184 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. VIII., No. 186 



ally lists of subjects upon which papers are desked 

 by the section, as was done to some extent in the 

 recent circulars of the section. In this way, live 

 subjects are apt to be most beneficially canvassed, 

 and experiment and discovery kept in the right 

 paths. It may be well, in this connection, to 

 mention some inventions which are now, so to 

 speak, ' in the air ; ' of course, we all recognize 

 that the flying-machine belongs to tliis class, in 

 one sense if not in another, and a paper upon it 

 has been presented which may prove of interest 

 to you. What is needed, however, is a suiSciently 

 light motor, without which a flying-machine can- 

 not be expected to succeed. Steam power, also, 

 for agricultural work in its many forms, is not 

 yet an accomplished fact ; and we may mention 

 one machine greatly needed, — a cotton-picker. 

 Then, too, there is the electric motor for street 

 traflac, which needs further improvement ; also 

 the transmission of power over great distances, 

 electric lighting, etc., etc. 



But I have said enough to indicate how large a 

 field may, in my judgment, be covered by this 

 section of mechanical science and engineering, 

 and how its meetings may in the future be made 

 still more useful and interesting than they have 

 been in the past. 



she travelled several miles, answering her helm as 

 readily as a steam yacht. The boat is an iron 

 spindle thirty feet long by eight in diameter, with 

 a propeller, and vertical and horizontal rudders. 

 The motive power is a fourteen horse-power West- 

 inghouse engine, furnished with steam from a 

 caustic-potash reservoir, which is charged from 

 an outside source. Deadlights in the conning- 

 dome forward, together with a compass, enable 

 the pilot to shape his course. Ingress and egress 

 are effected through an aperture in the hatchway 

 near the stern, which maj' be hermetically sealed 

 from the inside. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The ofiicers for the next meeting of the Ameri- 

 can association are as follows : President, S. P. 

 Langley. Vice-presidents : mathematics and as- 

 tronomy, Wm. Ferrel ; physics, Wm. A. Anthony ; 

 chemistry, Albert B. Prescott ; mechanical science 

 and engineering, Eckley B. Coxe ; geology and 

 geography, G. K. Gilbert ; biology, W. G. Farlow ; 

 anthropology, D. G. Brinton ; economic science 

 and statistics, Hemy E. Alvord. Permanent sec- 

 retary, F. W. Putnam ; general secretary, W. H. 

 Pettee ; assistant general secretary, J. C. Arthur. 



TUCK S SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT. 



A NEW SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT. 



The accompanying illustration represents a new 

 submarine boat, invented by Mr. J. H. L. Tuck, 

 and now being tested in this city, with highly 

 satisfactory results. On Tuesday, August 24, the 

 first public exhibition of the vessel was given in the 

 Hudson Eiver. opposite 86th street, in the presence 

 of a number of scientific men. Manned by a crew 

 of two men, pilot and engineer, she started off at 

 a good rate of speed, disappeared, travelled per- 

 haps half a mile without making a ripple to in- 

 dicate her whereabouts, and reappeared at the 

 pleasure of the pilot. During the two hours' test. 



Secretaries of the sections : mathematics and as- 

 tronomy, Henry M. Paul ; physics, C. Leo Mees ; 

 chemistry, C. F. Mabery; mechanical science and 

 engineering, Geo. M. Bond ; geology and geogra- 

 phy, T. B. Comstock ; biology, J. Henry Comstock ; 

 anthropology, F. W. Langdon ; economic science 

 and statistics, Wm. R. Lazenby. Treasurer, Wil- 

 liam Lilly. 



— Twenty drops of bromine in an ounce of 

 olive-oil, applied freely four times a day, and the 

 affected part washed with warm water and castile 

 soap twice a day, is said to have comj)letely cured 

 seventy-five cases of ivy poisoning. 



