American Association that had met in the United State and 

 said he hoped that, as at that meeting, at the Tasmanian gathering many 

 ladies would take part, not only in the discussion, but would contribute 

 papers to the several sections. (Hear, hear.) The secretary further 

 remarked that he was pleased to say everything in connection wi;h the 

 coming meeting promised well. 



His Excellency said before calling upon Mr. Johnston to read his 

 paper, he would like to say that at the last meeting Mr. Montague 

 Jones had, owiog to some oversight, been unable to reply to those who 

 took part in the discussion following Mr. Jones' paper, and he would 

 now ask Mr. Jones to reply. 



Mr. Jones said in a discussion which followed the reading of the paper 

 on electric traction Mr. Fincham appeared to associate the "storage 

 system " with the practical operation of eleotric trams, but it was clearly 

 pointed out that the "storage" up to the present time was an ideal 

 method, and that the "overhead system " was the only one of practical 

 value. The main defects of the former are the limited capacity of the 

 cells, and when brought to bear on a grade of 5 per cent, or over heat 

 instead ot current was developed, which buckled the cell plates, render- 

 ing them useless, and again, the cells are composed of lead, weighing 

 altogether 3,0001b., which has to be carried about over light as well as 

 the heavy grades, losing 60 per cent of the available efficiency. Coming 

 to the " overhead system," the question of surmounting heavy and con- 

 tinuous grades resolves itself into a question of increased power, which 

 i3 always to be obtained from the central station, and herein lies the 

 great advantage the overhead system has over any other. Ml the 

 available energy can be utilised excepting a few point- per cent., due to 

 the resistance of the current by the conductor. The maximum grade 

 in Hobart is 1 in 16, and is slight compared with some of the towns 

 where cars are being operated by electricity. The following is an 

 extract from the directors of the "Richmond Union Passenger Line " 

 to Mr. Sprague : — " The road which you have equipped under most 



