October 5, 1888.] 



SCIENCE. 



159 



the practicability of important improvements, which were only sug- 

 gested as possibilities after the previous, more preliminary survey, 

 and which will materially contribute to reduce the cost of the work 

 by increasing the length of free navigation through basins, and 

 proportionally increasing the capacity of the canal with a marked 

 reductjon of the working-expenses. 



Agassiz, Dana, Gray, Henry, Torrey, Guyot, and Cooke. Several 

 important bequests made the institute financially strong, and its 

 public hall was a favorite place of social gathering, aside from its 

 main purpose of public instruction. 



As time advanced and lirooklyn grew' in size, the Academy of 

 Music and other public buildings were erected, and the institute 



The route extends from Greytown, on the Atlantic, to Brito, on 

 the Pacific, a distance of 169.67 miles, divided as follows: — 



The Deseado and Tola basins are new features brought out by 

 the last location, as well as an increase of 2.13 miles in the length of 

 iree navigation in the San Francisco and Machado basins : in other 

 words, the last location has reduced the length of canal in excava- 

 tion from 40.3 to 28. S9 miles, or 11. 41 miles, and has increased the 

 free navigation by that same distance ; while the summit level has 

 been extended from 144.8 miles to 153.8 miles. 



It will require some time to complete the estimates of cost on the 

 new location ; but it may be safely stated that at least ten per cent 

 will be gained in the total cost based on the survey of 18S5, which 

 is $64,036,197, including twenty-five per cent for contingencies. 



THE BROOKLYN INSTITUTE. 

 Rather more than fifty years ago a library association was 

 formed in the city of Brooklyn, which grew in scope and usefulness, 

 until in 1S43 '^s charier was amended, and the name changed to 

 that of the Brooklyn Institute. Courses of lectures were delivered 

 from time to time, including in the list of speakers such men as 



building waned in popularity. In 1867 the directors found it ad- 

 visable to remodel the interior at an expense of thirty thousand 

 dollars, which necessitated a mortgage on the building. Since 

 that time, until quite recently, the entire income from its endow- 

 ment fund has been absorbed in payment of the interest and 

 principal of this debt. Final payment on the mortgage was made 

 early in 1S87. 



The property now consists of the institute building and larfH, 

 near the entrance to the great bridge, a library of fifteen thousand 

 volumes, and endowment funds to the value of forty-six thousand 

 dollars. The income from this is now applied to the purpose for 

 which it was originally intended, and about a year ago the institute 

 began upon a new era of activity. 



One part of the endowment fund, bequeathed in 1851 by Augus- 

 tus Graham, is devoted to the support of a limited course of Sun- 

 day-evening lectures on 'The Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of 

 God as manifested in his Works.' In accordance with this re- 

 quirement, lectures were delivered last winter by Sir J. William 

 Dawson of Montreal, and by Dr. Alexander Winchell of the 

 University of Michigan. Another part of the Graham fund is for 

 the support of lectures on scientific subjects on other evenings of 

 the week, and without specific restriction of topic. An introduc- 

 tory course of six lectures on astronomy was given last autumn by 

 Prof. C. A. Young of Princeton. This was followed during the 

 winter by another course, including topics in physics, geolog)'. as- 

 tronomy, and architecture. The lecturers were Messrs. George W. 

 Plympton, W. LeConte Stevens, William C. Peckham, Franklin W. 

 Hooper, and Garrett P. Serviss, of Brooklyn, and Dr. J. S. New- 

 berry of New York. 



Meanwhile steps had been taken with a view to the organization 

 of a scientific society, with the Brooklyn Institute as its home. A 

 meeting for this purpose was held in February, 188S, resulting in 

 the adoption of by-laws and the formation of a council. Of this, 

 Dr. Charles E. West was elected president, and W. LeConte 

 Stevens secretary. Soon afterward the Brooklyn Microscopical 

 Society and the American Astronomical Society became merged in 

 the Brooklyn Institute as special departments of that body. The 

 by-laws provide for departments in every branch of science, includ- 

 ing anthropology, architecture, astronomy, botany, chemistry, en- 



