The New York Herald Newspaper, August 22, 1851, Page 7

aEtetes See, i £ s FS e é power, or for any other at naught—a curse, certain! How, then, can we of the Sout! unite council with those who have not only shown themselves ardless of our safety, but, judging from the » would unhesitatingly RY, the way for making our section a second n Domingo—and coolly look on, if they did not rejoice to see, the blood of our mot! wives, and sisters, moisten their native soil, did it give such @ doubtful boon as liberty to such a people as the blacks? I have ever been a democrat of the Jet- fersonian school, and I am firmly impressed with the permanency of our government depends on its & S H es “if administered in strict_accord- ance with democratic principles; and yet I cannot consent to owe the temporary ascendency of the democratic party to a union with abolitionists. ‘With the good ‘and true democrats of the North and Northwest, I am ready to meet as brother meets brother; to stand with them, shoulder to shoulder, and contend for victory, be our standardl- bearer whom he may, come from what quarter he may, only let him be faithful to the guarantees of the constitution and the uncompromising enemy of all disorganizers. But we must have no pretended friends in our camp, who, while they ory “hail brothers,” would stab us under the fifth rib. If the true democracy cannot bear aloft the flag of vis tory, better lot it trail inthe dust than be upheld & the hands of those who, to subserve their nefa- jous purposet, would as readily trample it under foot as wave it to the breeze. I believe I speak the eentiment of nine-tenths of the democracy of this State, when I say we have no ecctional pre- ferences, and stand fully pr ‘ed to give our sup- port tothe nominees of a democratic convention, roperly constituted, whether they reside in the North, the South, the East, or the West. Many of us, however, entertain the opinion that, under existing circumstances, it would be true policy, and productive of the best interests of the party and the country, to have a Northern man designa‘ed for the Presidency. Individually, altho Ihave a personal preference, I could give my cordial support to any of the distinguished gentlemen you have named, either for the first or second office, knowing, as | do, their intelligence, integrity, and devotion to this whole country. Will not next winter be early enoug! to fix on the time for holding the conven- tion? The place is of minor importance. 1! do not think the people of this State have, as yet, turned their tion to this matter. For the kindly terms in which you are pleased to speak of me personally, accept my thanks. I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in Washington. Faithfully, your obe- dient servant, Wittian R. Kine. C. H. Donaldson, Esq. JOHN A. EASTMAN, OF WISCONSIN. This gentloman, son-in-law to M. C. Darliag, committee-man for that State, writes that there are some who prefer Houston as first choice, and a great number prefer him as first after Gen. Dodge. Fonp pv Lac, Wis., pay i 1851. Dear Sin :—Your letter of the 16th instant to my father-in-law, M. C. Darling, was received by him yesterday, just as he was starting for Massa- See and he has requested me to answer it for im. The time and place of holding the next Demo- eratic National Convention has been the subject of $Gieigeravie izterest in this State since the last Convention, and our people have genrTally express ed themselves as favorable to Cincinnati, as being the most central and accessible point. As tothe time of the convention, there is not much unanimity. Could we tell who would be the nominees, it were less difficult; for instance, if Houston is nominated, (and many in this State pe fer him for first choice, and many more prefer him as first after Gen. Dodge,) if he is the nominee, the Jor campaign the better; but if some other ~ |, shorter time will do as well. , however, that our leading men expect the convention in May or early in June. Our State Convention is to be holden September 10th, when we shall choose delegates to the Nation- al Convention. Yours, &c., C. H. Donaldson, Esq. Jonun A. Eastman. a OF PROMINENT DEMOCRATS. een 5 ‘und dw Lac. Morgan 1. Martin, E. W. Davis, Chas. D. Robinson, A. W. Paine, David Agry, A. ra. Joel S. Fisk, O. B. Tyler, Elisha Morrow, K. A. Darling, Thomas Green, We Geo. J. Wallace, 1 S. Goodrich. Depere. David M. Leay, Joba F. Lesty. ao 5 H.N. Smith. Theodore Conkey, Part Washington. —— Waugh, Monon Sat. Clarke” Gabrie Sates Millard. Columbus his refer you to Ben. ©. Eastman, of Platteville, and in the southern part to A. a ‘Jonesville. . MR. DONALDSON TO MR. OREER. Mr Donaldson is the Texan member of the Na- tional Committee, and appears to be one of the most straight forward and candid of that body. Puitapeceuia, August 13, 1851. Dean Greer :—I received a letter from Texas, to-day, argeatly demandin; my rerern to my plan- tation, also one from H. Toak respondi to our plane. I hed to bave « further conte, Convention, but may as well issue the call at once for the first onday in June. From the tone of our correspondence, we have ample assurances that the convention will be with us, and be com- peded meetly of Houetea mes, ee ee opposition, secure our object. In regard to ” avoid all y fad te ly ore platform, offending our free soil allies—who have themselves in faith to us—as their most formidable, you may depend upon it, avd we cen afford to make a few of the South where so irrscible # disposition is shown. If you could but prevent the passage of land re- form resolations in the State Cyavention of lowa, and other portions of the West, then Walker, of ‘Wisconsin, could easily be kept in the bac! and Houston's chances great! ping here, | regret to learn that the Buc! terest is rapidly gaining ground. | chink, our well — plans tor the call of the con’ tion will destroy all his chances, the Southern rights faction to the contr: notwithstanding. Van Buren and Croswell’s influence secures New York, certain, and their friends everywhere. Chase and Giddings may be relied upon to the utmost in Ohio, and we are in hopes to handle the wires even in Massachusetts. Gen. Houston, I have tho best torm. without pledged improve means of knowing, will be on hithself shortly, to take charge of the wire: A 0 our New ) friends: Make no mis- wor steps, little allusion to “ niggerism,” and iet the tate Convention not go beyond the Ohio plat- form, and tolerate differences of opinion in regard inor questions. Should it be dee ‘ammany Halil, in the city of New