The New York Herald Newspaper, August 27, 1850, Page 7

[From the San’Francisco Herald, July 16.) The credulity of young minds is sometimes to @ severe test on reeding the Arabian Nights’ En- tertainments ; but since the discovery of gold ia California, stranger events and mote incredible narratives, ‘having truth for their basis, are daily presented to the world. With us the old proverb, that ** truth is stranger than fiction” has become veri- fied to the letter. Among the many illustrations of this to be found here, perhaps there is none so stnking, or of which we muy feel prouder, than the number and respect- ability of those who have settled down in busmess in this city. On looking over our files for the last month, the array of names that meet our eye, in ‘The Business and Bankers of Caltfornia. | t every department, makes us unvoluntarily feel that | instead of living ina city only two pear old, we are living in one situated in one of the Atlantic States, with a very respectable antiquity. Among the principal commission houses and ge- neral merchants are the firms of Alfred Robinson & Co. ; Simmons, Hutchineon & Co. ; Moses G. Leonard & Co. ; Fitts & Tilden ; Ogden & Haynes; Jobn Mattoon ; Ormsby Culver & Co. ; Dickson, De Wolt & Co. Finch, Johnston & Uo. ; Grayson ¥ guild; W. E. Robinson & Co. ; ‘and Osborae ¢ Uo. Among our principal auctioneers are found the firms of Jobn Middleton & Co. ; W. H. V. Cro- nise ; J. B. Cannon & Co ; Pegne & Sherwood ; Moore, Folger & Hill; J. L. Riddle & nl Ww. H, Jones ; Scootly & Kelsey ; Kending & Wain- wright; S Brannan; Backus & Harrison; and Dunbar & Gibbs. Io short, there is scarcely a branch of business that has not men of the highest integrity, wealth and respectability engaged in it. The learned pro- fessions are well stocked, law and medici ing crowds of able and experienced practitioners. ‘€ cannot say much for divinity as ie bly because the demand for it is but small. e have no doubt, however, that in time we shall have a goodly supply of the dispensers of the Gospel. Before concluding our cursory glance, we must Not omit to state, that we have a daily line of stages to and trom San Jose ; and that the steamers Se- nator, Hartford, El Dorado, Sutter, G na, Gold-Hunter, Major Tomkins, Maripsoa, Tehama, and Maunsel White, are plying daily to and from San Francisco and Sacramento ba Marysville, Yuba City, Trinity Diggings, Stockton, San Joa- quin, Grayson, and Tuolunine. There is perhaps nothing which exbits ina more striking point of view, the extent and reach of the business of San Francisco, than the number of banking houses it contains. Every eminent capitalist in the United Siates, Europe, Mexico, ani South America, has his representative in this city; and the fact that most of those branches are doing a very flourishing business, is the strongest proof of the immense resources of ae ity. e have amongt us seven banking establishments connected with the first houses in the world, besides the uu- merous g ercantile houses who ship and insure gold dust. The following are the principe! bankers, with @ statement of the larger houses on which og draw of Go. Ma urgoyne -» Montgomery street, draw on Barings, Brother, & ge Hottiaguer & Co , Paris; William Hoge & Co., New York; Suf- folk Bank, Boston; Maunsel, White, & Co., New Orleans; and Benoist & Co., St, Louis. B. Davidson, agent of the Messrs. Rothschild, draws on London, Paris, New York, New Orleans, Hamburg, Valparaiso, Lima, Mexico, Havana, &e. James King of William, draws on Corcoran & Riggs, Washington, and on New York, Philadel- phia, Baltimore, New Orleans, Charleston, and the othe: Brace! cities in the United States. E. E. Denbar (Caiifornia Bank) draws on the principal cities in the Union. Godefroy, Sillem & Co., draw on London, Paris, Eh Sorte New Orleans, Hamburg, Lima, Val- paraiso, ec. Argenti & Co., draw on Brown, Brothers & Co, New York; Nicholson & Co ,New Orleans; Brown, Shipley, & Co., Liverpool, &c., &c. Jos. B. Biddeman draws oa New York, Philadel- phia, and other principal cities of the Union. H. M. Maglee draws on Clark & Co., Boston; Clark, Dodge & Co., New York; Chubb & Schenck, Washington; State Bank, Charleston; Pose Martin, New Orleans; and the other prin- cl ues. e3 these, there are many houses who sel! drafts on most of the principal cities of the United States, and who make and. insure remittances of ‘old dust, such as Summons, Hutchinson & Co., Aired Robinson, Little & Pope, and others. There is nothing that so well indicaies the ex- tent of the business of San Francisco, as the fect that so many wealthy houses have sent their agents here, and have established branches of their busi- ness at a period so early in its existence. The Leidesdorff Estate in California. [From the San Francisco Herald, July 15.) The great interest excited within the past twelve days in this community, @ sait now pending in the Probate Court of this city, relating to the above operty, may make the subjoined narrative of some t rest. Wiiliam Alexander Leidesdorff was a son of Alexander Leidesdorff and Anna Maria Spark, and was born on the Island of Saint Croix, Danish ‘West Indies, on the 23 of October, 1810. Having been born in “ natural wedlock,” he was formally and legally legitimatized by his father in a court of record at Saint Croix, on the 18th of July, 1837. He was educated in part at the plece of his birth, one ia pats Oe n; but arrived at the age of twelve years in the United States, and at a very early age entered the American merchant service, oa board 4 vessel commanded Capt. Goodrich, in the employment of the well known firm of Al- ‘and Chauncey, of New York, engaged in the ‘est India trade. In this and other employments he rose rapidly in the confi lence of his associates, and soon became an officer, and subsequently the mester of an American vessel sailing out of New Orleans. On the 25th oy of February, 1834, he was made a citizen of the United States, by letters of naturelization, issued by the U. 8. Court for the eastern district of Louisiana, By virtue of this citi- wenship, he for nearly ten years commanded ves- js under the American out of New York and ‘ew Orleans, with credit to himself and profit to his employers. On the 18th day of November, 1840, he sailed from New York for this coast, in command of the American schooner “ Julia Ana,” owned by John ©. Jones, Exq., of Boston, late U. 8. Consul at the Sandwich Islands, and former- ly a well known resident of California. He com- manded this vessel for more than two years on the coust of California, but her sale threw him out of employment, and he then established himself asa merchant at Sen Francisco, then calied Yerba Buena. In this new sphere, his e and activity soon gave him the confidence his fellow- citizens, and it is no derogati to others to say that the early