38 BULLETIN OF THE 



This was in the nature of a personal explanation of a former 

 communication by himself upon the same subject. 



Remarks were made by Mr. Hilgard. 



Mr. B. B. Elliott gave a communication on 



THE SUBJECT OF INTERNATIONAL COINAGE. 



In explanation of the progress lately made towards an inter- 

 national coinage he referred to the action of the Japanese and 

 Argentine governments in the adoption of coins of gold, weighing 

 exactly five grammes, and to the measure moved by Mr. Garnier, 

 in the French legislature and recommended by a committee of 

 that body, to coin a gold piece weighing five grammes. 



He then explained the so-called Warner bill, or the measure 

 now pending in the House of Representatives, and showed how 

 it differed in respect to the coinage of silver from laws now in 

 force. He then showed by means of a diagram the fluctuations 

 of the value of silver relative to that of gold since the year 1792. 



Remarks were made by Mr. Burchard. 



Mr. G. K. Gilbert made a communication on 



air currents on mountain slopes. 



He stated that in the mountains of the West the air currents 

 at night usually blow down the slopes ; and blow up the slopes 

 during the day, when the general state of the atmosphere is calm. 

 He referred to the discussion of this subject by Mr. Loew, who 

 stated the opposite condition of facts. Mr. Gilbert gave the 

 results of thirty observations, all of vs^^hich conformed to the 

 movement he asserted. 



Remarks were made by Messrs. Abbe, Antisell, Powell, 

 and Newcomb. 



The meeting then adjourned. 



163d Meeting, May 24, 1879. 



The President in the Chair. 

 Fifty-three members present. 



