NS 
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 29 
Reports of Officers 
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ACADEMY 
FOR THE YEAR 1906-07. 
The Academy has made material progress during the year just 
closing, and has every indication of a brighter future than at any 
time in the past. 
The following persons have been elected to membership during the 
year: Prof. James Stirling, F. W. Jones, Ralph B. Cl APP; Ezra Cross- 
man, EH. E. Eads, Geo. W. Currier, Oswald Granicher, Dr. F. Clark, F. 
P. Brown, Dr. Chas. KE. Case and J. R. Haskin. The ey active 
membership of the Academy numbers about one hundred and sixty. 
The meetings of the Academy during the year have been of more 
than usual interest and practical value, and have been attended by 
appreciative audiences. 
At the October meeting Mr. Wm. H. Knight presented the plans 
and engineering features of the Panama Canal in a graphic and 
instructive lecture, illustrated by maps showing the work accomplished 
and to be accomplished in this greatest of the world’s enterprises. 
The November meeting was devoted to the consideration of the sub- 
ject of San Pedro Harbor, so closely connected with the commercial 
expansion and future greatness of our city and section. The subject 
was most ably treated in an exhaustive lecture by Lieut. Randolph 
Miner, who went with much detail into the plan of operations, the 
design to be accomplished, the progress of the work, the cost already 
met and to be yet provided for, and the promise of development neces- 
sarily involved in the great undertaking. Lieut. Miner regards the San 
Pedro Harbor, when completed, as one of great commercial value to 
the world at large, provided with ample facilities for loading and 
unloading, repairing and constructing vessels of the largest type, and 
bringing Los Angeles into direct touch with the great commercial centers 
of the world. 
The December meeting was given to the consideration of the 
““Cyele Theory of Physical Disturbances, ” * most ably presented by Mr. 
Wm. A. Spalding in a lecture replete woth thoughtful research and astro- 
nomical investigation. The speaker discussed ‘with much clearness and 
erudition the relation between magnetic disturbances in the solar system 
and concurrence of planetary equinoxes, and called attention to the 
forecast he had made in 1892 to the effect that in the year 1906 the 
relative position of the planets would be such as to cause great 
iagnetic and electrical tension, resulting in violent earthquakes in 
different parts of the world. The remarkable fulfillment of this predie- 
tion with such disastrous results in our own country and others gave 
added interest to Mr. Spalding’s address, and the theory it was 
designed to eal 
“At the January meeting the audience was entertained and enlight- 
ened by an interesting and instructive recital of observations and travel 
in Hurope by the president of the Academy, Mr. B. R. Baumgardt, 
then just returned from a trip abroad. His remarks were devoted 
largely to matters of scientific interest in foreign lands, especially 
along the lines of astronomical research and progress. 
The meeting in February was one of unusual richness in the imparta- 
tion of knowledge and the fascinating interest of the subject presented. 