a San Francisco, must yield to him one of first places among her most ente! and public spirited men During all his residence in this couatry, he uni- formly eustained the character of a patriotic Ame- rican, fond of the land of bis adoption, and ever ready to lend a helping hand to its citizens im the hour of their distress. He received the int- ment of U. 8. Vice Consul for the Ba San Francisco, and in that station he won the conti- dence and esteem of all whose business made him jaintance. "a all the early big oapenohd Col. J. C. Fre moot to this country La neyo with him coa- stantly, cordially and: a wy hey much i i ble to the Pacitic squadrons com- jeanded 1 Commodore Sloat, Stockton, Shu- brick, Biddle, and others. When, the American arms were in Cali , and Fremont, Sloat, ‘and Stockton were struggling, remete from home, without funds or military supply he was ever ready with his purse and his credit for their rescue. ‘The proof of this fact is found in the many theu- sands of dollars advanced both for the military and naval services of the United States in Cali- fornia, for which he or his representatives never received any remuneration. embarrassments out of these heavy advances embittered former days, and at his death caused his estate to be insolvent. A deep gloom pervaded the little ey of San Francisco on the 18th of May, 1848, the day of his death. The feeling was universally ente d and expressed, that the ae citizen of the youthful *~ tropolis of t ‘est passed away forever. the follo day all places of business were closed, the the ng, the forts and the barracks were flying at halt mast, sod minute guns were fired from the ships and the forts, asthe long- ever seenin San Franciseo moved estate under the Mexican lawa, he became a citi- zen of yt early in the year I became @ ul rable real esta’ this property, become suddenly val ori+ able, ~~ the extraordinary suit now pend oie of ‘thie sity. ‘ = After the estate of Mr Liedesdorff had been for more then twelve months in the haods of the ad- ministrator, without any het a well known citizen of West Indi yearing to claim o Wevnctace ~~ bd ' rpose of dis- y wore tend, of pro- or an interest in, the intestate estate. After a residence of some months in the ‘Weet ladies, the vole cuviviag oe ae mother, Maria Spark, was foun, and 1 fe aroneeed was clearly itaced from ‘hie birth to hie ble consideral = pot Fd mp ers of nttorney to re her ried r,t the courte uf reset on on con the Governor General in person, and they sdvieed ghd concurred in all that wae done 6 The testimony and powers based thereon, duly and cosetally bap yng were filed br proper court, is place, anuary last, application was made for “a transfer of the estate from the hands of the administrator. After bee 3 and gareful examination, and much pleading discussion on the part of the attorneys for the ad- ministrator, the absent heirs, and the plaintiff, the Probate Court formally decreed that the estate should be transferred on the 12th of February last, and the pi was turned over accordi wae from late under the sole control of the gentleman in question, until the first of the present mont. Nearly all the debts of the estate were promptly assumed by him, and the original cre- ditors were paid off. In process of time, a new system of laws was put in operation in this State, and a new probate judge came into office. Under him, a public ad- | ministrator has been appointed, and this function- ary has asked that the Leidesdortf estate should be confided to his hands for safety. On his applica- tion, an injunction was granted, without any notice being given to the holder of the estate, to show cause why this measure should not be adopted, and he was accordingly forbidden to transact any business whatever re! ‘<3 to the estate. This injunction was issaed on the day on which nearly every lease belonging to the estate expired, and at this moment, many of thr. tenements are stand- ing empty, er are bei oceupied, baie) men ee sion, in consequence of this procedure. ‘uch of the estate was Tomatly, burnt over by the great conflagration of June 14, and new blocks of stores and other wanlaings were going up on the ruins. Some of these would have been of the first charac- ter of fire proof sto but all is arrested in its progress—contracts are broken, mechanics are discharged, and the whole business of the estate is paralyzed at a Rage blow. An application to give bonds in order to have the injunction removed, was refused, and the most vital interests of this large estate are thus jeoparded. In the meantime, the case has been very singularly postponed from day to day, contrary to the wishes of the defend- ant’s attorneys. On Saturday, the arguments were made in the , and in common with the public, we look with intense interest for a decision of the court, which is to be given this morning. ‘The Outrages in the Mii of © (From the Alta California, July 17.) We have quite late information from the southern mines, representing matters there ina very unsettled and excited state, particularly in the re- gion of the town of Sonora. Measures have, how- ever, been adopted by American residents, which, although they are harsh and of a character not legalized by the law, have frequently to be adopted in new countries, where the law can, from the nature of thiogs, be but imperfectly administered. However much we may deplore the cireumstances which call for such extreme measures, we can readily excuse them when we reflect upon the wanton and gros outrages which have led to their oe ‘hen, in industrious and hard- working community, it is found that neither hfe nor property is safe, and that the existing law is powerless to protect, one of the inherent priaciples and laws of nature dictates elf protection and pre- servation. It has become a matter of certainty that not only are there a large number of thieves and murderers roaming through the southern mining districts, but that there is a regularby or- pep gang of desperate characters, composed of exicans, Chilenes, and, it is thought, some equally demoralized white men, who have banded themselves together as guerillas for the purpose of luncer. Not only is the miner, returoing with his ard earned gains, subject to their remorseless attacks, but the trader, while upon his lonely path, Jaden with supplies, fails a victim to their rapacity. Outrages of this kind have been frequent, and have at lest aroused the people of Sonora to de- cided action. oF pa | of Americans have been raised, well armed and equipped, and formed into a scouti oe of rangers to scour the country in search of t lesperadves, and with full power to execute the severest retaliatory measures upon those who are found to have committed any act of violence or robbery. | This company numbersabout twenty, is regularly organized and paid by the