Notice of Scientific Societies in the United States of America. 6 1 



June 9. — Mr. Faraday gave a history of the tunnel now 

 constructing under the Thames at Rotherhithe, by Mr. Bru- 

 nei. The progress of the undertaking from its commence- 

 ment to the preceding day was detailed; the measurements 

 and weights stated ; the peculiar contrivances and arrangements 

 made by Mr. Brunei to meet the difficulties and facilitate the 

 progress explained ; and their success illustrated by an account 

 of various circumstances which had occurred in the progress 

 of the work. This complicated subject was illustrated by nu- 

 merous fine drawings, by a model, and by some of the actual 

 apparatus furnished through the kindness of Mr. Brunei.* 



NOTICE OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF 



AMEItlCA.f 



The following enumeration of ScientificSocieties in theUnited 

 States was originally drawn up, at the request of a foreign 

 correspondent, who was desirous of information respecting the 

 progress of the natural sciences in this country. It must be 

 considered of course as very imperfect, but it will nevertheless 

 be sufficient to show that no inconsiderable share of our at- 

 tention has been devoted to philosophical inquiries. 



Considered in a geographical order, we shall mention first, 



The East India Marine Society. Salem, Mass. This so- 

 ciety was founded in 1799, and incorporated in 1801. It was 

 originally instituted for the purpose of investigating and re- 

 cording facts relative to the natural and physical history of 

 the ocean. No one can be eligible as a member, unless he 

 shall have actually navigated the seas near the Cape of Good 

 Hope, or Cape Horn, either as master or supercargo. A 

 blank journal is furnished to every member when bound to sea, 

 in which he is to enter the occurrences of the voyage, obser- 

 vations on the variation of the compass, bearings and distances 

 of capes, &c. and on his return he is to deliver the same 

 to the inspector of journals. Sixty-seven of these journals have 

 been thus collected and preserved, and a museum of several 

 thousand specimens in Natural History has been formed. The 

 catalogue of this collection which was published in 1821, is 

 drawn up with considerable ability, and we have a sufficient 

 guarantee, as well for the present activity as the future useful- 

 ness of the society, in the fact of its being under the auspices 

 of Nathaniel Bowditch. 



2. , American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Boston, Mass. 

 Instituted in 1780; and under the title of " Memoirs of the 

 Academy of Arts and Sciences" have published four volumes 



* See p. 72. f From Silliman's Journal, vol. x. p. 369. 



quarto. 



