The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-14 00:00:00

FRENCII ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

At the last sitting a note was received from
Father Secchi, the Director of the Roman Observa-
tory, on the connection between meteorological
phenomena and the variations of the magnetic
needle. The results at which he arrives may be
summed up as follows :-1. When there are no
manifest perturbations of the needle, there are,
besides the diurnal variations, other variations
also of longer duration, and which appear to be
large undulations on which the diurnal oscil-
lations are, so to say, engrafted in the shape
of shorter waves. Several irregularities in the
indications of two different instruments for
measuring intensity may be explained by the su-
perposition of these two systems of waves, the
ffects of which either conspire or destroy each
other ;-2. The diurnal variations are often dis-
turbed by sudden excursions of the needle, which
do not last more than three or four hours;--
3. The great magnetic undulations are not sym-
metrical in their rise and fall, the latter being
much more rapid than the former, so that a rise
of several days' duration may be obliterated in
one;-4. The great undulations are always coin-
cident with severe atmospheric storms, there being
evident synchronism between the two phenomena ;
—6. A strong magnetic perturbation occurring
after a long series of fine days, is a symptom of
a change of weather for the worse ; and conversely,
if it occurs after a long series of days of bad
weather, it predicts a return to fine.--M. Mar-
chand sent in the results of his inquiries into the
saccharine richness of the beet-root, from which it
appears that it varies according to the period of
sowing, that sown earlier being richer than that
which has been sown later; that the agricultural
yield follows the same rule ; that the nature of the
soil seems to exercise no influence over these re-
sults, aDd that the proportion of sugar seems to stand
in no relation whatever to the quantity of carbo-
nate of lime contained in the soil, as had been
stated by M. Leplay. M. Luther, the celebrated
amateur astronomer, wrote to announce that he had
discovered a new telescopic planet, being the 67th
of the group. It has received the name of Leto,
and its positions on the 29th and 30th ult. were
as follows :

Mean T. of Bilk. Right Asc. Declin.
29th...13h 31m 2s 212 deg 23m lls lldeg 6m 15s 1
30th...10h 52m 17s 5 212 deg llm lls 4 lldeg 4m to 2

Dr. MARK IN TROUBLE.—We regret to learn
that the celebrated Dr. Mark, who for many years had so
indefatigably laboured to promote a taste for music among
the rising generation, has fallen into difficulties, occasioned
by heavy losses on the concerts he has given, and in esta-
blishing his Royal College of Music in Manchester; and
that he is now confined in Lancaster Castle for debt. We
are sure many of our readers will deeply sympathise with
that gentleman in his present painful position ;—he always
has deserved well of the public for the praiseworthy mos
tions he has made in raising the standard of music amongst
the youth of this kingdom; and he deserves a better fate,
after the many thousands of pounds he has expended in
promoting his scheme, than to be confined for the sake of
£2,000 liabilities (hot £40,000, ashasbeen erroneously stated
in other papers) in a debtors' prison. We hope that brighter
days are in store for the worthy doctor, the "children's
friend," that we may hear the charming sounds of Dr.
Mark and his "little men," and that he may yet be rep
warded by all classes of society for the liberality with whieh
he has educated in music hundreds of youth throughout
the United Kingdom, and helped to raise the musical stan-
dard in this country.—Preston Guardian.

An old four-horse Stage-coach will ere long be less a
novelty than premature grey hair, which is fast disappearing
under the effects of Herring's magnetic brushes and combs.
which recent improvements have rendered almost infallible
in restoring the colour to grey hair, and also in removing th•
agony of tic doloreux and nervous headache. N.B.—Conn•
terleits are being made. Offices, 32, Bashighall-street.
London.