citizens of Sonora, $16 per man per day. The: are all determined men, well acquainted wit the country, and will soon rid the district of the scoundrels who infest it. Our great fear is that some innocent men may sufler from the h which rangers too frequently evince in the formation of their opinions as to the guilt or inne- cence of a suspected party. The existence of the aan band of which we have spoken, is con- rmed by a private letter, handed us by a gentle- man doing business in Sonora, but now in this city. It is from his partner, and bears date on the night of the 10th inst. He states that a posse of about one hundred persons had just brought into town four Mexicans, who had been found in the act of burning the bodies of two Americans, whom it is supposed they had murdered and robbed that night. Upon examination, their throats were found to have been cut, but their bodies were so much burned that they could not be recognized. Subsequently a fifth, who, with others, made his escape when the party were discovered, was brought in. They were taken before the magistrate; but so incensed were the populace that they insisted upon their being taken upon the hill east of the town, where their case was to be de- cided by Bd Lyneh, and his sentence carried into immediate execution. Four of them would undoubtedly be hung, but the fifth used as evidence to detect the residue of the party. On the night of the 9th, « pre Chinese were attacked near the town, and rebbed of «bout $3,000, and one of them 80 badly wounded that it was supposed he would not recover. Outrages of this character will enable us readily to understand the state of exasperation which must prevail among the honest citizens of the infested district, and to excuse the adoption of even the harshest measures. Since the above was written, we have received some additional iculars from the same source, relative to the five men accused of the heinous ofience of murdering and burning the bodies of their vietims. It apnears that they were taken out ‘on the hill as stated, convicted by Judge Lynch, and sentenced to be hanged. Just as they were about to string one of them up, the officers of the law arrived, and with the aid of some who had be- come semewhat more considerate and calm, res- cued the aceused, and succeeded in getting them nto jail to await trial. Antiquities or Avon.—Apart from the beauty of her scenery, and the healing powers of her sparkling waters, Avon is interes from her as- sociation with a remote te the farm of Jephtha Wilber, in the N. I. corner of the town, the signs of aboriginal occupancy, and of a forti- fication, may still be seen. The plough anauall turns up and discloses relics of great interest, si ver buttons with aroyal ~— in the middle, bones, erosses of Maltese form, cylindrical beads, paint stones, curious armlets, and gorgots have been dis- covered. An antiquary would Kave his field of ob- servation much enlarged by investigating these memorials of other years, and a poet be furnished with a solemn background for picturesque deserip- tioa. The Jesuit was the first white explorer of the luxuriant forest through which the Genesee wends its way to the blue lake. Traces of his vag the bg oe Se — coun- try. memory is advent is still lingering, like an echo in the valley of the Conesus, aud the French trader, who followed in his wake, has as- sociated a stirring recollection of his adventures with the hills that overlook, and the tributaries that feed the “ River of Plew Waters.” Every summer a few Indians may be found lingering around the graves of their fathers, or hunti for Soedy shores of Big:Log Pond. ‘They are degen: we res . y are n- erate descendant wd the old tribes that once made the inhabitants of New France tremble in their trongholds, and trod as conquerors the hills of wine, the savannahs of the South, and the bleak domain of the Chippewa. T ley of the Genesee was the “ Red man’s Paradise,” a suf- the river, a ieee ener was found stand- ing by the pioneers of Western New York; near the site of this old tan traces of terrific ‘battle ey i anh shales bate, thay, Gaamieeks rte the soil, and skal ve a by bullet and arrow head. When this field was first ploughed, more than balf a century ago—on the ferm of William, « dagger was discovered orge Hosmer, Eaq., with t arms of Lows XIV. sped on the blade. This we referred with- out doubt to the invasion of the 4 country, in 1687, by the Marquis DeNeuville. A romantic train of recollections awake in minds familiar with the past, at the thought that on the banks of the Genesee the red werrior and the pelished French- man closed in the Genth grepvts, and a serene, now wiet and peaceful, was disturbed centuries ago by the war whoop of savage vengeance, and the trumpet blast of Gallic invasion, Well won by the natives was the proud title of ‘ Western Ro- mans,” from a _discomfiited foe, but their triemph was inv the eomnseriog, Anglo-Saxon tamed their pride, after long and bloody wars; the cen- tral council fire has gone out at Onondaga, and the berk village, my bye feathered arrow aud war-path, are things that live only ia @ letter wri- erelees mission, or the verre of the bard he} old haunts, the streams they loved, the sites of their forts villages, however, would riebly reat the Viriters at our springs, for the trouble of a fleeting visit.—Avon Reporter. The grandeon of Louis Phil has made his firet communion. Monsignor nthe RO. Bishop of London, offi The ex'Kicg, the ee 1s well Pp the member were presen ® ee a coumaeraie: member of devel friends e many of whom hed come from France especially, to testify on this o a sympathy and respect for the ill exiles. SCIENCE IN AMERICA. IMPORTANT DEVELOPEMENTS IN THE Association for the Advancement of Science, Whe Conclusion of the Convention at Mew Haven, &o., &c., &e. SIXTH DAY. New Haven, Aug. 24, 1850. SECTION OF PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS. In this section Professor Coakley presided, and Professors W. B. Rogers and Loomis acted as secretaries. , Several communications were postponed, and the titles of others merely read, with a view to their publication in the books of the society, it being impossible to go through all of the busiaess remaining to be disposed of this day. The first communication was by Professor OLM- STED, Jr., @ young man apparently about 27 years of age, on whirlwinds produced by the burning of a cune-brake in Alabama President Bache pro- nounced the communication a very important and peculiar one, and he hoped Professor Olmsted would Reape or with achurt. The following is an abstract of Mr. Olmsted, Jr.’s, remarks :— Facts relative to whirlwinds produced by the burning of brush and timber on several occasions, were published in the thirty-sixth volume of the American Jovrnal of Science. In the several ac- counts given in