SCIENCE 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; R. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering. 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; R. H. Thurston, Engineering; Ira Remsen, Chemistry; 



J. Lb Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. Brooks, 



C. Hart Merriam, Zoology; S. H. Scudder, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Britton, 



Botany; Henry F. Osborn, General Biology; C. S. Minot, Embryology, Histology; 



H. P, BowDiTOH, Physiology; J. S. Billings, Hygiene; J. McKeen Cattell, 



Psychology; Daniel G. Brinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, Decembee 9, 1898. 



CONTENTS: 



Applied Science in the Navy: Professor R. H. 

 Thurston 801 



Report on the State of the 3fathemntical Iheory of 

 Electricity and 3Iagnetism, : PROFESSOR A. G. 

 Webster 803 



The Limilalions of the Present Solution of the Tidal 

 Problem: John F. Hayford 810 



Geometrical Optical Illusions : A. H. Pierce 814 



Some Recent and Important Experiments with the Eggs 

 of the Sea-urchin: Dr. F. C. Kenyon .829 



American Ornithologists' Union: John F. SAGE. ..830 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — - 



The 3Iap of Cuauhtlanzinco ; The Variation in the 

 Muscles in Man; Passamaquoddy Literature: 



Professor D. G. Brinton 831 



: Notes and News 832 



f and Educational News 835 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



A Self-adjusting Coherer : A. E. LAWRENCE. 

 Additional Notes on an Apple Canker : W. Pad- 

 dock 836 



Scientific Literature : — 



Erdmann's Lehrhuch der anorganischen Chemie : 

 E. R. Anthony on the Theory of Electrical Measure- 

 ments : F. E. N. Udden on the Mechanical Com- 

 position of Wind Deposits: W J M 837 



Scientific Journals 839 



Societies and Academies : — 



Ihe Section of Geology and Mineralogy of the New 

 York Academy of Sciences 839 



New Books 840 



MSS. Intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor. Profes- 

 sor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



APPLIED SCIENCE IN THE NAVY. 



Among the technical reports issued from 

 the Government Press, just now, those com- 

 ing from the departments of the govern- 

 ment most active in the war with Spain are 

 of special interest. That of the Chief of 

 the Bureau of Steam Engineering of the 

 Navy Department, Com. G. W. Melville, 

 is now published, and, though brief and 

 businesslike, gives some interesting infor- 

 mation of a more or less scientific nature, 

 as well as of a kind to interest the average 

 citizen in a more general way. 



The first effect of the demand upon the 

 Department for preliminary work was to 

 ' demonstrate in the briefest and most vig- 

 orous manner the necessities, facilities and 

 deficiencies' of the naval establishment. 

 Fortunately, as it proved, the already es- 

 tablished policy of keeping at the navy 

 yards ample stocks of material and stores 

 reduced enormously the risks and delays, 

 embarrassments and dangers of a sudden 

 call for active service of every available 

 ship and gun. Much was necessarily done, 

 however, before satisfactory provision could 

 be made for all emergencies ; yet it will 

 never be forgotten that the navy never failed 

 when called upon. 



Some work was performed with marvel- 

 lous despatch. Thus, the old and worn-out 

 ' shell- boilers' of the monitors Manhattan, 

 Mahopac and Canonieus, at League Island, 

 were replaced by new constructions in 



