56 



Donations announced as follows : 



To the Library — from S. A. Glreen of Boston ; George 

 R. Curwcn ; Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science ;. 

 American Antiquarian Society ; S. Q. Felt ; C. W. Swasey ; 



C. B. Richardson of New York, N. Y. ; Societe Paleontolo- 

 gique de Belgique, Anvers ; Josepli A. Goldthwaite. 



To the Cabinets — from Thomas Coleman of Boston ; 

 George A. Perkins ; S. Q. Felt ; Samuel R. Curwen ; S. R. 

 Phelps ; N. Berry. 



Letters were read from Trustees of Boston Public Libra- 

 ry ; S. F. Haven of the American Antiquarian Society ; S. 

 A. Green of Boston ; Thomas Coleman of Boston. 



A paper was read by Jacob Batchelder ; recommending the 

 adoption of the Decimal System in weights and measures ; 

 the manufacture of coins of an exact measure of diameter 

 with the inscription and devices sunk into the surfaces to 

 diminish the liability of its being worn by friction ; and the 

 establishment of a standard of weight by means of the drop- 

 ping of water from a cone of specified material and propor- 

 tion, at a stated velocity, temperature, barometrical pressure 

 and moisture ; such quantity of water in the form of a cube 

 to be regarded as an unit of weight ; the body, or a multiple 

 of it, the unit of solid measure ; one side of the cube, or a 

 multiple of it, the unit of length ; the square of it the unit 

 of measure of surface, and every coin in circulation to be 

 made of a decimal weight, measure and value. 



Remarks were made by Messrs. M. G. Farmer ; George 



D. Phippen and others, in relation to the above communica- 

 tion. 



Adjourned. 