that article, there is a great same- ness, fiom the fires having the same origin, and a only in their magnitude. The facts which hall present to the association at this time, are diflerent from any have been re- corded on the subject of whirlwinds, and will, therefore, have the interest of novelty, although in magnitude, and | may add in magnificence, they are not equal to those described in the article alluded to. The canes in the cane-brakes of Alabama, often grow to the height of thirty-five or forty feet. They cover the, best of the new land, and the thickness and size of the cane is considered as the best evidence of the fertility of the soil. No vege- tation at the North can be compared with the cane brakes in the density of their growth, and even in the Southern States, no other kind of vege- tation is comparable with the canes in this re- spect. Notwithstanding their great height, they stand but an inch or two a A thick cane- brake, therefore, or one in rich land, which is not exported to the continual intrusion and tramplin; of aa animals, is completely impassable. Suc’ cane-brakes are the resort of a great variety of small animals, which make their way to their coverts through hidden paths. These animals, when the canes are burnt, are overtaken and de- stroyed by the flames. The canes terminate in a head of foliage in the form of a wide broom or brush, With leaves very much like those of the oleander. .. From the dense manner in'which the canes grow, it follows that, when cut down, they lie in heaps ef great size, and in such a way that when per- fectly dry, the fire soon catches the whole mass. They are cut down, generally, with @ carpenter's adze, although an axe or a very heavy kind of hoe, called a * cane hoe,” is sometimes employed. One blow is suflicient to divide the stalk. This the laborer takes hold of with his left hand, and it behind him, advances te the next. In way anacre of cane-brake soon cleared, ane land is preferred to all other kinds of land good soil, and the ease with which it may be cleared. When the canes are cut down, they are allowed to lie for a month or six weeks, until they become perfectly dry. Fire is then applied in several places at once. As soon as the canes begin to burn, the air that is confined in their celis, and the watery vapor, burstthem asunder. They generally explode through several cells at once, end thus are split in one continued line. These explosions, in burning a large cane-brake, produce a continued roar, like the e of musketry from animmenee army. The urning,” how- ever, Was unattended with thunder, and, in this respect, ditlered from all the cases mentioned in the Journal of Scrence. On account of the dry, combustible nature of the cane, when kindled, the fire advances with great rapidity, giving out flames of the deepest red, the iutensity and richness of which color are incomparably finer than the flames which arise from the combustion of any other kind of wood. The deep, rich tints of the dahlia, and some other flowers, approach more nearly to the color of this flame than any other natural object. The finest red of the prismatic spectrum, when all the other rays are cut off, is mot superior to it. Toge- ther with the flame there ascends a very dense, black smoke, resembling that which arises from burning camphor, or the chimneys of gas works or factories where bituminous coal is used. This smoke also far sur, in its dense deep black color, anything or ioay, observed. The smoke from bituminous coal would not equal it in density, and would be far inferior in depth of color. To the painter the licence of the rich red flame, combined with the rolling masses of , would form one of the finest objects he could select. His darkest color for the smoke, and richest tints for the flame, would be required to convey#uy just conception of the beauty of this mene. ‘The cane-brake which I visited covered a space of twenty-five acres. 1t was set on fire at the part most distant from us,and the tract of land , being somewhat curved and jrregular, the fire was at first hid from ourview. The smoke, however, was visible from the commencement, and the roar of a thousand discharges approached us with rapidity ‘until, with the flame and the smoke, it issued from behind the wood, Big en ithad been for some time concealed. e heat became intense where we stood, although at a distance of more than two bundred yards from the fire. Whirlwinds were now observed in the hottest part of the fire. They did not unite in one column, as in all the cases men- tioned inthe Journal of Science, but were seatter- ed throughout the fire, and several were formed at nthe: first we comparatively small scal it were ona ively small scale. Their height was from thirty to roy feet. So these succeeded others on a larger seale, until they reached the height of more than two hundred feci, and the flame and smoke which formed their columns were perfectly dis\inct from the general mass which arose from the fire. These continued to form until we left. While we remained, there were a8 many as four or five of the largest size formed. They appeared rather to increase-in size and frequency toward the latter part of * the burn- ing,” and many were formed on the ashes, after the fire had, toa great extent, gone down. The “burning” lasted for about half an hour. Ai the whirlwinds, there were several points of dil- ference, by which they might be classed under four heads. The most common whirlwind was that which was stationary over a part of the fire which was hotter than ihe neighboring portions. A second variety was that which had a ve motion, and advanced over the burnt track, throw- ing up ashes and cin and thus marking its course through the fire. me of these emerged from the flames. This was probably the case with uite a number, alt! hy nothing to mark hem efter leaving he fire, they became invisible. One, however, passed near enough to us to be ob- served, and attracted our attention by its rustling sound, and by the leaves which it carried up. hi about fifteen or twenty feet high. At his pessed us, we had moved from our jon, and were about three hundred yards e fire. These whirlwinds diflered from from the others un form, beivg very wide at the top, and contracting to a point at the bottom, like a top or a spindle, or, more ema | they were of the form of the upper cone an hour glass. An isteresting phenomenon which nded some of the whirlwinds, might render it r to arrange them under a third clase. In these the fleme was y whirled at the base; then above succeed- ed a dark interval, where the flame seemed to be extinguished entirely, but towards the top it broke out anew, It was a mixed whirling of e and emoke, the smoke occupying the central portion. ‘The dark interval where the smoke was tnvon- eumed, wa ater or less, as the flame