York, for the purpose of helping along ali our own and old sem a. plans, do #0, provided it can be dono pe Be - sections of, the party, without & possi sf shall proceed to Washington to-day, on my way home, and I may not, therefore, soon see you. | You ddrees ; keep ine well advised of your and ar and how things are Meantime, | remain, yours, in the C expect to be in Washington next January. have w: IL “Doxatoson. should Houston not hi already left, and keep vised of his departure, citar. y vo D. sand the Pennsylvania Democracy. The tollowing letter was written by Gen. Cages, in reply to an invitation to attend the ratification meeting in Delaware county :- Deraort, Jaly 15, 1851. GenTLewen =I bave received your letter, and areure you it would give me great pleasure to ac- cept your invitation to attend the ratitica'ion meet. ing to be held in Delaware county, on the 24 of Auguet next, if it was in my power. Bat other engagements will prevent my attendance, and | ply express the hope that bat one spirit will every democrat why mey bo present, and use, P. = —I hall write you upon my return home, | that is s determination to of the iy, by soppocting every nomination which has Cre e@ contest you have before you is an im; 4 one, sates et eet geared io meet strength of our Opponents. If we are united, as we should be, there ee fear of the result, and the victory will be hailed with Geitowien, by every democrat throughout the inion. Ifthere are any local or personal feelings adverse to either of the nominees, these should be sacrificed to higher considera‘ions, and each shoald labor within his sphere for the accomplishment of the good work. I feel confident that the demo- cracy of the old Keystone State will be true to it- selfin the hour of trial, and will command the re- spect and gratitude of their brethren throughout the Union. 1 am, gentlemen, with great regard, truly yours, : AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. Lewis Cass. ALBANY MEETING. TUESDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. Turspay, August 19—4 P. M. FrcTION 1.—MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY, This section commenced its session by confirming the nomination of Professor A. D. Bache as its Chairman, who had been proposed by the Standing Committee, Professor E. Loomis, of New York, was appointed its Secretary. ‘The first paper read was entitled, “ Experimental Re- searches, tending towards an Improvement in the Telescope, by Professor Alexander C. Twining, of New Maven.” The author's design was to show that much light is lost in telescopes by an unsuspected defect in the crdinary eye-pieces. For some reason, the best teles- copes are far inferior to the eye, compared with their proper performance. In some careful experiments Professor Twining found that only one-seventh of the light of his telescope was effective for vision. He thus found, by other experiments, (which are stated at length in his paper), that there is, in fact, sufficieat dispersion in the ordinary eye-pieces to account for a large part of the lees, He algo proposed and demonstrated, analyti- cally. theory of visual efficacy. The practical issue of the whole is, that eye-pieces of a truly achromatic character should be tried, in the hope of vastly improving penetrative power. Br. Bacne remarked that, although he had endeavored, during the reading, to find # fallacy in the facts aud ac- guments, by which to ward off the attack upon the eye- pieces, he found none. Le; — could not be made a photometric test. If piokons wining had not the apparatus and means on his hands, he ought to procure them from some institution, and prosecute the | fuljeet to completeness. There could be no question as tot e value of the investigation. Professor SixrHen ALexanveR, of Princeton, read & per “On the Atmospheric Enelopes of Venus and other Pianets.”” His remarks were chiefly on observations of Venus at the time of her inferior conjunction, and, of course, made in daylight. Like many observers, he bad noticed especial! the varied nce of the illumi- nated portion of the planet, ‘The line separating the illuminated and dark portions was sometimes most dis- tinctly smooth and uniform; at other times rough and even jagged, as inthe moon. Spots had been no- ticed at times. ‘The planet was for the most part illum!- nated to a greater extent than could be the case, were it not possessed of a very extensive atmosphere. Hence this phenomenon, and ap apparently long twilight Se- veral representations of various appearances of Venus were exbibited. The cusps had been observed to be wae- quel in size, and in direction The atmosphere of this planet must be very unsettled ; and we might suppose this to be the case, from our knowledge of its revolutions, and of its probable temperature, viz:—twice that of the earth. Professor A. closed with remarks concerning the Asteroids, which pcsers ® Yery peculiar gaseous atmos- phete, and the density of that of Jupiter, Profereor Pixxce remarked that, in reference to the in] ner ring of Saturn, discoverd by Mr. Bond, he was inclin clined to believe that it was an optical phenomenon, simi; in some respects, to those referred to by Professor Al- exander, the supposed rin; being sven only when the on- ter ring was viewed oblique , im which case the light striking on the atmos; of the planet, muck elongated towards the outer ring, would form a caustic which ve a luminous appearance to that portion of the atmosphere. Professor Loom which had so sudden!: he thought, be ex] by im the dense vapors of wi fact whjch Professor ALexanpre remarked densit; al similar caustics, produced h they were composed, & was inconsistent with aim in ‘and ia ~ erty : ry an ry Arago. Profercor Pract was not aware that such observations bad been made. ‘The third was @ very , yet interesting one, entitled “ onthe of Vegetables. on the Causes which enable scme Plants to Kadure the action of ¢; ane ies the possible causes which pod yond their ju from freezing. These causes ms; = duced to five. viz :—1. A certain smount of — degoening the point of congelation still ‘armth of the ground from which the ; &. The low conducting power of the ad wood. each of these causes, and shows collectively, they are totally in- lation of the juices of e i induced to institute @ series of observations and expe mts, by which he was soou convinced that its may be and frequently s frosen. without receiving htest injur; he fla! in the steuas of rores be other pty ere frouen during cold winter morpit in Georgia. His experiments, by the aid of