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SCIENCK 



[N. S. Vol. IX. No. 231. 



as they afford excellent summaries and temper- 

 ate and judicial comments. 



We are glad to note that owing to its iu- 

 ■creasing circulation the publishers of Science 

 Abstracts (Spou & Chamberlain, New York) 

 have been able to make a reduction in the 

 price. The journal, issued monthly under the 

 •direction of the Institution of Electrical Engi- 

 neers and the Physical Society of London, is 

 performing a very important service for the ad- 

 vancement of science. The first volume con- 

 tained 1,423 abstracts and thus gives a full sur- 

 vey of the progress of physics and electrical 

 engineering. The advantages both pure and 

 applied science gain by cooperation in the pub- 

 cation of this journal are evident on almost 

 •every page. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADE3IIES. 



In response to a circular sent out to physicists 

 by a committee representing seven institutions, 

 a meeting was held on Saturday, May 20th, at 

 10:30 a. m., at Columbia University, New York, 

 for the purpose of organizing a Physical So- 

 ciety. Thirty-eight persons were present, rep- 

 resenting seventeen institutions, as follows : 

 Wesleyau University, 2 ; New York, 2 ; Yale, 

 •3 ; Cornell, 5 ; Columbia, 7 ; Pennsylvania, 2 ; 

 Bryn Mawr, 2 ; Vassar, 2; Princeton, 2; Am- 

 herst, 1 ; Mt. Holyoke, 2 ; Smith, 1 ; Harvard, 

 2 ; Vermont, 1 ; Swarthmore, 2 ; Clark, 1 ; U. 

 S. Weather Bureau, 1. Letters had been re- 

 ceived by the committee from many physicists 

 in all parts of the country, expressing approval 

 of the organization aud a willingness to join. 



Professor Pupin welcomed the physicists pres- 

 ent on behalf of Columbia University, and intro- 

 duced Professor Cooley, of Vassar, the senior 

 member present, as Chairman of the meeting. 

 Professor Webster was elected Secretary, and 

 addressed the meeting in explanation of the pur- 

 pose of the call. Reports of communications 

 received by members of the committee were 

 made by the Secretary and by Professors Magie, 

 Nichols and Pupin. On motion of Professor 

 Rosa, it was voted that a Physical Society be 

 organized. On motion of Professor Magie, it 

 was voted that a committee be appointed to 

 draft a constitution for the Society. On motion 

 of Professor Magie, it was voted that the meet- 



ings be held in New York, except in special 

 cases. An amendment offered by Professor 

 Nichols was adopted, to the effect that the 

 meeting express the willingness of the Society 

 to establish local sub-sections meeting in other 

 cities when a demand shall arise. After a rather 

 lengthy discussion, an amendment proposed by 

 Professor Pupin was adopted, to the effect that 

 the meeting express the sentiment of the So- 

 ciety to cultivate the closest relations with Sec- 

 tion B of the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science, and to contribute by 

 everything in its power to the success of the 

 Association. Upon motion of Professor Magie, 

 it was voted that a bulletin be published bj' the 

 Society. Professors Webster, Nichols, Magie, 

 Peirce, Hallock aud Pupin were elected as the 

 committee to draft a constitution. The meet- 

 ing adjourned at 12:30 and partook of lunch 

 kindly provided by rej^reseutatives of Columbia 

 University. 



The session was resumed at 2:20 p. m., and 

 the constitution submitted by the committee 

 was adopted. All the above notes were therein 

 embodied. A list of nominations for oiiicers 

 was reported by the same committee, and the 

 following were unanimously elected : Presi- 

 dent, Professor H. A. Rowland, of Johns Hop- 

 kins ; Vice-President, Professor A. A. Michel- 

 sou, of Chicago ; Secretary, Professor Ernest 

 Merritt, of Cornell ; Treasurer, Pi-ofessor Wm. 

 Hallock, of Columbia. Nominations were then 

 made from the floor for members of the Council 

 who, with the oflScers, are to have the general 

 management of the Society, and the following 

 were elected : Professors A. G. Webster, of 

 Clark ; J. S. Ames, of Johns Hopkins ; H. S. 

 Carhart, of Michigan ; B. O. Peirce, of Har- 

 vard , W. F. Magie, of Princeton ; E. L. 

 Nichols, of Cornell; BI. I. Pupin, of Columbia. 



It was voted that the election of new mem- 

 bers be made by the Council ; that the annual 

 fee be five dollars ; that there be no initiation 

 fee, and that four meetings be held annually. 



The constitution provides that the name of 

 the Society shall be the American Physical So- 

 ciety, and that its object shall be the advance- 

 ment and dilfusion of the knowledge of physics. 

 A circular will soon be issued containing the 

 text of the complete constitution, which will be 



