56 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., No. 102. 



might be good subjects for hypnotic experiments, 

 rather than employ the professionals, many of whom 

 are doubtless tricksters. He referred to the wide in- 

 terest which is exhibited now throughout the whole 

 world in the prosecution of psychical research. 



The committee on work, or suggestions as to possi- 

 ble work, stated that they had sent out circulars to 

 the members of the society, calling for volunteers as 

 members of the investigating committees ; that they 

 had received a number of answers ; that the most of 

 them were from those specially interested in thought- 

 transference; and they recommended the appoint- 

 ment of a committee on that subject. They also 

 suggested that a circular should be issued by the so- 

 ciety, describing the methods of making experiments 

 in thought-transference, and pointing out the pre- 

 cautions to be taken. Such a committee has been 

 appointed by the council, and will in a short time 

 issue its circular, and commence work. It is thought 

 best, that, in order to confine as far as possible the 

 possibility of guessing correctly what is in a person's 

 mind by mere chance, the object thought of should 

 not be too simple; that is, if it is a figure, it should 

 not be a circle, or a square, or harp-shaped. A word 

 was suggested as a suitable thing to think of, or any 

 one of the digits from one to ten. 



There was a lengthy discussion, in which Drs. 

 Minot and Bowditch, Professor Pickering, Col. Hig- 

 ginson, Dr. James, and others, took part. Many of 

 the speakers advocated the employment of profession- 

 als, saying that it was nearly impossible, with many 

 would-be honest mind-readers, to tell where their real 

 power ended, and where fraud began. It was stated 

 that some of the professionals confess that at times 

 they eked out their powers with a mild deceit. It 

 was felt by many that in testing professionals there 

 would not be any feeling of restraint about using 

 precautions against fraud ; that it would be perfectly 

 understood that all means for getting at the truth 

 could rightfully and properly be employed. 



For the present the work of the society will be 

 confined largely to experiments on thought-transfer- 

 ence. The committee on work hesitates to recom- 

 mend to the members at large investigations in 

 hypnotism, on account of the danger which would 

 arise when they were carried on by inexperienced 

 hands. 



SOME RECENT EXPERIMENTS WITH 

 OIL IN STOPPING BREAKERS. 1 



The U. S. hydrographic office, in pursuance of its 

 policy to lessen the dangers of navigation, has re- 

 cently commenced the collection of information to 

 determine the best manner of using oil to calm the 

 surface of troubled waters. 



This matter has long been a subject of contro- 

 versy. In 1844 a Dutch commission, after pouring 

 a few gallons of oil on the storm-beaten bosom of the 



1 Communicated by Capt. J. R. Bartlett, chief hydrographer 

 of the navy. 



North Sea, and finding the waves not sensibly affected 

 declared that the oft-repeated account of the saving 

 of ships by this means was a fantastic creation of the 

 imagination. Notwithstanding this, Scotch coasters 

 have saved themselves again and again by strewing 

 the sea with the fatty parts of fish, cut into small 

 pieces, which were carried with them for the pur- 

 pose; and so much reliable information on this subject 

 has now been collected from the common experience 

 of seafaring men, that the evidence in its favor can no 

 longer be controverted. 



It must be understood, however, that the use of oil 

 does not make the surface perfectly smooth, but 

 merely lessens the dangerous effect of what the sea- 

 man calls ' combers,' or the great broken, rolling 

 masses of water which have first disabled and then 

 swamped so many ships since man first began to go 

 down to the sea. 



A case lately reported of the use of oil is that of 

 the steamship Thomas Melville, while running before 

 a gale in February, 1884, when she was constantly 

 boarded by heavy seas. As her situation became more 

 and more critical, it was determined to try what effect 

 oil would have upon the water. Two canvas bags 

 holding about a gallon were made, therefore, punctured 

 in many places with a sail-needle, and filled with oil. 

 These bags were hung over the bows, and allowed to 

 drag in the water. The seas no longer came on board, 

 and the safety of the vessel was secured. The bags 

 were refilled every four hours. 



The application of oil to the quieting of water at 

 the entrances of harbors is one that has received very 

 considerable attention; and credit is due to Messrs. 

 Shields and Gordon of England for their energy 

 and enterprise, as well as for the thought, time, and 

 money expended in endeavoring to establish its use, 

 and in bringing the subject into prominent notice. 



At Folkestone, Eng., Mr. Shields' s apparatus con- 

 sisted of three large casks placed on shore at the end 

 of the old mole. These were connected by pipes 

 with small hand-pumps, each of which was worked 

 by one man. Two lead pipes about an inch and a 

 quarter in diameter extended from the casks along 

 the bottom, through the entrance to the harbor, about 

 2,950 feet toward's Shakespeare's Cliff. At intervals 

 of every hundred feet, vertical pipes were soldered 

 to the main pipes ; and in the former were placed con- 

 ical valves properly protected from mud and slime by 

 caps. 



Unfortunately, on the day set apart for a public ex- 

 hibition the weather was not entirely favorable; that 

 is to say, the wind was not from the right direction. 

 The sea, however, was sufficiently disturbed to show 

 the working of the apparatus. When the oil was 

 pumped through the tubes, it soon showed its effect 

 upon the surface; and this became more apparent as 

 the amount of oil was increased. 



A broad glassy strip was soon distinguished which 

 was more than a half-mile long. A fully manned life- 

 boat, which was sent into the oil-covered strips of 

 water, was tossed about in a lively manner, but took 

 in no spray. Meanwhile the sea outside of the strip 

 was everywhere breaking into white caps. After 