artificial cold, show that an interaode of elder of about ope inch in diameter coeet, the Po] — — be frozen to tre by & degree of col excecdiag 6 Pirenbele ‘The freara condition of the = in the woody structure was demoastrated by Ot quent process of thawing under the compound micro- scope. A rhoot of ailantus, which bad thus been frozen, wee {oud to pur forth leaves and grow when the spring returned. Collateral evidence is then produced to show that the sap of plants growing in high Intitudes is frozen during the winter, To show that all parts of ant, ding recending axis and sppendags #, may be froaem with- it injury to ite growth, aliusion is made to the town of mean temp-rature of Yabietsh, in Asiatic Siberia, t A degtee of cold ox which is 1435 degrees Fabrenheit, ceeding 68 degrees below zero, occurs every year; aud | the mean temperatare of the winter month’ leas than 40 degrees below nero. Mercury hae been main solid during three successive months. is perpetually frozen to the depth of 400 feet, During summer, the superficial stratum of ics is never lew than three feet; and yet, continued Professor |. lareh forests flourish in this town, It is impossible to imagine that any combination of vital and physical causes could Prevent the juices of these trees from belog froaea. Inthe next part, it ie shown that the clearing of trees, by extreme cold, ia not the result of the expassion which accompanies the congelation of the exp, as has been suppored, but is the result of the contraction which takes place in'the exterior layers of wood, after the fluids are frozen, by the rapid augmentation of cold The t is concluded witn a discussion of the maaner inwi cold produces death in plants CLOUDS AND THE RQUATORIAL CLOUD-R BY MF. MAURY. LIRUT. U.S. 8.) AND 8 THE NATIONAL ONBERVATONY ‘The railor at sea observes phenomens and witnesses operations in the terrestrial economy, which tell him that im the beautitul and exquisite adjurtimeots of the grand machinery of the atmorphere, the clouds have other tat or THE Rant, INTENDENT OF portent Cffices to perform besides those of dispensing showers, of producing the raine, and of weaving manties of snow fer roteotion of our fields in winter. As important thisoffice, the philocophieat mariuer is remindrd that the clouds ha fuifil, which, though 1 dees benigrant or the hem at work in mode: cold, and in mitigating « thea» elves Cut; they cove! they prevent radiation from its ow at aucther tune. they and tereen it trom bis der planis from bis hent, avd the Heving performed this oftice porated avd given up to t eprain, to be borne On thele wi other commandments to fe NOt therefore the tliy of note. he extremes of whieh stend in need of like offices, Fewer with clouts end eun<hine, the storm and the ‘and all the phenomena whieh Higotaing waa the blast pirvent, Lhe tight ml 5 the cloud without rain, ty thing; be perevives that jm perions cilices, and regards it esa gte Bound in his ship hence to the southern een ca en 4 and finds sky sometimes mottled with clouds, but for his cource towards the rise higher end higher uator, watil entering the region a alos. be feels the weather to box come singularly oppressive; he discovers here that tl elasticity of feeling which he breathed from the trade wind = has for — him. “ Escaping from this gloomy region, apd entering the soucheast trades, his « BR ienre cae tare © be auges are recorded there. ile is surprised to find that, notwithstanding the oppressive latitudes, both his thermome:nr and barometer st while in them, lower than in the clear weather on either side of them; that just before entering, and just before leaving the rainy pirallels, the mercury of the thermometer and barometer invariabt; stood higher than it does when within them, even though they include the equator. He has passed a ring of clouds that encircles the earth. Perceiving this, he is reminded how this cloud-ring, by screening there from the sun’s rays, not only promotes the precipitation which takes place within it at certain ods, but how, also, the rains made to change the places upon which they are to fall; and how. by travelling with the calm belt of the equator up and down the earth, this cloud ring shifts the surface from eh pees are ¢ the by - excluded; and how, iy 7 jon, tone ven to the atm spherical cir- SERRE com o> snes in a clear at the equator, this cloud-ring havin: slipt to the north or south with the calm belt, the i of the sum pour down upon the crust of the earth and raise its temperature toa scorching heat. The atmos- phere dances above it, and the air is seen trembling in ascending and descending columns with busy eager- ness to conduct the heat off. and deliver it to the regio: aloft, where it is required to give momentum to the in its general channels of circulation. The dry season continues; the sun is vertical; and finally, the earth be- comes parched and dry; the heat accumulates faster than the air can carry it away; the plants begin to wither, and the animals to perish, Then comes the miti- gating cloud-ring. ‘The burning rays of the sun are in- tercepted by it. ‘The place for the ‘absorption and reflec- tion, and the delivery to the atmosphere of the solar heat is changed; it is transferred from the upper surface of the earth to the upper surface of the clouds, Radiation from the land and the sea below the cloud- belt is thus interrupted, and the excess of heatin the earth is delivered to the alr, and by absorption carried up to the clouds, and there delivered to their vapors to prevent excess of precipitation. Tn the mean time, the trade winds, north and south, are pouring into this cloud.covered receiver, as the calm and rein of the equator may be called, fresh supplies in the shaze of ceaseless volumes of heated air, loaded to saturation with vapor, which has to rise above and get clear of the clouds before it can commence the process of cooling by radiation Inthe mean time, the vapors which the trade winds bring from the north and the south, expanding and growing cooler as they aecead, are being condensed on the lower side of the cloud stra- tum, and their latent heat is set free, to cheek precipita- tion and prevent # flood. While this process and these operations are gcing on on the nether side of the cloud-ring, one not less im- portant is going on on the upper side. There, from sun- rise to sunset, the rays of the sua are pouring down with- out intermission, Every day, and all day long, they ope- rate with ceaseless activity uj cloud stratum. When they the upper surface of the ome too powerful, and convey