392 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
Office and discussed by Mr. Gannett; Mr. Bauer told of the 
expedition to locate the magnetic north pole; and Mr. Otto J. 
Klotz, of Ottawa, spoke of some Canadian surveys. 
Mr. C. F. Marvin read a paper on Anemometer comparisons 
and the use of ball-bearings. It is found to be better to make 
whirling machine comparisons in the open air. The coefficient 3 
for the Kobinson type is too large, the formula for the standard 
instruments being Vel. of wind = 0.263 + 2.953 v —0.0407 v\ 
where v =» velocity of center of cups. Therefore high velocities 
are reported, much too high. Friction is insignificant except 
with feeble currents. [Not published.] 
The paper was discussed by Messrs. Eastman, Gilbert, and 
Hayford. 
549th Meeting. March 15, 1902. 
Vice-President Gore presided. 
Twenty-eight persons present. 
The evening was devoted to papers on The definition of some 
modern sciences. [Published in Popular Science Monthly.] 
Mr. W. H. Ball in some introductory remarks recalled the 
time when all the sciences were represented in the Philosophical 
Society, before it was split up into numerous societies; he quoted 
definitions of science from early English dictionaries, and out¬ 
lined the field which the speakers to follow had been invited to 
cover. 
Mr. Carroll D. Wright spoke on Statistics. He said the sub¬ 
ject may be considered either as a method or as a science de¬ 
manding classification of facts. Numerous illustrations of fal¬ 
lacies in the collection and use of statistical data were illustrated, 
and attention was called to the importance of the psj^chological 
element in the interpretation of such data— e. g ., in 1890 it was 
found that most farm mortgages were evidence of prosperity 
rather than of adversity. 
Mr. E. P. Falkner dealt with Economics. This deals with 
wealth; its subject-matter is the effort which man puts forth to 
