South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-03-21
AN EXPECTED COMET.

The Comet.-A magnificent comet
is expected to make its appearance
during the present year. The Ameri.
can Almanack states that too will re-
turn to their petroleum, and also TO
their perigee, or points nearest to the
earth. "But, as from some unknown
cause" says the editor, "the light of
these bodies seems to be constantly d.
minishing, it is doubtful whether either
ofthe Two will be visible to the naked
eye, or, indeed, without the assistance
Of very powerful telescope" But
late English paper, the Falmouth Pack
ct, contains a notice of an interesting
work by Lieut.. R. Morrison, of the
Royal Navy, which speaks ofthe Com
ct which will be seen between the
months Of May and August, as a most
magnificent phenomenon" Which
of those mentioned in the American
Almanack is here alluded to, is not
known-perhaps it is neither. Lieut..
Morrison states that it will be for more
splendid than that OF 1911. l. is even
affirmed that it will afford a degree of
light equal to that Of the full moon
that its tail will extend over forty de
grees-and that when the head Of the
comet reaches the meridian, its tail will
reach the horizon. 1t is predicted that
the electric and attractive powers will
have very serious effects upon our at
mosphere, in producing foundations,
earthquakes, storms, tempests, volca.
mic erup,ions, and epidemic diseases.
10 support of the theory, he refers to he
different appearances of this comet for
the last six hundred years. showing
that in the comet years these phenom,
ena prevailed to considerable extent.
"Relying (says the author on the cor
rectness of our principle of cometary
influence, we venture to predict that
the summer of 1885 will be remarka.
bic for intense heat, which may be ex.
pected to destroy the harvests in some
parts of the world. That year will be
noted for earthquakes and volcanoes,
and other similar phenomena. The
end OF 1885, or early in 1886, may be
expected TO be remarkable for some one
or more extensive earthquakes. The
winters of 1886 or 7 will bring frost
such as has not been equalled for at
least 20 years. The parts ofthe earth
which we anticipate will suffer most,
are those situated to the North of Asia,
and some parts Of the southern hemis,
phere, such as China. Those parts of
the earth in the vicinity of VOLCANOES
are always subjec, to the electrical phe-
nomena of earthquakes, because the
frequent internal changes which the
combustion creates, must necessarily
produce arrangement of electricity.-
And if, while the comet is near the
earth, overcharged with electricity,
there be any internal cavity ofthe earth
deficient of that fluid, it will rush into
the earth at that spot. This we take
to have been the case in 1456, near
Naples, when the sudden rending ofthe
earth destroyed 10000 human beings.
1t is to be hoped that no greater ir.
regularites or extremes in the weather
than we have had for twelve months
past, will visit US as attendants on an
expected celestial visitani. Epidemic
diseases, doubtless, are produced, or
affected by the atmosphere !; but
whether the different states or quarters
Of the atmosphere are in any way con-
nected with the revolutions Of the COM
els, is question not perhaps so easily
solved.
G The Specie imported into this
country since October. l83a fas s.otea