more heat to the cloud vapors than the cloud va- observation as well ax by watchiag the subs | * sunbeam and the wiod | gs away to other places | ! pore can reflect, and give off to the air above them, then, with a beautiful elasticity of character, the clouds absorb the surplas heat. They melt away, become invisible, and retain the heat thus imparted in a latent and harmless state, until it is wanted at some other place andon some other occasion. ‘We thus have an insight into the operations which are going on in the equatorial belt of precipitation, and this insight is sufficient to enable us to perceive that exqui- site indeed are the arrangements which nature has pro- vided for supplying this calm belt with heat, and for pushing the snow line high up above the clouds, in order that the atmosphere may have room to expand. to rise up, overflow, and course back into the channels of its circulation, As the vapor is condensed and formed into drops of rain, a two-fold object is accomplishéd--coming from the cooler regions of clouds, the rain drops aré cooler than the air and earth below. They descend, and, by absorption, take up the heat which has been accumu- lating in the earth’s crust during the dry season, and which cannot now escape by radiation. Thus this clou ring modifies the climate of all places beneath it; over- Mhedowing, at diferent seasons, all parallels trom bdegs. In the process of condensation, these rain drops, on the other band, have set free @ vast quantity of latent heat, which has been gathered with the vapor from the sea, by the trade winds, and brought hither. The caloric thus liberated is taken by the air and carried up aloft still further, to keep, at the proper distanse from the earth, the line of perpetual congelation. Were it pos tible to trace a thermal curve in the upper regions of the air, to reprerent this line, we should, no doubt, find it mounting sometimes at the equator, sometimes on this tide, and sometimes on that, of it, but so as alwa; . This thermal same it would ascend those between which this ring hapgens to be; and the distance of this ring from the equator is cording to the seasons. pg co pee equator to be always belt is h separates the N. B. from the loop in the thermal curve, line of |g congelatioa ir, would be always found to stride this equator, be sy that thermometer, kept sliding the earth, so as alwaye to be in the middle of this rain belt, would show very nearly the Pay oor npn year round; and so, too, would « barometer the same pressure. Reti and by Bd the train of contemplation 9a to the which this belt of clouds, as it encircles the 5 in the system of al we the cloyd-ring and calm zone mn a thermometer under this cloud- belt that is more then any that man can con- struct, Bnd its ind! not to be ken. Where do the vapors which form this cloud-t and which are need and down into fom ar rain come from the trade wind ions; up, they expand; and as they expand, they grow cool; moreover, it requires no mercurial instrument cf human device, to satiety us that the air which brings the va; for these clouds, cannot take it up and let it down at the seme temperature. the converse of each other; and the same sir cannot pro- ate and evaporste, take up and let down water atens aud therame time, Asthe yoga air is raised, its for receiving retaining water in the state of vapor is inereased—as the temperature of the aly is Jersened, ite capacity for retaining that moisture is @miniet=4, physicu, laws; and therefore when we see water dri g uve from (he Leanay were, Fe li us that the elasticity of the need no instrument to te! vapor fo condensed, and falling in drops, ie lees than War its elasticity when it was taken up from the surface of the ceean as water, and went up into the clouds as veper. ence we infor, that when the vapors of sea water are condensed, the heat which was necessary to sustain them in the vapor which was borrowed parted with; and that, the reforn, they were eub- jected in the act of condensation to e lower temperature than they were in the act cf evepokation, This is what is olng On—censelers precipitation, under this cloud. Lvaperstion under it is surpend: d almort. entirely the year round It is formed by the meeting of the N. b. ard 8. E. trade winds. The vapor and the alt which they bring with them, here ascend—as they arcend they expend; as they expend their temperature falls, Hence, fret acloud and the precipitation. We know that the trade winds encircle the earth, and by the rainy reasons | of the Torrid Zone we can trace this cloud-ring like » girdle abcut it. In view of there facts, and of these laws, it is useless to consult the thermometer, merely to leatn whether the atmosphere under this cloud. ring be warmer or evol- er than that on either side of it. Our knowledge of the Jaws of nature tells ua that it is cooler, Th like manner. nature has placed a thermometer on the rurface of the land, and of the water, which tells us that the mean temperature of the top of the earth crust, whether it be land or water, is higher than the mean temperature of the saperincumbeut air; and #0 far ux the researches connected with these charts have pope, and bear upon the subject, they indicate that it ie #6, Where the atmos; here meets the land and wa‘er, there is the greatest amount of heat on the earth's surfers At this place of meeting, the thermomoter in every lati tude attains its maximum, If we desceud below this pisce into the ocean, or rive above it into the air, the mereury in the thermometer is observed to fall. ‘The belt of equatorial exlms and rains eneircle the earth; were tho clouds which overhang this belt lamt- nous, and could they be seen by an observer from one of the planets, they Would present to him an appearance not unkke the rings of Saturn do to Such an obserrer would remark that this cloud-ring of the earth bas a mo tion contrary to that on its axis of our planet iteelf—that while the earth was revolving rapidly from west to east, Le would observe the cloud ring to go slowly, bat oaly relatively, from east to wert, Aa the winds which briag the cloud vapor to this region of ealus rive wp with ts, the earth is slippiog from wader it; and thos the cloud. titg though really moving from west to east, with the earth, gees relatively slower than the earth, ard would, therefore. appear to require « longer time to complete & revolution but nnlike the ringe of Satucn through the telesope the cuter surtace, of the upper ride to us, of this olowd- line would not | regulated i ring, would appear exceedingly jagged, rough