SEPTEMBER 10, 1897. ] 
toward the same end must be considered, 
doubtless, in the near future, especially in 
connection with the question of the relations 
of the Association to the vigorously active 
affiliated societies. 
The election of Professor F. W. Putman 
to the presidency of the Association was 
the highest tribute that could be paid him 
for his long and indefatigable labors as Per- 
manent Secretary. The cordial unanimity 
of this election was fitly supplemented by 
the hearty acceptance of the graceful invita- 
tions of Boston to hold the semi-centennial 
meeting of the Association in 1898 in that 
city. All interested in the advancement of 
science in America should aim to be pres- 
ent at this next meeting. "The Association 
has a great work to perform, and every 
friend of science should aid that work by 
his presence and good fellowship at the 
meetings even should he not contribute to 
the formal proceedings. 
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 
August 16th-18th, the American Mathe- 
matical Society and the American Society 
for the Promotion of Engineering Education 
The 
Spacious accommodations of the beautiful 
held their meetings at Toronto. 
buildings of the University of Toronto were 
placed at the disposal of the societies, and 
the University authorities, individually and 
collectively, were most gracefully attentive 
to the needs and pleasures of the delegates. 
The rapid growth and the productive ac- 
tivity of these societies—each now count- 
ing more than 200 members, and each 
printing 300 to 500 octavu pages of proceed- 
ings—are at oncesurprising and gratifying. 
Their history, which cannot be entered 
SCIENCE. 
379 
into here, is similar to that of the Geolog- 
ical Society of America. Their work is in 
many respects allied to that of the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, 
affiliation with the latter 
through mutual concessions seems to be the 
and a closer 
logical and desirable outcome of existing 
conditions. The meetings held at Toronto 
were characterized by the well digested 
contents of the papers presented and by 
the clearness of exposition shown by the 
authors. Much interest was given to these 
meetings also by the presence of a number 
of foreign guests and members of the so- 
cieties. 
On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 
18th, the British Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science was welcomed to the 
Dominion of Canada, to the Province of 
Ontario, and to the City of Toronto, by the 
Governor-General, the mayor of the city, 
and other officials. In these ceremonies 
the intense patriotism of the jubilee year 
and the devotion of our British cousins to 
the work of their Association were alike 
pleasantly and prominently manifest. 
On the following evening Sir John Evans, 
President-elect of the meeting, read his 
address, printed in a recent issue of this 
JOURNAL, before a large and brilliant audi- 
ence. The formal addresses of the Sec- 
tional Presidents were given during the 
forenoon of Thursday, after which the sec- 
tions proceeded to the presentation and 
discussion of less formal communications. 
Daily or more frequent sessions were held 
by the various sections, and the meeting 
continued until August 25th. The well- 
planned excursions and social events con- 
