Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-01-10
M G NJ Y.
From the Romney Intelligencer.

An ORIGINAL VIEW OF ii eel
S1sM OF THE SOLAR SYsTEM-By Rob-
srt Ney man, Of Romney, VG.-This
work will be ready for publication by
the first of July, 1888 with the requl-
site diagrams, The author hopes that
a liberal patronage will be extended
10 him for this effort to present 10 the
learned in the science OF Astronomy,
a system, founded on facts, as they re-
ally exist in this separate and distinct
field of creation. The whole scheme
Is original, and belongs exclusively to
the author. Means will be adopted
this winter with a view to ascertain
how far the public will patronise such
an undertaking. Some of his views
have already been published but in
a manner too much detached to be at
all satisfactory-the object Of such
publications being to ascertain what
objections might probably be suggested
BY others. The author hopes, also,
that this notice will be given a place
in such papers as are friendly to the
progress of the sciences ; and although
he may fail in many particulars. n
thing is certain, he will give a new
impulse to astronomical enquiry. He
will show that the mathematlcians are
greatly in error as to the probable dis
tances of the planets from the sun,
their unequal velocity in their paths,
the forces by which they are sustained
in their places, and the vast Importance
of the planetary Satellites to animated
nature, as it exists on this Globe, and
on all other Globes, where quick sue
cesslons of day and night are required.
For this purpose Quick rotatory mo-
tion) were the moons given to the pla.
nets primarily-their other uses are
secondary.
If we had no moon, we would be
involved one half the year in darkness,
and the other half suffering under the
full and uninterrupted blaze ofthe sun.
He will show, also, how, and through
what fundamentally, the planets dis
turb each other in their courses, and
why their orbits are ellptlcal or appear
10 be so.
To settle the question conclusively
as TO the true relative distances of all
The planets from the sun, nothing nor
will be required than to obtain The true
4 distance of the moon from the earth, if
itcan be obtained. The author, there.
fore, requests the attention Of Ameri-
can mathematicians to this question
particularly, and previously to the pub.
licatlon here proposed. The results
Of any means used to obtain her true
distance will be gladly received, and
If no such results are communicated,
the author will assume her distance TO
be 100000 miles, the greatest distance
heretofore given her by the malhema-
~tiCians.
1t will then be found that the distan-
ces of the planets from the sun will be
greatly diminished, however discordant
ltmay seem to be to minds accustomed
10 place them at the distances they
are now placed from that body. The
author is fully aware of the difficulties
and magnitude of his pursuit; but
looks forward confident that the phi
losopher will rightly appreciate I've a
failure in so great an undertaking.
10 encounter the physical views OF
such men as a Newton and a La Place,
will, to many, no doubt, appear pre-
umptuous and idle; but the author,
Notwithstanding, considers it his duty
to p~ersevere. The powers Of magnet
ism seem now to be engaging the at
tention of the philosopher and that
power has been recently applied to
machinery here, and why not applied
l by the Great Creator in ordering and
organizing the machinery OF the Uni
verse?