and un- ‘The rays of the sun wyotin of ihe upper lead set of elevations, a: ‘The whole stratum is,it may be imagined, ia the whea viewed turgid state: above: the upon this and then surface, ney dee one nd creates another set of most ; it is in continued throes from ‘heat which is liberated from below in the Process of condensation, the currents of warm air as- cendil from the earth, and cf cool ing from the sky, all, we may well concwive, tend to keep the upper cloud surface ina perpetual state of agitution, upheaval and depress to take ridges al on, Imagine in such a cloud stratum an eloctrical discharge lace; the re; en it up by the cloud Sores ee ralaart wus pall eaten from valley to valley, until the last echo divs awaw in the wutterings of the distant thunder. hear the Voice of the loud thunder rambling end rolling away above the cloud surface, like echo of artillery discharged among the hills. Hence we perceive or infer that the clouds intercept the of sound as well as of light and heat through the SEavephere, and that this upper surface is often like Alpine regions. 't is by trains of reasoning like this that we are con- tinually reminded of the interest which attaches to the observations which the mariner is called on to make, There is no expression uttered by nature’ which is uawor- thy of our most attentive consideration; and mariners, by registering in their logs the kind of lightaing, whether sheet, forke whether rolling. mutteriug, or sharp, maj fu jad of thunder, be or streaked; and the ote which wil throw. ach light on the features end character of the clouds in different latitudes and seasons. d interest attached Asan illustration of the value to observations upon “little things” so called, I extract fr om the abstract log ef a very close observer who ia co- pee with me in the collection of materials for thesc cl ir des lo | pertain to facts are uttered by her is worth; ation, the predominance of yellow in tropical flowers, would, as spot, lyin cent event ; and Professor 8. endeavored to rend probabl took place in the vicinity, in February, cusion of its precipitation. 4. On c mineral species. This substance had name of cacoxene, to which species it ferred by Dr. Beck, in his report on the mineralogy of the State of New York; but Professor 8. pointed out that its association with that species is incorrect; aud that it constitutes an entirely new mineral, to which, after a full account of its of calcodite, from its peow found in the red iron ore beds of N.Y. 6. On the alluadite of Norwich, Mass. This com- munication attempted to clear up the before ambiguous crystalline form of this highly curious mineral, of which Norwich affords the most remarkable locality known. ‘The Professor expressed the opinion that it came most appropriately under the supposed species alluadite of amour, been referred Wa. to be placed under the old species of triplite. Many of the substances noticed in the foregoing communications were exhibited to the section, aud were attentively in- | spected by the mineralogists present The papers on meteorites, in di locality of supposed me! vines 0 of Sonor, (Mexico,) where,in his recent travels, he saw two huge lumps is apprehensive that, from t of the country, serious obstacles to the recovery of spe- cimens, by, naturalists, will be experienced. bution amon; lished list collection, from which it appears that Professor contains s) —* In all my observations,” writes this excellent indefatigable seaman, in his abstract log kept for this office, “In all my observations on the tints of tropi- cal flowers, I have found that yellow predominates.”” No physical fact is too bald for observation; physical the language of nature, and every expreesion ae our most attentive consider- And the remark by this observant sailor about truism, be regarded with a high degree of interest both by the botanist and the chemist. Professor Suxrann, of New Haven, read the following ‘eulphato carbonate of lead), from New- from Cali- i dodecahe- 2. A description of the me- 8, On the probable date of the fall of the (8. o meteoric iron. ‘This noble lump of t 117 Ibs..) baving been found im an isolated joose upon a ledge, ina fresh, unrusted state, upposition that its fail must have been a re- on, f 1 “d to the si hat a remarkable meteoric explosion, 1842, was the oo- balcodite, a new assed under the been first re- roperties, he gave the name bronze-like lustre. It is St. Lawrence county, though he thought it not unlikely that alluadite nd triphyline, (to which the Norwich mineral had also some,) would both, ultimately, have particular, drew forth from Dr, Le Conte interesting statement res) ing an extraor- je iron, in the pro- of touglt iron, exch thought to weigh 1,000 Ibs., and which were used by the natives as anvils. ‘Dr. Le Conte promises to give, at an early date, a particular account he the precise locality; tho temi-civillzca. coalition {Professor Shepard placed Ln a the table, for distri. the members of the section, a newly pub- meteorites at present represented in his cabinet of the imens from one hundred distinct calities, forty of which are from the United States } ON THE ISOMORPHISM OF THE CHEMICAL comMPOUNDS IN- | CLUDED UNDER THE MINERAL SPECIES TOURMALINE, BY PROFESSOR JAMES D. DANA, Professor Dana alluded first to the two kinds of isomor- ous (or like crystallizing) substances ; those of homo- cus composition, with the same elements in like pro- , a8 carbonate of lime and carbonate of irom ‘single additional step in the mode of determining the atom ‘volume, be had ived at ratios of oaeelitg, and numerous illustrations of this point are given by | ir 58 EEE 5 se mat 8013, have the ratio (correc! hia 1.25 by writing 1.; Me 4:6: 6:8 ‘ked, volumes each by number of atoms in the variety to which it ) the result becc mes as follows :-— | Ver. 2 1808 4 - “41 2 2217 60 - pre 3 mols 68 - 4431 4 1464 3 ~ 44.36 5 1860 - 42 ~ 44.05 | Here the atomic volumes deduced—44.1, 44 34, 44.21, 44 36, 44.06—ere very clore to equality; certainly « most striking coincidence in value,anda@ satisfactory explanation of the tecmorphism. He next considered the ratios of the numbers 33. 41, 42, 50, 68, which are the nuinbers of atoms, and showed that they are— S8:41:42:50:08 11.2421. 