Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-09-19
DC

NFw-YoRK, Sept. II.
INT'ERESTING PHILOSOPHICAL ENQKJIRY
The Philosophical Society of the CITY of New
York, having, through the medium of the Ma.
nonai tnteiigencer of the Sd inst had the fol-
lowing hints submitted TO its considerations the
Editors of the Mercantile Advertiser have
Seen favored with the subJoiued Replies, which
we publish with pleasure, as an Interesting
addition 10 the stock OF scientific knowledge
From che National Iatelligencer.l
+ Query. How far are tile northern * south.
ern hemispheres analogous (G)
| l. Is there south polar star answering in
| appearance 10 the north polar star Or
=. Are there circum polar stars 10 the south
answering in appearance To the circum polar
stars 70 the north Cd
Does the sun, from the 22d September 10
the 10Th March, rise to The south cast and
set to tIc south west of every place of OBJ
ssrvation in the southern hemisphere? I'D
J. Is there twilight during night at $50 south
latitude on the e2d December and at 60o can
the inhabitants read and write throughout the
night by the aid Of twilight alone and az &C. .
- the sun TO he seen above the horizon for "a
hours together; and at 10 south latituie, is
there continual day for Two and halt month.
{e)
5. Was the sun ever seen to the south lar.
ing the night, aud ifso, when, and who hy IN
CuSRY-W disappearance does the magnet
&c needle exhibit in the southern hemisphe re
Ooes the south point become active and the
north point passive, or does the north point
Continue 20 maintain its positive attitude (g)
GUERY.-What difference is there in the
s'aie OF The atmosphere N like parallels OF lat
tnuc III the two hemisphereS? Is il not in
tenselN cCM about the Antarctic circle on the
Z2d December: whereas, is Il not intensely
hot about the Arctic circle, on the 2lst June +?
(h)
OUERY--WiIl the yaponrs from the sea an
swer equally as well to accOHnt for the coutin-
uai snow of the Prince Edward Isles, and
the intense heat, at ruid summer, of Norway
posits shores Of bay 40 miles in width, the
one sailing directly east and the other west-if
bOti vessels, from each shore, appear TO have
lie appearance or descending into an abyss, do
shcH appearances prove concaVity or c0nveXi-
~; or rather, is itrot altogether an optical APP
pedTducc ~
3 According to the method laid down in the
books, TO ascertain the earih's curvature for "a
given distance, "a lighthouse must possess an
attitude OF 1000 feet 10 be seen forty miles at
sea, from an elevation Of 6G2 feet III tie tops.
Isths rnle erroneous, OF IS there no such cur
vatuTe /? ~
g. Was i canal to be cnt from Baltimore to
Washington city, say 80 miles, would il be ne
sessdTy 10 make az allowance of 1850 feet tor
the earth curvature, ia addition to the eieva-
ton OF the high grounds above the level OF the
bayI I'M
1. Was canal TO be cut the Whole length Of
the Mississippi river, say 1900 miles, wouId it
be necessary 10 make an allowance for Tie
earth'S curvature ofDG0,D00 feet or iS2 50 miles
over and above the elevation OF tie source Of
that river above the level OF the Gulf OF Mex
ico M
QuCaY.-Ifa slip had mast as high as "A
cannon bullet Would ascend, when dischar ged
perpeDdicularly upwards, and if the ships ge-
iocit9 from west 10 east was equal 10 10 the d-
nrnal motion Of the earth (lTi miles per min
ute,) would ball, dropt from the top Of said
mast, light as precisely on deck as if sdd~shp
Wasa at anchor W
QUEnY.-Ifthete is auy thing like q correct
mode for asCertainiDg the distance Of the celcs.
tlal bodies, how comes il to pass that there is a
different among eminent writer's on tile subject
OF the millions Of years that il would take a
cannon bullet to reach the nearest Of them
rms difference being the more extraordinary,
since difference alone OF SINGLE year, calcu-
ldtiug BY tpe Eight Of cauuOn bullet, would
make difference rs to The distance OF some
pToLEMY.
IFrom the Usreaatilc Airertiser,l
RIFLES.
ca Tie two heuHspberesgre very unlike each
sthVr, IN figure, height Of mountains, and in We
gciable aud animal productions. Tive southern
il colder, and ihe northern has logger dura-
lion Of ssnsbinc.
(cJ The southeru celestial hs nisphers con-
taiIs siors which nave been regularly grouped
by astronomers with consultations.
DE- keferredto che problems solved by the
artificial globe or sphere,
~ ltis net rocolicctod Nat any person has
TN the northern hemisphere seer the suU to tue
fosth during the night
(g) tits believed the laws ofmagaetism are
the same it both hemispberes the niaguetihed
vision being acted upon IN the same way.
nv = here is no report by travellers of the in
tenf.iv Of cold about the Antarctic Circle on
.I.a