Annual of the National Academy of Sciences

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Page 6 - States as may be designated, and the Academy shall, whenever called upon by any department of the Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science or art, the actual expense of such investigations, examinations, experiments, and reports to be paid from appropriations which may be made for the purpose, but the Academy shall receive no compensation whatever for any services to the Government of the United States.
Page 56 - Heaped with long toil the earth, while yet the Greek Was hewing the Pentelicus to forms Of symmetry, and rearing on its rock The glittering Parthenon.
Page 6 - That the National Academy of Sciences shall consist of not more than fifty ordinary members, and the said corporation hereby constituted shall have power to make its own organization, including its constitution, bylaws, and rules and regulations...
Page 72 - ... the foe, unless we can control the chances of finding the enemy's fleet within his- port, and the still more uncertain chance of keeping him there ; the escape of a single vessel being sufficient to cause the loss of our harbor.
Page 123 - ... as the phrase is, though retaining all its thickness, the ice will at last scarcely support a small weight, though bearing upon a large surface : the foot of man easily breaking through, and very slight resistance being made to the point of a cone." The points of contact of the particles being destroyed, each will...
Page 76 - ... 3d. How far vessels of war," steam batteries, ordinary merchant ships and steamers, and other temporary expedients, can be relied upon as a substitute for permanent fortifications for the defence of our seaports? " 4th. How far the increase of population on the northern frontier and of the mercantile marine on the northern lakes obviates or diminishes the necessity of continuing the system of fortifications on these...
Page 79 - Or twelve or fifteen such steamers could have carried the whole army up in half a day, without the delay of transports. Will it be contended that the attack in that form would have been repulsed with the means then in General Jackson's hands ? Would the landing, or even the presence on board these steamships, of the British troops have been necessary to burn the city or put it under contribution? Is there anything now, but the existence of forts on the river, to prevent the success of such an attack...
Page 97 - He did not fail, however, to take the opportunity to examine, as far as he was able, the fortifications of Europe, of the character and peculiarities of which, however, he had little to learn. On his return he was sent by Floyd to the Pacific coast, with directions to inspect the fortifications in construction, and to report on the defensive requirements of that region. This duty and the report thereon he executed in his usual thorough and exhaustive manner. It furnished him with the opportunity...
Page 113 - ... President, consisted of Commander "WB Shubrick, General JG Totten, Colonel James Kearney, Captain SF Dupont, United States navy, Professor A. Dallas Bache, superintendent United States coast survey, and Thornton A. Jenkins, United States navy, as secretary. Its labors were directed first to demonstrating the evils, irregularities, and abuses which had crept into the light-house service under the management of the Fifth Auditor of the treasury, (the late venerable and highly respected Stephen...
Page 65 - The means of defense for the seaboard of the United States, constituting a system, may be classed as follows: First, a navy; second, fortifications; third, interior communications by land and water; and fourth, a regular army and wellorganized militia.

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