27:1 61:2 06 | Or actually identical with Rammeisberg’s ratios. Hence the ratios which this chemist deduced are not atomic- volume ratios, but the ratios of the number of atoms in | the varieties. The prirciple here explained, it was observed. does not erals alone, but to the widest Ly of ohe- ules is at the | mistry. The profoundest nature of molec baris of all thet relates to crystalline form or structure in the mineral kingdom. W&EPXESDAY'S ¢ RoC EEDINGS. Wreowespay, August 20, 1851. ‘The following is the order of the programme for this morning's meeting, in Section No.1. Professor Bacur presiding. 0 | ¥ D Kr ¥ pots 6. On some of the Thermal Waters of Asia Committee on Prot | up to the heur thie | shall be reported in my next the Fnndamental Deetrines ot Physical Science; by W. 1, Burnett, cf Boston. the south shore of Lake Evie, in Ohio; by Dr J. P. Kirtland. of Clev Weyman, Yale Auelytic Laborat SECTION 1 —MATHEMATION. PTE 1, Relations of the Chemical © » CHPMIETRY a of Bodies of Bight, by Prof. b. N. Mersford, of Harvard. 4. On the Progrers of the System of Metoorolozical Leervations conducted bp the Smithsonian Instilucion, 3 On the Zodiacal Lights; by Prof. D. Olmstead, of ule College. 4. On Cohesion: by Prof, Joseph Henry, Secretary of | the Smithsonian Institution 5. Daguerreotypes of the late Solar Eclipse. and of ts on the Sum; by David A. Wells, of Cambridge: inor, with iu Lieut. Davis made report this morning from th loaklay’s Tables of Neptune The whole of theabove subjects had not heen discussed Patch was forwarded. They The following is the order of business fr this morning, ip rection No 2 Professor Wu, B Reocens was calledon to preside, and ctor Le Cowan to aut as Secretary SECTION I1.—=GFOL OGY AND NATURAL IHFTORY. 1, Points iv the Economy of the Cicwde Septendecim leering upen the Plural Origin and Special Loreal Creation f the specten; by Dr W. 1. Burnett, of Bostoa. 2. On the Existence of Diluvial Agencies during’ the -~%. Geographical eriods; by Dr. F. B. Hough, of New or 3. On the Relation of Embryology and Spermato!ozy to 4. The Peouliarities of the Climat lora and Feuna 5 Analysis of Bitaminous Coal by George Presented by I Norton, 6 on the i the pot: to which speotai sted; by Profees se Jobo F 7. Ren er; by Preeideut 8. Op the Me ern 9. Op the Optie and Myr! sal Properties of the exposed How often do we | papers, viz.:—1. Notice of several American minerals, | to wit, of nickeliferous iron pyrites, from the Kearacy ore bed, at Gouverneur, St. Lawrence county, N. Y.; of leadhillite, berry, 8. C.; of a large erystal of native gold, fornia, having the novel form of @ pentagonal dron, and on a gigantic crystal of quartz, (weighing 200 Ybs..) from Waterbury, Vt. teorie stone of Deel, New Jersey, whieh fell August 15, 1829. Previously to the present notice, this stone nearly been lost sight of in our authentic catalogues, ‘and its relations to similar bodies were, of course, un- known, Rus aud the propriety of an immediate extension ot it | threvghout the American Continens; by Prof. B. Guyct, | of Cambridge direetl: | of mortality of animal life, affect much tl | which, to animal life ' equally « ith results of a Blow. Blake, Yale Analyt 10. 7 =, a the Meerschaum Formation in Asia Minor; by Professor J. Lawrence Smith, of the Univer- Yh “Notions of « Magnesian the 5 ny i same. 12 Upon the Taetatnarthte Oowuitlon of Frankliaite (N.J.); by A. ©. Farrington, Esq , of New Jersey. POINTS IN THE ECONOMY OF THE CICADA sErTEMDECM, VENTREN YEAR LOCUST,) BE: GIN AND SPECIAL LOCAL W. 1, BURNETT, OF BOBTON, ‘The more we investigate the essential structures of ani- mals, and the more extensive our knowledge of their habits and conditions of being, the more does one be- come im with the close relations eaisting between them Saiz cunvers eonttiona st life. Our faith in 4p adaptability of animals generall; agencies of the world is lessened; as (4 ae unison of 7 i ‘m @ matter of experience is str analysis of these conditions has led some to believe in the | creation of the separate faunas in the localities in which they are found. In « comprebeasive article published some time since, Prof. Agassiz has traced the various phases under which this question may be consi- dired, and in it may be found excellent reasons for the particular creation of such fauna, and its immutability through any period of time, A question allied to this, but based nee 8 different, and ‘haps, more enlarged view of life, le the one ef thie paiasitive "wumbens ar each cies. In this we callto our ald embryology and its lied branches; but the influences which civilization has wrought, both ly and indirectly, upon the ratio Validity of our conclusions. Nevertheless. the general tenor of all such inquiries is to show that the number of each species must have been pretty near that which we find in its na- tural and undisturbed state, instead of a single pair, as otherwise viewed. In a locality the natural relations of have not been disturbed by the agencies of mau, we aright to infer that the exist- ing state of destructive elements of life is a fair expres- sion of the past; and, also, that the present rate of the mortality of a species is that to which it has been sub jected during past times. T conceive: that if we cannot infer this, when we have no evidence of any changes in the general economy of Nature at that locality, we cannot infer anything of the zcological condition of the past. Besides, the compara- tively limited term of human experience justifies such view, which has also a still more worthy ground of sup- port in the comparison of the animal's fecundity with its natural liabilities of mortality. If, in aterm of human experience of one hundred or a thousand years, the na- tural Prolicity of any well-known species only keeps pace with its relative mortality, so that the number of that spe- cies at the end of that time is about the same, it is very difficult to comprehend how, even with species of limited numbers. that the same power of prolicity could enavle a single pair to reach the present numbers under any ex- isting climate of the earth. Werefit so, we should expect to find a very correct ratio subsisting between the present numbers of any un- disturbed species and its powers of reproduction. But since attention has been called to the subject, and, with many of the lower animals, the ova counted, not only is there no reason for supposing that such relation is pre- sent, but in many instamces the very opposite is true—a fact of the truth of which I have lately been the more and more convinced from counting the ova of many known h zoological phenomena, " y inst the ordinary opinions of tl primitive condition of animal /ife, strike different minds With different force, according to the strength the tenure of these preconceived views may have on their minds. There are examples in which