November 28, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



507 



shows high efficiency, is automatic and is regarded 

 as eminently satisfactory. 



, "Kelpcliar" a netv decolorizing carion pre- 

 pared as a iy-produot in tlie extraction of potash 

 from Tcelp: J. W. Tukrentine, P. S. Shoaff and 

 G. 0. Spencee. Following the researches in the 

 laboratories, respectively, of Dr. F. W. Zerban, of 

 the Louisiana Sugar Experimental Station and of 

 the Experimental Kelp Plant, of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, it was shown that a 

 carbon of high activity could be produced in large 

 quantities from kelp, depending on the method of 

 retorting. One-stage retorting was efficacious, 

 under certain conditons but did not yield a product 

 of uniform or even dependable grade. Two-stage 

 retorting, however, did yield a product of con- 

 stant properties and made possible the large scale 

 production. Accordingly this method was insti- 

 tuted pending the determination of the optimum 

 conditions surrounding the one-stage operation. 

 The product of the retorting or destructive distil- 

 lation of kelp, a porous charcoal, is leached with 

 hot water to remove potassium chloride and iodide 

 and the residue, in the form of a press cake, is 

 treated with the required amount of hot, dilute 

 HCl to dissolve out soluble constituents and is then 

 washed with water to neutrality. It is then dried 

 and sacked for shipment. The tank system of ex- 

 traction at present is in use. Acid proof construc- 

 tion is employed. The material is transferred from 

 tank to tank in the sludge form by means of 

 pumps, and spent acid and water are removed by 

 filtering in situ over vacuum. The product com- 

 pares favorably with Norit on molasses solution 

 being equal in value and shows great usefulness 

 when applied to materials of widely varying char- 

 acteristics. It offers every promise ultimately of 

 meeting the requirements of the chemical industry 

 for a carbon of the highest grade. 



Chaeles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 

 (To he continued) 



THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL 

 SOCIETY 



THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 

 The twenty-third meeting of the society was held 

 September 2 to 5, 1919, at the University of 

 Michigan, Ann Arbor, where during the same 

 week were also being held meetings of the Amer- 

 can Mathematical Society and of the Mathematical 

 Association of America. Members of all three so- 

 cieties were housed at the Newberry Residence and 

 at the Michigan Union, and the arrangements 



demonstrated the ideal condition of gatherings 

 where members live close together for several 

 days. There were about seventy members and 

 guests present at the astronomical sessions. 



In opening the first session, Acting President 

 Sehlesinger referred to the great loss which the 

 society had suffered since the last meeting in the 

 death of Professor Edward C. Pickering, who had 

 been president of the society for thirteen years, 

 and who had been the leading figure at its meetings 

 throughout that time. The society had also lost 

 Professor Charles L. Doolittle, who had acted as 

 treasurer from the founding of the society in 1899 

 until he retired in 1912. The following resolution, 

 which had been passed by the Council, was en- 

 dorsed as representing the sentiment of the mem- 

 bers of the society, and was ordered to be printed 

 in the publications. 



, The council of the American Astronomical So- 

 ciety records with regret the death on February 3, 

 1919, of Ed-ward Charles Pickering, who had 

 been president of the society since December 30, 

 1905. His success in introducing new methods into 

 the observatory, particularly with regard to the 

 determination of the brightness and the spectra of 

 stars, his extraordinary ability in carrying out 

 large projects, and the extent and diversity of his 

 experience and knowledge, have given him a per- 

 manent place among the great names in the his- 

 tory of science. The society will keenly feel the 

 loss of his presence at its meetings. The mem- 

 bers of the society had every reason to regard him 

 as a warm friend, and to them the sense of per- 

 sonal loss is very deep. 



The visitors at Ann Arbor were hospitably enter- 

 tained by the University of Michigan, and espe- 

 cially by Director and Mrs. Hussey at the Observ- 

 atory. There was also opportunity to join forces 

 with the mathematicians at a smoker and a dinner. 

 There was one joint meeting of the three societies, 

 with the following program. 



"Mathematics and statistics." Setiring ad- 

 dress of the president of the Mathematical Asso- 

 ciation of America. Professor E. V. Huntington, 

 Harvard University. 



' ' The work of the National Research Council 

 with reference to mathematics and astronomy." 

 Professor Ernest W. Brown, Yale University. 



' ' Reports on the International Conference of 

 Scientists at Brussels. ' ' Dr. Prank Sehlesinger, 

 Allegheny Observatory, Dr. L. A. Bauer, Carnegie 

 Institution. 



The time and place of the next meeting of the 

 Astronomical Society was left to be determined 

 by the executive committee. 



Officers were elected for the ensuing year: 



President — Frank Sehlesinger. 

 Vice-presidents— George C. Comstock, Walter S. 

 Adams. 



