Proceedings of the stated meeting held Wednesday, March 15, 1905

Proceedings of the stated meeting held Wednesday, March 15, 1905

April, 19o5] Proceedings--Seienec and the Arts. 323 Franklin Institute. [Proceedings o f lhe Stated Meeting held Wednesday, March /5, z9o5.] HALL O...

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April, 19o5]

Proceedings--Seienec and the Arts.

323

Franklin Institute. [Proceedings o f lhe Stated Meeting held Wednesday, March /5, z9o5.] HALL OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 19o5• PRESIDENT JOHN BIRKINBINE in the chair. Present eighty-four members and visitors. Additions to membership since last report, twelve. Prof. Lewis M. Haupt read a communication on " Tunnel Engineering with especial reference to the Simplon T u n n e l . " The paper was a brief historical sketch of the advances made in this branch of engineering by the introduction of improved drilling tools and high explosives. Mr. Byron E. Eldred, of New York, was introduced by the Chairman, and gave an informal account of his " M e t h o d of Regulating Temperatures." Mr. H. I. English, representing the Gray Telantograph Co., gave an account of the evolution of the telautograph since its first introduction in I893. These communications were freely discussed and were referred for publication. The subjects of the remarks of Messrs. Eldred and English were referred to the Committee on Science and the Arts for investigation and report, The Chairman extended the thanks of the meeting to the speakers of the e v e n i n g and the session was adjourned. WM. H. WAHL,

Secretary.

Committee on Science and the Arts. (Abstract of Proceedings Of the Stated Meeting held Wednesday, March z, x9o5.) D~. E. GOLDSMITH in the chair. The following r e p o r t s were a d o p t e d : (No. 23Io.) Contributions to the Study of Documents, and Especially a Method of Quantitative Colorimetry. Dr. P e r s i f o r Frazer, Philadelphia. A~SrRACT: The contributions of applicant to the scientific study of documents, the d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the individual character of handwriting and the detection of fraud and forgery, including in particular the wedge-shaped color prisms devised by applicant for aiding in the work of examining inks constitue the subject of this investigation. These contributions are contained in a published treatise of Dr. Frazer on this subject termed, "Bibli<)tics. or the Study of D o c u m e n t s , " which the m e m b e r s of the sub-committee have examined, and express themselves satisfied that it is a clear, comprehensive and masterly exposition of this difficult subject, and a work of high scientific and literary merit. The Sub-committee has also examined and tested the device of the color prisms submitted by applicant. These consist of gently-tapering wedges of tinted glass, which are placed over the writing, in a s t r o n g light and moved across it from the thinnest to the thickest end. While so doing t h e r e will occur two critical points; the first, that at which the ink marks appear of m a x i m u m darkness relatively to the b a c k g r o u n d against which they are