PROMOTIONS.

At the close of this Report, the President named the committee, under Article 31 of the Rules, to nominate officers for the Society's year 1889-90, as follows:

No new business being presented to the Convention, the precedent was established of discussing at the opening session the Address of the President read at the preceding general session. Messrs. MacFarren, Denton, and Wood took part in discussion. The paper by Thos. S. Crane, of Newark, N. J., on "The Piping of Steel Ingots," received no discussion. The paper of Mr. Henry R. Towne, of Stamford, Conn., entitled "Gain-Sharing," was discussed by Messrs. Denton, Wood, Parker, Nason, and Davis.

The Comparative Cost of Steam and Water Power," paper by Mr. Chas. H. Manning, of Manchester, N. H., received discussion by Messrs. Denton, MacFarren, and Scheffler. Mr. D. W. Robb, of Amherst, N. S., presented a memorandum on The Old Locomotive "Sampson," which was not supplemented.

Until the hour of adjournment, the Topical Queries were discussed by Messrs. Christie, Fawcett, Denton, Hemenway, Scheffler, Sprague, Ide, Hardwicke, Scott Smith, MacFarren, Cooper, Davis, Nason, Duran, Denton, and Towne, as follows:

"What form of self-oiling boxes have you found the best for line and counter shafting? Can you give figures as to economy of oil as compared with other methods?" and "What form of oil cup or lubricator do you find most economical for use on machines requiring constant lubrication?"

WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 15TH.

The third session was called to order at eight o'clock. The paper on "Standards," by Jas. W. See, of Hamilton, Ohio, received discussion by Messrs. Oberlin Smith, Nason, Suplee, and Webb, and resulted in a motion that a committee of the Society be appointed by the President to consider and report at the next meeting the expediency of taking action on the subject of a Bureau of Standards to be established by the U. S. Government, as proposed in that paper. That committee was subsequently an

nounced-Mr. James W. See, of Hamilton, Ohio, Mr. Oberlin Smith, of Bridgeton, N. J., and Mr. Coleman Sellers, of Philadelphia, Pa. Prof. J. Burkitt Webb, of Hoboken, N. J., read his two papers: "An Error in the Encyclopædia Britannica," and "Note on the Steam Turbine." The former was discussed by Profs. W. C. Unwin, of London, England, and De Volson Wood; the second by Messrs. Swasey, Denton, and Wood. Mr. Samuel Webber, of Charlestown, N. H., reported "Notes on the Comparative Loss by Friction in a Transmitting Dynamometer under Different Loads and Speeds." This was discussed by Prof. Denton. "Steam Consumption of Engines at Various Speeds," a paper by Prof. Jas. E. Denton, was discussed by Messrs. Wolff, Spangler, and Wood. Prof. Denton's other paper was on the "Performance of a Thirtyfive Ton Refrigerating Machine of the Ammonia Absorption Type."

THIRD DAY, THURSDAY, MAY 16TH.

The fourth session was called to order at ten o'clock in the morning.

The first paper was by Prof. De Volson Wood, on "Expansion of Timber due to the Absorption of Water." The other papers were: "Some Properties of Ammonia;" "Formula for Saturated and Superheated Vapors," and "Some Properties of Vapor and Vapor Engines," which were discussed by Messrs. Denton, Ball, and Nason. Mr. A. F. Nagle, of Chicago, Ill., read a paper on "Cornish, or Double Beat Pump Valves;" and Mr. A. W. Jacobi, of Newark, N. J., presented one on an "Improved Motion Device for Engine Indicators;" the latter being discussed by Messrs. Wood, Denton, Suplee, and Ball. Mr. F. W. Dean's paper, supplementary to the previous one on the "Distribution of Steam in the Strong Locomotive," read at Nashville, in May, 1888, was discussed by Messrs. Sprague, Denton, Ball, and Mansfield. The final paper of the session was that of Prof. J. M. Whitham, of Fayetteville, Ark., on Cylinder Ratios of Triple-Expansion Engines." It received discussion by Messrs. Spangler, Suplee, Ball, Doran, and Wood.

