How does space differ from matter?

Matter is capable of any degree of motion, space utterly immovable. Yet to remove matter requires a force, and to stop it when in motion, force is requisite. The ability to retain its actual state, whether of rest or motion, has been designated as the power of indolence, "vis inertia," and the consequent motive force when in motion as momentum. Of the vis inertiæ, either as constituting momentum, or resisting it, space is, of itself, as destitute and insusceptible as nihility.

The most minute portion of matter avails as something; the largest portion of space is, per se, equivalent to nothing.

Agreeably to Newton, the atoms of matter are bodies endowed with inertia and gravitation, and each occupying, exclusively, a commensurate portion of space, must have the cohesion necessary to perfect hardness or impenetrability.

According to Farady and others, it is only necessary to suppose atoms to consist of certain forces acting from their respective centres. But if the supposed centres be mathematical points, they must emanate from nothing, since, physically, a mathematical point has no existence. Out of nothing, nothing can come. Besides, one mathematical point being precisely similar to any other mathematical point, any forces emanating from any one such point, must equally belong to all such other points; and since mathematical points must be infinite, both as to number and as to ubiquity, the universe would be a plenum of inseparable and undistinguishable forces, instead of those which actually exist as appertaining to the various parts of space, casually and transiently occupied by what we call matter. But if, instead of assuming the centres of forces to be ideal mathematical points, it be supposed that the centre of each force is concentric with a minute globular space, which it casually occupies, evidently the globule thus suggested must have essential attributes of a material particle. It can have no association with the containing space, since space is immovable matter, susceptible of any degree of motion. That of which our planet consists revolves about the sun with inconceivably swift motion, rendered extremely complicate by diurnal rotation, and revolutionary reaction with the moon. No matter in this planet, or in any other, can exist in the same space for more than an infinitesimal of time. Hence, as neither mathematical points nor minute spaces existing about them, can be endowed with the forces and properties usually attributed to matter, these forces and properties must belong to some

thing existing about the centres whence they proceed, and within the spaces whence they act.

When any space is found to be the seat of a force, it follows, inevitably, that there is a material body or bodies therein, which causes it to differ from any like space which is vacant, and of course destitute of any power.

It follows, that whatever is susceptible of motion, and capable of exercising any force or reaction, is a material body according to science, as well as common sense.

It follows, from the preceding reasoning, that spiritual existence involves that of kind of matter; spirits must be endowed with the power of locomotion, and cannot be confounded with mere space, any more than other bodies.

The Section then adjourned.

B. SILLIMAN, JR., Sec'ry.

Saturday, September 23, 4 P. M.

The Association met agreeably to adjournment-President, W. C. REDFIELD, in the chair.

The Standing Committee reported, that it did not deem it necessary to fill the blank in the 18th rule of the Association; but that for the present year the annual subscription of one dollar, together with such voluntary subscriptions as the members may severally feel able or inclined to add, will, in all probability, be found sufficient to meet the expenses of publishing the proceedings. It was thereupon resolved, that the said blank shall for the present remain.

The Standing Committee also recommended that a complete catalogue of the members of the Association be prepared by the Secretary, and that the Treasurer call upon the members to pay their annual subscriptions, together with such voluntary contributions as they may be inclined to make; which recommendation was adopted.

Prof. PEIRCE having resigned his place as a member of the Standing Committee, on motion of Prof. W. B. ROGERS, Lieut. MAURY was appointed to fill his place for the remainder of the session.

On motion, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Association be authorized to procure separate books for the minutes of the General Association, and for those of the separate Sections.

On motion of SOLOMON W. ROBERTS, Esq., it was

Resolved, That the Standing Committee be requested to memo

rialize the Legislature of Pennsylvania, in favour of the publication by the State of the final report of the geological survey of Pennsylvania.

On motion of Lieut. MAURY, it was

Resolved, That the Committee on the sediment of the Mississippi river be requested to continue their investigations, with a view of ascertaining and reporting the probable effect which the reclaiming of the drowned lands of that river would have upon the improvement of its navigation, and the health of the country in the vicinity of the drowned lands.

Prof. AGASSIZ read a communication

ON THE ORIGIN OF THE ACTUAL OUTLINES OF LAKE SUPERIOR.

He stated that along the entire northern shore of the lake, and for some distance inland, as well as in the islands on that side of the lake, six distinct systems of dykes are exhibited, each consisting of numerous broad parallel beds of igneous erupted matter and that the direction of the islands and successive parts of the coast line, were seen to conform themselves to the bearing of these dykes, as presented in each part of the coast. Thus it appeared that the physical outline of the shore of the lake was determined by the geological structure of the adjoining land. He adverted to the enormous magnitude, as well as the great number of these great igneous beds, and to the vast extent to which metamorphic phenomena are witnessed in the structures and other sedimentary matter lying adjacent to the igneous masses.