above ap- pioached to, or receded from thatbeneath. There ‘were quite a number of whirlwinds of this class. The fourth kind of whirlwinds were formed of im- mene columns of smoke, so narrow and lofty that they rerembled towers of eeveral hundred feet, or prs ma of trees, in form, C—~ ing _ the eky. e rota se obvious throug: out their e: h ah. ‘hese columns of smoke were genersily but sometimes bent atthe top by the wind. In connection with the whirl- winds there were several other facts of interest ob- served during the burning of the cane. We no- treed the direction of the wind was changed. At first it Was from the north-east, and continued in rection in the f part of the ere, evident from the way in which the columns of smoke werebent. But shortly after the com- mencement of the burniog, the air beneath blew ia ali directions towards the centre of the fire. The columne of piaoke were not bent for than @ hundred yards, heace, up to that height, the wind hiew in ail directions towards the centre of the re. Becondly, these whiriwinds revolved on their ‘fax from right to left, and from left to right, with- out eny prevailing 'y to one more than tothe other. Frequently, the same whirl- wind Would change (he direction in which it re- yolved, aod Would egain return to ite course. in a few instaoces thie was repeated several james ‘Thirdly, inthe midetof the fire, the — the trees, which were surrounded by the piles q cane, became gradually dry and parehed, and fie nally cought on fire, burning almost ike a flash of and adding greatly to the splendor of the ; sean’s tables to make the tabular cal The light red flame of these trees afforded | a fine contrast with the deep red flame of the | canes, and the nearly white smoke of the burning trunks was also in Jively contrast with the heavy, rolling masses of black smoke which surrounde e fire. Fourthly. The charred leaves of cane, being thin and light, were driven off in considerable quanti- ey were carried up, frequent); d, and were sometimes foun the place of the fire, But, eonsidering the extent of the fire, few cinders were carried up. The combustion was very ascribed to two causes :——First, light and combustible matter of the cane, whic! would be, for the most part, consumed in the in- tense heat of the fire, before rising to a great The air imprisoned inthe cells ly added to the intensity of the combustion. Three cenditions—the air confined being in considerable quantit, ii the centre of the canes and and its high ten perature—would contribute to ren- der it more efficient in supporting combustion. From the gteat number and variety of whirl- winds which this burning afforded us the oppor- tunity of observing—-from the splendor of the flame, and from the beauty of the smoke, rolled in masses fire, or in whirlwinds, this scene was one of equa) interest to the painter and the student The vast whirlwinds formed in the atmosphere by storms, or by the burnings of forests and dry timber, are either too large aud too rapid ress to be carefully observed, or they in one column of flame, which has always nearly the same form, and is attended by But in the burnings of the complete, which I of the cane probal e centre of the the same phenomena. cane, whirlwinds of size extend over a wide tract, and mena are perfectly distinct. ; The next was an oral communication by W. C. Reprie.p, Esq., of New York, on the apparent ne- cessity for revising the received systeins of dy- namical meteorology. Reprisip said that in consequence of the pressure of matter before the association, he would not now attempt to submit his views on this great He would only say that hi theory of winds, had be monly entertained. But in pursuing iries, he had constantly met with facts and ficulties whieh appeared irreconcileable with the theory that solar hea’ he great er principal cause ot the general winds of our globe. objections in a manner to do jystice to his views of the case, and to explain the principal atmospheric motion by the cosmical laws which pertain to the planetary system, would require more time than could now be allotted. He would, there- fore, pass from this topic, and make a few remarks on some recent developements of the law of storms, to which subject his atteation had been more im- mediately directed. He would first make reference to the Atlantic hurricane of the middie of July, does and the Windward which appeared at slands on the th wz thence to the coast of Carolinas, swept over a large vortion of the Atlantic reas towards the high latitudes. preceded by strong southerly winds, which Tge supplies of aqueous vapor, and carrying its axis path over the interior of the countr, productive of rain in unusual quantities. was more inland, in these States, than most of the storms heretofore traced, whi over the same isla ich had their course 8. At the meeting of 1848, in Philadelphia, he had fore the association the valuable work of Mr. Piddington, of Calcutta, whose labors racter and courses of whirl- wind storms, had in numerous cases been the lives and property from destruc- esent to the association a id’s, “On the Progress of iw of Storms,” pub- year in London, a work well eniculated for diffusing correct and useful knew- in illustrating the ¢ means of savin second work of Col. Ri the Developement of the lished éuring the Redfield also stated that he had at no time attempted to offer an explanatory theory of the dynamical action in whirlwind storms. He had concerned himself mainly with the facts by which the great law of rotation and re: minate directions, would not withhold hi an views of the dynamical theory, could the association devote time to this odject. He would also allude to another important fact, which should never be overlooked by those who enter on these inquiries. axis of the vertical rotation in the storm-wind to be always coincident with the point or area of least pressure, as indicated by the barometer, during the 8 of the storm. hese three essential character- istics of the storm, we can best solve the main in- quiry, and are better prepared to give due consid- eration to the aqueous de: sified phenomena whic! storm, or to portions thereof, in different latitudes and at diflerent seasons of the year, as the storm advances from tropical latitudes to the colder regions of the temperate on ap ote handed in copied from tember 29, 1846 :- He had found the tracing collective! sitions and other diver- are contingent to the ing document, Royal Gazette, of Sep- IP. which have become tain mail steamer Medway, on leaving Bermuda for England, on the 224 September, 1846, suggested the following :— d on the starboard quarter, when a Northern hemisphere, Southern hemisphere, ships centre of a revelvin, the rule wi Within the troples toward the west, the be on the west sides, burt ¢ ‘por! titudes, ag the course of the