Present, 172 members and visitors. Additions to membership since last report, 45. The Actuary reported the gift of the sum of One Thousand Dollars from. Mr. John T. Morris, for the foundation of a fund to be known as the " James: T. Morris Memorial Fund," the income of which is to be devoted to the purchase of books on meehanical subjects for the library of the Institute. It was also reported that the sum above named had been received and placed in the hands of the Board of Trustees for investment.
It was voted that the action of the Board of Managers in accepting this gift be endorsed, and that the thanks of the Ir~stitute be tendered to the donor.
Mr. E. G. Acheson, of Niagara Falls, N ยฅ., presented a paper on " Graphite and its Artificial Manufacture," which was illustrated by the exhibition of a number of specimens, showing the partial and complete conversion of carbon into the graphitic state by the electric-furnace proce~ devised by the speaker.
The subject was referred to the Committee on Science and the Arts for investigation and report.
Mr. Philip Mauro, of Washington, preseflted a communication on the-" Development of the Talking Machine," particularly referring to the graphophone and its most recently improved form--the Graphophone-Grand. The paper was illustrated by the exhibition of the old and new forms of the apparatus, with which a number of demonstrations were made.
The subject was also referred for investigation. The President called attention to the fact that a bill was now pending in the Legislature of the Commonwealth providing for an annual expenditure of $2o,ooo, to be met by an equal sum supplied by the Federal Government, to be devoted to the making of a topographical arid geological survey of the State. The President made some comments upon the importance of this contemplated work to the citizens of the Commonwealth, whereupon it was voted "that if upon investigation it should appear that the bill above referred to fully meets the requirements, the President and Secretary of the Institute be authorized to transmit the approval of the Institute of the bill now pending in the Legislature making an appropriation for the conduct of a topo-graphical and geological survey of the State of Pennsylvania."
The President announced the following Standing Committees of the Institute for the current year: