August 1, 1884.] 



SCIENCE 



107 



for the advancement of science, " to confer with com- 

 mittees of foreign associations for the advancement 

 of science with reference to an international conven- 

 tion of scientific associations." The committee con- 

 sists of Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, Mr. Alexander Agassiz, 

 and Professor Simon Newcomb. If the British as- 

 sociation responds, as has been suggested, by also 

 appointing a committee, the official channels for 

 the interchange of opinion between the two national 

 bodies will be suitably established on both sides. We 

 are unable to make any authorized statement as to 

 what the American committee has done or proposes, 

 but its membership justifies the conviction that it is 

 capable of efficient action, wisely planned. We shall 

 await their report with interest. 



— The circular of the Philadelphia local commit- 

 tee announces that the local and general secretaries 

 of the American association will have their offices in 

 the library of Horticultural hall. The post-office 

 will be in the Academy of music, where letters bear- 

 ing the initials A. A. A. S. will be delivered. 



In section B, physics, electricity will undoubtedly 

 be a prominent subject of discussion. In conse- 

 quence of the provision of congress for the appoint- 

 ment, by the President of the United States, of a 

 scientific commission to conduct a national confer- 

 ence of electricians and investigations related to the 

 international electrical exhibition, it is probable that 

 official conferences of electricians will be held imme- 

 diately after the meeting of the association, so as 

 to allow all visiting scientific men interested in this 

 department to participate. 



The president of section E, geology, suggests that 

 the following order be observed in the reading of 

 papers: 1°. Geography and stratigraphic (post-ar- 

 chaean) geology; 2°. Geology of crystalline rocks; 3°. 

 Mineralogy and lithology ; 4°. Paleontology ; 5°. Qua- 

 ternary geology; 6°. Miscellaneous. As a large num- 

 ber of papers is expected, it is suggested that special 

 days be assigned to the above topics in the order 

 given. The subject of crystalline rocks will form a 

 special topic of discussion. The presence of a num- 

 ber of British geologists will add unusual interest to 

 the occasion. Special geological excursions will be 

 arranged to places of interest in the vicinity. 



It is proposed to effect an organization in section 

 C, chemistry, under the title of the sub-section of 

 agricultural chemistry. All chemists interested in 

 the application of the science to agriculture are in- 

 vited to attend this convention of agricultural chem- 

 ists, to be held Monday evening, Sept. 10. The 

 Association of the American journal of agricultural 

 science will also meet during the week, and all per- 

 sons interested in promoting this enterprise are in- 

 vited to attend. 



Special efforts have been made to render the meet- 

 ings of section D, mechanical science, of unusual 

 importance, invitations having been sent to a large 

 number of specialists and mechanical and engineer- 

 ing societies to participate. Papers are expected on 

 the subjects of standard bars, flat surfaces, screws, 

 etc. Koom will be provided for the erection of appa- 

 ratus. 



All botanical members are requested to call at the 

 Academy of natural sciences as soon as practicable 

 after arrival, and register: this will constitute them 

 members of the American botanical club of the 

 association, which was instituted at the Minneapolis 

 meeting, and entitle them to the privileges of the 

 same. Special excursions will be organized to the 

 Bartram gardens, the pine barrens of New Jersey, 

 and other localities of botanical interest. 



It is expected that an effort will be made toward 

 the formation of a sub-section on meteorology. 



The proposed organization of an International 

 scientific association will be brought forward for dis- 

 cussion. It is hoped that the British association 

 also will take some action during its session at Mon- 

 treal, to enable it to unite with the American asso- 

 ciation in a common effort to found such a congress. 

 Those who are interested in the undertaking, who 

 can make any suggestions or desire information as to 

 the plans formed, are invited by the local committee 

 to communicate with Dr. Charles S. Minot, Xo. 25 

 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, Mass., who, in accord- 

 ance with the wish of the permanent secretary, has 

 assumed charge of the correspondence relating to this 

 matter. In this connection it is worthy of note that 

 the local committee has sent invitations to more 

 than two hundred foreign societies, inviting them to 

 send representatives to Philadelphia. A number 

 have accepted; and this increase in the number of 

 foreign scientific men will add to the importance of 

 the movement. Among the American societies 

 which will meet simultaneously in Philadelphia are 

 the American institute of mining engineers, the 

 American institute of electrical engineers, the Penn- 

 sylvania state agricultural society, the Agassiz asso- 

 ciation, and the Association of collegiate alumnae. 

 For all business concerning papers, membership, etc., 

 address F. W. Putnam, Hotel Lafayette, after Aug. 

 20; and for all local business, transportation, and 

 rooms, address local secretaries, H. C. Lewis and E. 

 J. Nolan, at the Academy of natural sciences. 



— The President has selected the following as mem- 

 bers of the electrical commission to conduct experi- 

 ments on the occasion of the exhibition at the Franklin 

 institute: Prof. H. A. Rowland, Baltimore; Professor 

 John Trowbridge, Cambridge; Prof. G. F. Barker. 

 Philadelphia; Prof. R. A. Fisk, San Francisco: Prof. 

 M. B. Snyder, Philadelphia; Prof. J. Willard Gibbs. 

 New Haven; Professor Simon Newcomb, Washing- 

 ton; Prof. E. J. Houston, Philadelphia: Prof. C. A. 

 Young, Princeton; Dr. W. H. Wahl, Philadelphia. 



— Some weeks ago a plan for bringing certain sub- 

 jects for debate before the chemical section of the 

 American association for the advancement of science. 

 at its approaching meeting in Philadelphia, was con- 

 sidered by the fellows of section C, and has resulted 

 in the following selection: 1°. To what extent is the 

 hypothesis of ' valence ' or ' atomicity ' of value in 

 explaining chemical reactions? 2°. What is the best 

 initiatory course of work for students entering upon 

 laboratory practice, and what are the best methods 

 of illustrating chemical lectures ? These subjects, if 