storms be: rly, #0 Will there to be on the east whieh is the quadr: le of Captain Andrews's rule for the South. , Was practised by Captain Moorsom, when commandii A [nuritius, in 1826, and ble because It was executed by captain Moorsom be- fore the theory of storms was understood. Leavi §. Ariadne, in Port Louis Harbor, atthe wish Captain Meorsom put the windat 8. E " Pestta; the more remarka- determined to steer without regard as it veered, always upon the and to keep the wim ir. He had some to brought his hip upon to return to Mauritius, dninjured extracts from the two log books, it in Port Louis Harbor, was ered so ne to heep the wiod om the port quarter, had comparatively mederete w Professor Henny remarked that the whole sub- both ina theoretical and practical sense, which could well engage the atten- tion of the association. [twas one whieh had | more than in avy other part and it was due to those en this research, namely, Mr. Redfield, and Dr. Dana, that it should be thoroughly ex- those interested in physics among us. ct Was one of the most involved, per- haps, of any which could be Prof. H. had several times resolved had been deterred from He thought it would be well to make the subject of the movement of the air, in the case of storms, a special matter of dis- cussion at the next annual meeting of the associa- tion, and that the members of this section should be requested te direct their attention to the subject the intervening time. jectof storms was one, studied in this country presented to in- He would prepare give some views at the next meeting, be permitied to attend. iments on the volition of ‘a number of conclusions did not anticipate at the commencement. three citive cylinders of motion: ene along the exis downwards, another exterior to this upwards, and a third downwards. Lie had also made experiments on the produc- He wor inclined tion of volitions to believe that nearly ell the motion and canses advanced by Mr. Sue ak ree for the explanation of storms, were involve phenome! rofessor Bacwe remarked the storms of the United States to be of different closses, and that ntil those engaged in making the inductions would discuss every observation, (re- quiring the aid of mechanics) tation for such a urpose,) and present the result examined, no decision likely to stand long could It would not do in forming a law or he contfedictions. Professo 1 of Professor Loomis, on the States, prerented some years since to the American Philosophical! Society, as an admirable epecunen of this kind of induction. munication, and I1id upon the teble ing in detail the phases of the 90 28, 1861, together with «and a hist each in print, to at, © neglect | _storme of the Unked. ECLIPSE OF JUL 18 presented the of the wey ee ‘urope, for wl ing undertake. to prey set_of lunar tables, emt additions which Professor Airy applied to Lami ions pecerat an anety as possible Plana’s theory, P: jessor Airy’s corrections from the Greenwich ob- servations, and also the corrections due to Han- one Jong periods in the moon’s motion, arising from the perturbative action of Venus, itis a matter of interest and importance to profit by the exceilent cceasion eflorded by the solar eclipse of July, 1861, (visible in the greater part of North America and the continent of Europe,) to compare n.0on’s Observed places with the tabular place as determined by our tables, and to test the nature of the moon’s semi-diameter employed in our caleu- lauons. In order, therefore, to facilitate and en- couwege the genera! observation of this phenome- non on this continer t, I have prepared at the office, a chart exhibiting the phases of the eclipse in the United States, Cansda, and Mexico, from which, cd simple inspection, the amateur observer at any place, will find approximately the time of the be- ginning aud end, the duration, &e.; and! have added to it the general elements, a list of observa- tions for which it is computed specially, and Bes- tel’s rate, With a modification by Henry Saflord. The numerous calculations for observations abroad and at home, have been furnished with a partic view to the determination of longitudes, for which this eclipse is unusually advantageous. It would be superfluous for me to enlarge here upon the im- portance of profitting by such an opportunity for the approximate determination of longitudes in our country; embracing as it does, so many meridians, and having £0 much of its territory unexplored. It is very desirable that it should used as far as possible tor geographical purposes; and to. accom- plish this, as well as to fulfil the original object for which the chart was begun, I have obtained the permission of the honorable Wm. A. Graham, Se- cretary of the Navy, to distribute it, together with the accompanying calculations, freely. On Burometrical Measurements, «nd the distance to which corresponding observations may he used for that purpose, by Professor Arxorr Guyor, Cambridge. _ Protessor Guyor showed how the different posi- tions ot places, in reference to atmospheric waves, produced errors in the measurements of heights by the barometer. One plane mij be under the crest of a wave, und another urder the hollow He showed, that in places not twenty miles apart sach difierences would be found. In measuring the height of the White Mountains by the baro meter, large diflerences had been found from this source. * Analyte of the Dynamic Phenomena of the Ley jen Jar. Professor Henry gave an account of his investi- gations of the discharge of a Leyden jar. This Was a part of a series of experiments he had made a few years ago, on the general subject of the dynamic phenomena of ordinary or frictional elec- tricity. On this subject he had made several thou- sand expenments. had never published these in full, but had given brief notices of some of them in the proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. All the complex phenomena he had ob- served could be reterred to a series of oscillations in the discharge of the jar. If we adopt the hypo- theses of a single fluid, then we shall be obliged to admit that the equilibrium of the fluid, after a dis- churge takes place, by a series of oscillations, gra- dually dit shes in intensity and magnitude. He had been enabled to show eflects from five of these waves im succession. The means used for deter- ining the existence of these waves was that of gnetization of steel needles, introduced into the axis of a spiral. A needle of this kind, itis well known, is susceptible of receiving a definite amount of magnetism, which is called its satura- tion. - Now, if the needle be of such a size as to be magnetized to saturation by the principal discharge, it will come out of the spiral magnetized to a less degree than that of saturation, by the amount of the edverse influence of the oscillations in the opposite