The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-01 00:00:00

THE METEORS.

On the very interesting subject which has of late oc-
cupied so much of public attention, both in Europe and
America, the periodical . return of the meteors in
August and November, we have been favoured with the
following communication from Sir John Herschel :
To the 'Editor of the • Athenceum.—Sir, the bright
moonlight 'of the 9th inst. having prevented my obtain-
ing satisfactory observations of the meteors, to whose
periodical return on the 9th and 10th of this month Professor
Quctelet has drawn much attention, as being more regular
than the displays of the 12th and 13th of November, allow me,
in place of observations far the current year, to offer, ai my
contribution to our stock of knowledge on the subject, the fol-
lowing incidental mention of such an occurrence, which ecrurs
in Sir W. Hamilton's account of the great eruption of Vesu-
vius in Aug. 1799, printed in the Transactions of the Dotal
Society, volume 70, which will be read with the more in-
terest, the periodical nature of the phenomena being then
unknown, and its occurrence being ascribed by him to
some local electrical agency developed by the volcanic
ejections. " August 9, 1799," after describieg the
phenomena of the eruption during the day till be ven
o'clock at night, "when all was calm,' Sir IV. Hamilton
goes on to say, " it was universally remarked, that the
air this night, for many hours after the eruption, vas
filled with meteors, such as are vulgarly called falling
stars. They shot generally in a horizontal direction,
leaving a luminous train behind them, but which quick-
ly disappeared. The night was remarkably fine, star-
light, and without a cloud. This hind of dectriral fire
seemed to he harmlcss, and never to reach the ground, where-
as that with which the black volcanic cloud of last night
was pregnant, appeared mischievous, like that which at-
tends a severe thunder-storm." The meteors of August
9, 1840, in so far as I observed them, radiated almost
without exception from a point in the heavens very near
the star Gamma, in the constellation Perseus ; which is
almost coincident with the point (near the star B Ca-
melopardali) from which I observed them to emanate on
the 10th August, 1839. Facts of this nature appear al-
most decisive in favour of the opinion that a zone or
zones of these bodies revolve about the sun, and are in-
tersected by the earth in its annual revolution.—l have
the honour, &c.

J. F. W. HERSCHELL.
Collingwood, Aug. 15, 1841.

THE FISHERIES AND THE. CORN-LAWS.—
While we write, a great part of the inhabitants on the east
coast of Scotland are engaged, directly or indirectly, in the
herring fishery, and with every prospect of obtaining abundance
of fish. The curers have contracted with the fishermen at a
rate which, with the price of barrels and salt, brings the cost
value to about one pound her barrel. Where are they to ob-
tain a profit of this outlay ? The Baltic ports are already well
supplied with last year's fish, and the West India markets are
now virtually shut against them. The consumption in Scot-
land is trifling, and London and Liverpool take but a very
limited supply of reds. The only hope the fish-curer has, at
the present moment, is from the advance of the price of wheat
until it reach the maximum, when the opening of the ports
will encourage the importation of grain, in -return for which,
herrings will be taken, as in 1839. Now, were the Corn-laws
repealed. there would be no necessity for speculating upon a
contingency of this kind as a mutual exchange of commodities
would take place, and a steadiness would be imparted to the
bu-iness, which would be alike profitable to both parties. Why,
then, are those engaged in fisheries not bestirring themselves
to agitate for repeal ?—Aberdeen Herald.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S UMBRELLA.
—A fancy fair for charitable purposes was held last
week at Cross-deep, between Twickenham and Ted-
dington, by some of the ladies resident in that neigh-
bourhood. The Duke of Wellington having been pre-
sent, had gone away, leaving his umbrella behind him,
whereupon Lady P— immediately said—" Who will give
20 guineas for the Duke's umbrella ?" In one moment
a purchaser was found, and on his Grace's return the
fact was communicated to him, when he good-naturedly
remarked—" I'll soon supply you with umbrellas if you
can sell them so much to the advantage of the charity."
The Gazelle de France says—" We have just
received a stmunons to appear before the 'Tribunal Of
Correctional Police, for having given, like the Gazette
des '4).olll:aux and the Quotidienne, an account of the
trim of the Courrier derhere for libel."

.--,(04