there appears no escape from conclusions of this character. And although I ai detail many taken from the ranks of lower ani- mails, yet from its well marked character, and recent cc- currenceg, I select that furnished in the Seventeen-years Locust as the subject of this paper. The present year (1851) may bo noted as containing an episode of insect life of more than ordinary interest and value, for in it has occurred the grand appearance of the locust. The zoological value of such an event I deem very great, and more especially so because, since their last appearance, many changes in our views of animal life have taken place. ‘The regularity and promptoess with which this insect ap- | take of the hospitalities of Mr. arg at the end of an interval of 17 years is well Ioctence, Justly does it excite our astonishment that the conditions of its economy should be so unique. Dur- ing the laet two or three times of its appearance, its habite and peculiarities of life were quite thoroughly in- vestigated. I need not, therefore, allude to them, ex- cept so far as they touch our — uring the last of May, I had t! 00d fortune to wit- Bess thelr grand appearance in the interior of Pensylva- nia, They came forth in their usual and almost incredi- ble numbers, and « fine opportunity war given me to were some' > Fes yorget on z ‘The - sect appears in or imago condition simply for the preservation of its species; ‘ts period or iife fs his state is therefore quite brief. Both male and female immediate! ivilization as those of the tenants of the ocean. bg Tyo wm aby frcm whet I saw of their move- nless way violent currents, they ments, that ut ewept a 2 ot = 7 roperly be said to be the nich there appeared fifty or ears since, This is important as to our determin- bother or not they really increase in numbers. made strict inquirics of several men who had witness- ed thin, their fourth appearance, yh the same tract oe eantnD (oats numbers vary materia, liber way” Be- pot numbers 5 way. ee niece tees a 1 See ee bie = this matter, rivce they regard the rar aie DO common eye. We will nowloox s little production. oi 600 « which, from certain re- I have made out — |. We bliged to depoett ty to keg oy Me Re this wi en ponding tha raster, jae ime] idence of desiga in nature, in thus 7 aman agsinet shane, of mortality fur the of the epecics. 2d. The plurality origin of fi of acinale pais, cate firet, such ¢ highest soologt ry | and quite free from many of those objections belo to apalageus evidence generally, As to the second, it is quite ‘ult to cones 3 Hi f i H Portions of the country. A h during the pretent year, and the past ones, divisible by the number 17, have been thore of its great- est appearance. yet the appearatce of smaller numbers Tent years has been noticed in various, or even in the same portions of country. In the Southern portion of Toabend, different parct)s have Semen at irrega- lar periods—and in some of the middle s, there are iccalities that have four distinet a of this in- there ie no evidence for our thinking that infaithful in their time, sppearing atthe end Of a longer or shorter interval than 17 years, we are forced to the belief of not only their special local crea- tlons, but rpecial creations at different periods in the tome \ccality. The ground of epeb iuferences is, | thiak, enable. as muck as in geology and to~ Jance with many of the nd certainly recogtiacd prit without expressing the ay be provecuted in mal ki every aii ingdom ; for thence we ean expect reeults which will be not only new, but serve te rate some of the highrs most im- portent rele | eustain to the surface of our glee. Prof. Hace: van maintained the views of the separate creation of the genus Cicada Sepremdecim. and stated that Mise Margaret Morris, a lady who fs @ devoted entomo- logiet, bad, in examining the roots of the pear trees, wheh were Fvffering from inrects, discovered a large quantity of them in the roots, and some which had been encased in sbells for seventeen years, Prof. Gosorry took fo in the discussion. He did not corevr in the reasonableness of eupposing that, out of five hundred eggs, oply two of the insects came to ma tority in every eeven Prof. Acasa, (the teen ; Present ) remarked that this was enlied the Gordius, hy thot animal nye no lees p, and yet that »nima mn one million eggs every ot to be found abundant where, So that we may conclude that one million during the laying season is simply to preserve us We do not eve it increasing any where in ‘The next communication wae— SO OF DILUTIAL AGEMCIRS DURING THR RAR mW or sew ICAL PERIODS; OY OR. F. Jishing action ef moving masses Strata has operated #0 generally, veeent one of the most common ‘eivel phenomena, and hes usually sidered as peotliar to the drift period, and other repechs inour earth's history, The object of on ie to state & few frets tending to ‘races which produced there appearances ‘od in very remote periods, and at great in- ‘The abrading of rock wpe that it mi instance is mentioned ty P vol. 1, page 2 urred betw in his Potishe Comberian on Leke thirty miles south of these to be ar to that below, uied cm the face President, bad found | Se ene tees nvventing of that would eq Te] visit fhe tour, pry ey here toa | é 5 e rj z Es FF af a i i 3228. isha: lin place, with intervening level strata many feet in thickness, thug perivds of repose. A similar occurrence may be noticed in the road, ona mile west of Champion village, Jefferson county, in whielz the direction of furrows is also east and west. Other localities precisely similar be seem be- low the on Deer River, between Denmark Champion, and on both branches of Mill Creek, above the village of Lowville. At the last mentioned place, the direction of the furs rows is nearly north and south. Tne occurrence of these furrows at localities many miles apart are suffcient to convince the most careful observer that were duced by agencies that operated with uniformity over extensive surfaces. All of these abrasions occur near the base of the Trenton limestone, and at Lowville 2 wil are but a few feet above the stratum the Lele la Motte marble. A. ‘more pena cha- of furrowed surfaces, underlayi racteristic localit dest noticed by Me Williams i E rocky strata, was of the Village of Ogdensburg, about mile above place, near . Lawrence river, an rate, of calciferous sandatone. cher gee ithout fous; white that above withou je that above is an impure peerpeaigs ie evomphalus uniangulatus, reyes teristic of the calciferous sandstone, and several une, determined coraloids. It forms a durable