direction to that of the principal discharge. It the, quantity of electricity be increased, the power of the second wave may be so exalted that the needle will exhibit no magnetism; the whole eflect of the first or principal wave will be neutral- ized by the agtion of the second. If the quantity of electricity be greater than this, then the needle will be magnetized in an opposite direction. If the electricity be still more increased, the needle will again exbibit a change in its polarity, and so on in ccession, as the power of the successive waves are increased. é These experiments had been made several years ago, but Professor H. had not given them in detail to the public, because he had wished to render them more perfect. For the last three and a half years, all his time and all his thoughts had been given to the details of the business of the Smith- eonien Institution. Ile had been obliged to with- draw himself entirely from scientific research, but he hoped that now the institution had got under way, and the regents had allowed him some able arsixianis, that he would be allowed, in part, at least, to return to his first loye—the investigation of the phenomena of nature. (Applause.) SECTION OF CHEMISTRY AND MINERALOGY. The reading of two or three of the papers first on the list for the day, was deferréd. The first paper presented was one on the absorp- tion of carbon, by acids and saline solutions, by Pro- fessors W. B. ogers and RK. E. Rogers, This paper conteimed full details and tabulated results of caer rates upon @ large number of substances, with reference to their er of ab- sorbing carbonic acid, as determined @ process which was communicated at a former meeting of the association. Stress was laid upon the results obtained in the case of sulphuric acid, as eo | remarkable in the amount which it absorbed, as having important bearing upon the estimation ef carbeme acid in alkaline carbonates, in air, and other gaseous mixtures. Professor Horsrory inquired whether it was apprehended by the authors that the quantity of carb-acid that would be retained by the liquids, in the process of Will & Fresenius, would impair the accuracy of that process for technical pu a Dr. K. E. Rogexs replied that while it might not be serious enough to be important in the examina- tien of the commercial carbonates, yet the error was quite too great to be admissible in delicate analytical processes, and especially in the deter- mination of equivale: The next paper was, ‘on anew method of decom- posing silicates in the process of analysis, with an analysis of pink seapolite of bolton,” by Henry Wurtz, of New York. This method consists in fusing the silicate with pure chloride of barium or chloride of strontiuin, then dissolving in hydrochloric acid and removi the baryta or strontia by means of sulphuric ecid, An analysis of pink seupolite of belton had been made by this method, the results of which were exhibited, showing a bp oe corresponding with the received formula of the common scapolite. _ “On Canadian localities of ilimenite and chromic iron, with remarks w their association with the Ss Canada a J wenn by T. 8. af _“ An account ix mineral by Prof. C. U, Shepard.” Detalla of loealities of thsoe, were given ond the specimens exhibited ot the section. Mr. Groner J. Brusn remarked that as his own name had been menioned by Mr. Shepard, in von- nection with ozarkite, he would state that in his examination he had obtained in it 77.41 per cent of phosphate of lime, and that the specimen was ap- parently a mixture of apatite and a zeolite, which ‘was sustained by qualitative analysis, what zeolite was not ascertained to be, as, with the utmost care in separation, it Was found imposeidie to obtain any of the mineral which would not give the reaction of phosphoric ecid. “Description and analysis of allanite, from Frenkiin, New Jersey,” by Dr. C, T. Jackson. “Description of biemuthic tetlurium or tetradymite, from the gold mine of Whitehall, Va., with an anelyeis of the mi and its rel gold eseociated with it,” by Dr. C. T. Jackson. Hoth of these papers were accompanied by the exhibition of several interesting experiments. ‘The section adjourned, to meet at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. ar First paper. —On sand of New Jerse compound ; by H. Wurtz, New York. In this paper Mr. W. announced that he had sveceeded in forming alum by the action of sul- pein Rae upon “ Agee) and in formii chlori potassium, sing chloride of cium with the seme maettial Dr. R. E. Roexns questioned whether there would not be too serious @ loss of acid occasioned by the iron, alumina lime and magnesia, in the green sand, to admit of ite bei an tubstanee for alum, but coneu: with Mr. W. in thinking thet thie could only be determined by ex- jtrimenting on the large scale. A further disewssion ensued re the nature end orgin of the green saad, in which Professor eared » Mr. Wurtz and Dr. R. b. Rogers parti- led. poets notice +. on meteorites ; by ©. UL recent discovery of the inequalities of | which remarks were made upon the beauty nd ground franklinite, used as white and peints, lopether with seme of the metallic zinc ‘The subject was discussed by Major Parria, Prof. Shepard, Dr. Jackson, and Mr. Brewer, i 2 a i white zine paint, and its advantages over Ded. ahone pre io sulchumtied ae Mi ‘sis of red marl, of Springfield, Mas. biG, oe by |. JACKSON showed specimens painte: with this marl. , —— bs M ELLS exhibited a specimen of the marl ite 6 \d described the process of manufacturing it paint. Further remarks were made upom the subject by Dr. Jackson and Prof. Shepard. On the determination of phosphoric acid, by T. 8. Hunt. This communication was accompanied by remarks upen the analysis of soils, with a state- ment of results. ¥ Dr. Jackson was glad to find that Mr. Hunt had succeeded in bringing the determination of phos- phorie acid of soils to such certainty and accuracy. e believed the limits of barrenness and fertility in soils rest within two per cent in the case of certain of their constituents, and then made some remarks in reference to leached ashes as a fertilizer. , Mr. Hung thought the limit to jay between much smaller limits than Dr. Jackson had stated. The subject of leached and unleached ashes was further remarked upon in respect to their relative value, by Mr. S. W. Johnson, Dr. T. 5. Jackson, and Prof. Johnson, SECTION OF PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS—ELECTRIC CURR On the law of vpon itself, and of electrical wires. By J. H. Lane, American Pateat Ce, Washington; presented by Frofessur Olmsted, Abstract:— The first discovery of the induction of electrie currents, was made by Prof. araday. After his discovery, Prof. Henry followed in a very elabo- rate series of experiments, in which he developed some new and remarkable phenomena,and