In relation to the subject of Prof. AGASSIZ's communication—

Prof. W. B. ROGERS remarked, that from his observations on the southern shore of Lake Superior, and from those of other observers in that region, it was apparent that the east and west dykes, lying adjacent to that margin of the lake, had in like manner determined the chief peculiarities in the configuration of the coast. He also called attention to the fact, of the remarkable correspondence between the igneous and metamorphic masses, described by Professor AGASSIZ as existing on the northern side of Lake Superior, and the great belt of the Blue ridge in Virginia, extending from the Potomac to some distance south of the James river. The immense extent of epidotic trap, and other masses abounding in epidote, and the various mineral

masses containing this mineral along with feldspar, as well as the infusion of epidote into the adjoining sandstones, which are presented in different stages of igneous alteration, form a feature of striking analogy between the Lake Superior district, and the Blue Ridge of Virginia. The analogy between the rocky masses, is augmented by the fact, that the epidotic rocks of the Blue Ridge, like those of the northern shore of the lake, abound in some localities in thin fibres and threads, and grains of metallic copper. Professor R. farther remarked upon the analogous geological position of the igneous and metamorphic rocks in the two cases, by stating, that the oldest of the Appallachian rocks, which lie on the west flank of the Blue Ridge, are also found contiguous to the igneous rocks on the northern shore of Lake Superior.

PETER A. BROWNE, Esq., followed with a communication on the subject of Meteorites, of which the following abstract will make known the most important points :—

Mr. BROWNE observed that there were fourteen theories of the origin and formation of these meteors; seven of these suppose that the materials of which they are composed belong to either this earth or its atmosphere; in six of these seven they are said to be generated in the air, and in the seventh, to be thrown therein from the earth. Mr. B. here described the first six theories, and then proceeded as follows: If solid meteors are generated in our atmosphere, ought not the materials of which they are composed to be found therein? The ærolites contain always iron, nickel, and silex; often magnesia, lime, sulphur and manganese; and rarely a trace of chrome, cobalt, tin, copper, potash, or soda; but neither of these forms a component part of our atmosphere, nor has any one been detected therein, except in these meteors. Mr. B. here enumerated the constituents of the air, and after showing the discrepancy between them, and the materials of solid meteors, he went on to show that they could not exist floating in the air. Native iron (says Mr. B.) weighs more than five times as much as water, and the air is 282 times lighter than water, -how then can native iron be suspended in the atmosphere? Professor Soldani says, that the materials have risen from our earth, but how is it possible that a substance could have risen through a medium more than 4000 lighter than itself? To get rid of this difficulty, it is supposed that the materials are first transformed to a gas; but it requires 800° of F. to raise iron to even a red heat, and 150° of

Wedgewood's pyrometer, to make a white heat, then whence comes the heat necessary to reduce it to a gas? The heat of a tropical sun imparts to iron only 200° of F. But suppose these materials, by some unknown process, to be transformed into a gas and raised in the air, would they not lose all their caloric long before they arrived at the height at which these meteors have been seen. At the height of only 1000 feet this gas would have passed of the atmosphere, at 10,600 feet it would have passed of the atmosphere, and at 28 miles, the height at which the Ohio meteor was seen, it would have passedth of the atmosphere!

If these meteors are formed of materials derived from our earth, how comes it that they always contain native iron and native nickel, not found together therein.

These meteors are sometimes of great size, the one seen in Ohio was estimated at of a mile; now, if this meteor was formed in the air from materials derived from this earth, how came it to be suspended in the air until it attained this immense size, rather than have fallen to the earth in small particles like rain, hail, and snow? If solid meteors are formed in our atmosphere, there is no rational way of accounting for their inertia force, nor for their horizontal direction as regards this planet. Nor can their great velocity be ascribed to any known or reasonable cause. And lastly, if they had emanated from this earth, they ought, according to the law of compensations, to have returned to the earth again, and not to have been seen travelling through space in every direction.

Mr. B. next proceeded to show that these meteors could not have proceeded from the moon.

In regard to the opinion of Mr. Ferguson, that solid meteors are portions of a disrupted planet, Mr. Browne remarked, that there was an objection, which was conclusive, viz. that no particles of the planet which is supposed to have exploded, could have come in sight of this earth, except those that had originally that course and direction; and then as the projective forces were equal, and they had to travel over equal spaces, they ought to have arrived in sight of this earth in nearly the same time; whereas, the first of these meteors noticed was in the 78th Olympiad, and if the disruption of the planet had then taken place, how are we to account for the retention of other fragments until the present year.

Mr. Browne, in conclusion, suggested that these meteors might possibly emanate from the SUN; and if that were the case, it was

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