building stone, aud has been long used in making lime. The epecimena exhibited were produced at this place, and prevent, ag may be seen. two series of scratches, croreing at an angle of abeut 45 degrees. The deeper and grooves, extend from N. N. E. to 8 8. W., while the slighter and more recent ones extend from 10 degrees W. of N. to 10 degrees BE. of 8. The marks of attrition are quite ag distinct as is ever noticed ov superficial rock, aud were evidently made after the stratum had acquired a solidity quite equal to that which it now possesses. At one point on the shore of the St. Lawrenee, the point of contact between the strata which contain the scratches: may be seen at low water. At the locality where the fpecimens were procured, the furrows are seen horizontally under an abrupt terrace of the coarse lime- stone, about twenty feet h, but the exact Ser of contact was not seen, it being covered by # wall. The surface of the rock above exhibits here no marks of abrasion, although elsewhere it preserves them with great distinctness. After a careful study of the locality, Ihave not the slightest doubt but that the terraee of limestone overlays the grooved and polished rock im uestion. At a locality one mile east of the village of Hammond, in St. Lawrence county, an appearance quite similar may be noticed. ‘These instances, ulthough insufficient to decide the disputed question of the manner in which the abrding, forces acted, at least indicate that they existed and ope~ rated with the same effect, and, doubtless, under the same circumstances, during the era of the calsiferous —aaa ton ines asin a aE r. r, Agassiz. the Chairman, . Be Regers, Prof. Emmons, Prof. He)l, and others, gave their views as to the stratum on the samples produced. ‘The Association has adjourned until4o’elock. The re- tiring President, Prof. Bache, will deliver the annual ad- dress, thisevening. It is iooked for with the greatest anxiety, a8 no man stands more exalted in the respect and admiration of the association than Prof. Bache. ‘The members have received polite invitations to par- Corning, in State street, this evening, and to-morrow (Thursday) morning proeced to spend the day at Troy, on the invitation of the Cemmon Couneil of that city. J. K. THE ANNUAL ADDR OF THE A3SO- CIATI tty sandstone, mostly ON. We have received a full report of the highly in- teresting address of the President of the Associa- tion. We regret that want of room prevents us from publishing it this morning. Report of the Governors of the Alms tlouse, July 31, 1851. By the Report of the Ten Governors of the Alms House, for the month of July, it appears that during that period relief was afforded to 6,044 persons in this city. Of this umber. 5,239 were visited at their dwellings by the officers of the institution; the remaining $05 obtained relief at the office in the Park. During the month, the sum of $25.59 51 were expended for supplies among the dif- ferent charitable institutions, in the following propor- fons, vig — Ne 1s. Receipts from. Alms House... ee oy - Bellevue Hospital - 4191 90 = City Prison. .. 1,028 74 $191 95 Colored Home. $53 08 - Colored 263 32 — Lunatic Asylum 4,686 59 1D Nursery . 2,789 34 Saline Noreery Hospital 929 60 — bev 043 47 ou 20 8.573 13 _ 3,982 00 - ‘ato 62 - 18 38 - cod ‘s 400 ry 111 0 351 08 191 90 - 190 43 —_ 58 5D 1,587 - ‘St OF wie 3,400 SL - $34,160 73 $1,891 68 1,801 08 — $98,001 41 a Cr. Small Pox Hospital. $159 45 Cr. Store H. B. I... 2 47 : — «ww Total .... cece cece eee +++ $35,509 51 e Since the preceding report «f the Ten Gov. P tum of $3,000 31 bas been expended om the ‘sa tare. Bioce the erection ef this' ding Ad Mon eee jnce the ereo! huiding bas ea retusa ls weber Bons adopted a reg! jon, eompellin; Pry te, OF fOr tence, 74 while confined. different hind: prufit- able sceo to themselves amd to the iutermis unt, the Institution ‘They receive from fifty con! thirty to de; theis labor, ard yer day f * wo are chargedeighey two week During Worth of July, $137 74 j~ two persons for lsbor on the Sortsenne tate waeee gulation, and such as ix calculated to have « beneficial tendency. It will make persons. addicted to habitual im dolenee, depend upon thet exertions, while paying the a — their misdoing:. aud also conduse to babite of The workhouse building account, up to the present time. is as follows, viz i id ‘Teta amount received from Comptroller... ... $251.00 €@ Expended in July... $ 3400 St “ viowsly veriour charitable institutions under the charge of the Tem Governors, for the past month: — Alms Houre....... Wl Lunatic Asy! bis 341 Nursery... 1 Sou Nursery Hoepitat eg Wt Peni esses + 138 City Prien. 224 Penitent Hopital. 232 Cotored Ih 182 Small Pox Hospital... 16 Color d ¢ 2 — oe Stor Borowe.—Trafant, Drummond & Co., of Ba ‘Me, are now constructing three ships for merchaat+ eity; ome of 400 tons for Mr. J Bourne, Jr, inte d for a whaler, ond to be launched in a few : mooted y~ 4 Messrs. Wood & Nye, also ii for a whaler. and to be commanded by Jennry late of byt | rama A ot this hoon %i r. George Hussey, to India tr and ded by Mess. © anether for Mr. Edward Mecny 20h Carture of 4 Srixcona at Manrna’s Vingyanpg Mass.—On Monday last, while Edward W. & 1. will comme: nee tl Howland. —New orth, | the f Cape Poge light, was fishing for | tharke, From tbe shore of that Cape, his heox waa | ized by & monstrous suddenly se’ 4 + ee celf. It seems that after Mr. Worth the stingora nearly to the shore, he turned made for deep water. Tho » wee new, | and full of kinks, by some means round Mr. | W.'s leg, and he was rapidly drawn the shore, anda part of the time completely wer water. In this predicament, Mr. Worth’s pre- sence of malod did not forsake him. He seized the line with one hand, and with tho other succeeded im clearing it from his leg, though in accom: this, tite line cut entively through = pa to fingers. lle was now near!; is army water, notwithstandi: ¢ which he made another effectual a to capture the monster. In thie, he we d by his son, who immediately pro- ceeded to his arsistance. ‘The: Ln | fi h to the shore in triamph. Mr. W. bis here, bat could not succeed in drawing the stin- | gora.on to the shore. ile then out off bis | which was 6 feet 9 inches in length, from | inches to a foot in cireumference, and brought it hel | town, cinee which it has been Lye of the curious. This part of the ani Ty | th horns, and calculated to do terrible he. wi i The raccal weighed from 800 to 1,000 | poms biel er, we are informed, made bait a barre] cf oil. — Vineyard (Mass.) Gazette, Aug. 1.