brought cut the most complete etucidatioa of the laws of be induction of electric currents that has been pro- duced. He discovered the induction of a. electric current upon itself, and referred it to the general principle of inductive action at a distance, as dis- covered by Faraday. The conductor of a current was regarded as made up of aa intiaite number of finitely small fibres, and the induction of the cur- sent upon itself was no more than the inductive orce exerted upon each fibre, by the currents ge- erated in all other fibres. My object in this com- Munication is, to preseat the principal results of @ mathematical investigation of the laws of the in- duction of a current upon itself, some account of which was read before a meeting of the National Institute in Washington,some two or three months since. The most material part #f the fouadamental law, from which we must vet out, has been pro- posed by Prof. Henry, as a deduction from his in- vestigation. They cannot, however, be regarded as demonstrated by actual experiment, and if the results here given, as deductions from them shall furnish wny means of testing their truth, one object of the investigation will have been obtained. The fundamental law adopted] as_ the bases of the in- vestigation, is this:—The inductive f exerted by a current generated in an infinitely ehort ele- ment of a linear conductor atany given poiat lies, in the plane of the elementary current, in an opposite direction to it, and at right angles to the line of direction drawn from it to the given point, and is directly proportional to the length of the ele- ments multiplied into the sine of the angle it makes with the line of direction, and inversely proportion~ alto the square of the distance. The inductive force exerted by a current, generated in a straight linear conductor of unlimited length, is in a direc- tion paralle! to the conductor, and in the inverse ratio simply of the perpendicular distance from it. The seme is very nearly true with a conductor of li- mited length, for any point whose perpendicular distance is small compared with the distance from either extremity of the conductor, the error being enly asmall quantity of the third degree. In the second place, it will be readily seen, that if a curs rent of electricity were geaerated in « long straight pusmetic conductor, in such manner that the rate of developement should be uniform throughout the mass of the conductor, the whole inductive force exerted by the entire current la be greater in the central parts of the cross section than ator near the surface. In the case of a cylindrical conduc- tor, the inductive force exerted the surface would be equal to that exerted at the ceatre, as the diameter of a circle to half ii umference. At the first instant of the applic tive force, to generate a current in a straight eylin- drical wire, We must expect that the rate of de- velopement of the current will be more rapid im fibres situated near the surface, than in the more central ones. The rate of developement in any fi inversely, as the le: of the shortest chord that can be drawn through that fibre, in the cross section of the wires. In the case of discharge of machine electricity through a wire, there are strong reasons for believ- ing that the current in most piuces never reaches # quantity sufficient to make the resistance of a conduction much felt, in comparison h the im- mense electro-motive force concerned. The more comprehensive formula, from which this law is taken, leads to some curieus results in rd to + lectrical discharge. That which at on rests attention is the tendency of the discharge to the surface of the wire, presenting some anulogy to the distribution of statical electricity. But the dis charge would be far from being confined to the surface; for, though the intial developement would become infinite at the very surface, yet the depth to which this extends is an infinitismal of the second e, 80 that the discharge must be dis- tributed ughout the mass with a large excess near the surface. Another interesting result is that, if the discharge were passed successively through two wires, of diflerent diemeters, placed end to end, the induc- tion of the current upon itself in the two wires, or what might be termed the resistance to discharge, would be directly as the length, and inversely as the diameter of the wire, instead of the area of the cross section. This, should it be confirmed, would appears like a marked distinction between galvanic and machine electricity, were we unacquainted with the induction of electric currents, ‘There was a communication on the method of ———— the velocity of the ——_ current, sy Orange Judd, Yale Analytical Laboratory. Deseription of a new instrument for measuring the ey gr gre between the optic axis of erys- tals, and for goniometrical purposes; accom- penied by,the angles contained between the optic exis of some Americen micas. By W. P. Blake, javen. instrument is designed to assiat the Mineralogist in examining the internal molicular arrangement of minerals by polarized light, and to combine with the instrument sll the requisites for mineralogical measurements. He uses light pola- rized by reflection, and vses eye pieces of tourma- line or cale , combined with lenses, by which he is enabled to reduce the size of the system of colored ring® around the optic axis of crystale— thus enabling the observer to measure the inclina- tion of the optic axis in their plates of micas. Mr. Bloke aleo presented a table of the angles contained between the optic axis of several American ——¥ from difierent localities, the engles varying from degrees to 754. The instrument was exhibited and explained. NEW MACHINE. as A machine wee exhibited, designed for gootesin Lf = continuous ee for which the Ly Spring Governor n pre » be — was invented by the Messrs. Bond, 4 bridge. It consists of « train of wheels com- municat with a fly-wheel, dead beat escape- whieh he motive power Meat, connected with a half-second pendulam. The connection between the escapement wheel and the rest of the machinery is through a spring. The elasticity ot the spring allows the motion of the cir- cumference of the escapement wheel to be arrested etevery beat of the pendulum, while the rest of the train continues moving. By this means all c! in the motive power are eilectually controlled, anda Perey perfectly continuous and uniform secured in the fly-wheel, so that the moving force may be ‘ased without aflecting ite velocity. ‘be principle may be epplied various forms and kinds of maehinery. lermediate between servatory. ‘THE ICE QUESTION. The following are the observations of Doctor Hare, of Iphia, on the ice question :— Dr. Hane was of opinion, that however ice might re te wae i the ma 4 of the same gravity as ont of which it had been , and, consequent-