REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 33 



lation ; the drawings and descriptions will all be original, and it will 

 probably contain a series of experiments and observations on the 

 economical uses of our trees, which have never before been published. 

 Besides this, the quarto form is best adapted for the illustrations. 



The Report on education, mentioned at the last meeting of the Board 

 as in progress of preparation by the Hon. Henry Barnard, of Con- 

 necticut, has not yet been completed. We hope, however, to be able 

 to obtain the article during the present year, and to give it to the 

 public either as an appendix to the annual report or in a separate 

 form. 



The printing of the second and enlarged edition of the Meteoro- 

 logical and physical tables, which was announced in the last report 

 as having been commenced, has been delayed on account of an error 

 detected by the author in the reduction of one of the formulas, which 

 required the recomputation of a considerable number of pages. We 

 regret that much disappointment has been felt at the long delay of the 

 appearance of these tables, which has been owing to the many pres- 

 sing engagements of the author. We have now directed the printer 

 to strike off such portions of the work as are stereotyped, and these 

 will probably be ready for distribution to our meteorological observers 

 before the publication of this report. 



These tables will serve to form a part of a great work suggested 

 oy Mr. Babbage, entitled "The Constants of Nature and Art/' in- 

 tended to contain all facts which can be expressed in numbers, in the 

 various branches of knowledge, such as the atomic weights of bodies, 

 specific gravities, elasticity, tenacity, specific heat, conducting power, 

 melting point ; weight of different gases, liquids, and solids ; the 

 strength of different materials; velocity of sound of cannon balls; elec- 

 tricity, light, animals, &c, &c, &c. Such a work would be perpetu- 

 ally useful in original investigations, as well as in the application of 

 science to the useful arts ; but to carry out fully the idea of the author, 

 the co-operation of a number of institutions would be necessary. It, 

 however, consists of parts, any one of which will be considered of im- 

 mediate value. An account and examples of this work are given in 

 the appendix. 



The materials for a new edition of the Report on Libraries have 

 been collected, and are now being arranged and prepared for the press 

 by Mr. Khees, chief clerk of the Institution. Considerable difficulty 

 has been experienced in obtaining answers to the circulars first issued, 

 but the distribution of a second edition has called forth a large amount 

 3s 