The remainder of the hour up to time of adjournment was taken up by the Topical Discussions. Messrs. Scott A. Smith, Dutton, and Towne, discussed the question of a central support under the bed of engines of the girder-bed type. Messrs. Sweet, Rice, Denton, Dutton, Wood, Whitehead, and Woodbury, spoke of

the reasons why it prevents breakage of bolts to reduce the metal section between head and threads. Messrs. Christie, Woodbury, MacFarren, Parker, Russell, and Towne, discussed the advisability and practicability of electric motors for mechanical operations.

FOURTH DAY, FRIDAY, MAY 17TH.

The final session was called to order at half-past nine in the morning. The hour was put slightly earlier than at first appointed, to admit of the enjoyment of the afternoon excursion by those compelled to leave town by early trains.

The first paper was that by Scott A. Smith, of Providence, R. I., on "Tractive Force of Leather Belts on Pulley Faces." It received discussion by Messrs. Nagle, Cooper, Denton, Ball, Dutton, Davis, and Towne.

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The paper by Mr. Jno. H. Cooper, of Philadelphia, Pa., on the Longitudinal Riveted Joints of Steam Boiler Shells," was discussed by Messrs. Parker, Scheffler, Hutton, Suplee, and Towne. Mr. Lewis F. Lyne, of New York city, presented the last two papers of the session, on "Bits of Engine-room Experience," and the "Use of Crude Petroleum in Steam Boilers;" the latter being a supplement to his paper presented at the Philadelphia meeting of 1887. The former was discussed by Messrs. Oberlin Smith, Dutton, Mansfield, Cooper, and Davis.

At the close of the professional business, Mr. C. J. H. Woodbury gave notice that

In accordance with Art. 45, the following proposed amendment will be offered at the next meeting:

Art. 20. Insert after "consisting of," "the past Presidents and the."

Art. 21. Insert at beginning, "The past Presidents during their membership in the Society."

And in connection with the same matter I shall move that the past Presidents at this date shall be included in the above.

The following resolutions were then offered :

Resolved, That the thanks of the Society are due in an eminent degree to the Local Committee of Arrangements for the Erie Meeting.

The success of this meeting has been due in no small degree to the services of these gentlemen, in making ample provision for the entertainment of the Society. devoting their time and energy for the promotion of the purposes of the Society, both in regard to the sessions, the excursions, and also the social courtesies offered to the members and their friends.

We shall always retain pleasant remembrances of the Erie meeting, which will be due primarily to the efficient services of the Local Committee of Arrangements.

Resolved, That the American Society of Mechanical Engineers desire to express their appreciation of the hospitality of the Erie Board of Trade in extending to the Society the use of their rooms, appropriately decorated, for the Society's meetings; and return thanks to the Board for having contributed so substantially to the success and pleasure of this Convention.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be tendered to the ladies of Erie, who have kindly given so much of their time to the entertainment of the Society, during our visit here, as well as to the entertainment of the ladies of our party; and that we take this opportunity of assuring them that we will long carry with us the most pleasant recollection of the numerous occasions on which they have so hospitably entertained us.

Resolved, That the Society hereby expresses its thanks to the manufacturers of Erie for extending to its members the privilege of visiting their interesting establishments, the inspection of which has formed a highly entertaining feature of the present meeting.

After a few words of reply by Erie gentlemen, the Convention adjourned.

EXCURSION DAYS.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, many of the members visited the U. S. S. "Michigan," stationed in the harbor of Erie. They inspected also the City Water Works and stand-pipe. The party was then conveyed in carriages to view the Scott stock-farm, near the city.

On Wednesday afternoon, carriages took the party to visit the Erie City Iron Works, the Stearns Mfg. Co., and the Jarecki Mfg. Co.

On Thursday afternoon, the members were similarly conveyed to the Watson Paper Mill, the Ball Engine Co., the Jarecki foundry, and the shops of Messrs. Nagle & Cleveland & Hardwick. A shower somewhat interrupted this afternoon's programme.

In the evening, a reception was tendered to the Society by the local members in the Reed House. The dining-saloon was cleared for dancing, and the music and a collation were brilliant features of the evening.

On Friday, after an early adjournment, the members were taken for a sail upon the land-locked bay which forms the splendid harbor of Erie, the life-saving station giving a special exhibition drill, for the benefit of those visitors who found time to land at the end of the Presque-Isle.