New-York tribune., 1841-12-14
TUEsDAY ,To,sNsNti, DECEMBER IL, is4i.

chell Now "a there are thirty within the orOIt
arst named. the whole number in the Solar SyS-
ten must be thirty times $4,000, or 3,l5OUeo'
Blu; Araso goes still farther, and inquiries whether
it il supposabl- that have seen all the comets
within M-rcurys orbit Unqaesuonaby not; Ia
deed considering their size, there are at least two
chance. 20 one against their being observed. Il -
then consistent with al the grounds OF probability
'hst We nave not seer half the comets within tina
orbit OF Mercury. The Inference u the a>teuEdn s
fact, established with mera certainty, that there
are u, least sersa and G half millions ot comets
fitting through the realms of spsce-aa immense
swarm OF thcn-like swarm OF nidges-amourt-
in. to the almost inconceiy.ble number OF eight
mil ions.
Dismis.ing the discussion Of the number Of com
cts there is another point worthy OF scientific in
=riry. What arc the infuences-ihe positive Ell
fects which comets may produce This question
5 rendered the more interesting, because multi
tude Of influences which have no foundation what
ever have been ascrbed to comets, while most OF
those which are real have been generally overlook
ed The one which first strikes the mind Is CON
nccied with the questions it possible that com
ct NAV strike plsnet-and il so what would be
The consequence To the first question the an
swer is easy-it is possible. Then the question
comes up-whst are the probabilities that any
given planet, the Earth for example, Will be struck
when an unknown comet rushes into the system
and is censrlcuousy seen as was that OF ISL
what are the chances in this case 10 this sci
cncc answers definitely and distinctly, a. she al
wavs does-ihcv are as 220 600 900 IN one against
he collision. This has been aScertained by strict
ca culation and if bets upon the matter were to
be made the odds would be equal, if .f2S0 000-
600 should be -takcd against ( L. against The col
hsion. These chances have been calculated by the
same astronomer 10 whom ! have often re-
crred.
But still there is remaining that chance =
then The question becomes important-what would
pe the effect In the collision should take place
That depends entirely upon the mass ADD nature
of the comet, and also upon the way IN which the
collision should occur That This l. not only pos
sible bu, that it has actually taken place we have
the authority of Lapace, the mathematician known
as the Newton OF France-whose name in the world
of science ranks that Of the illustriouS
English philosopher.
If c-rnet should strike the Elrth-suppo-iug
the Earth TO represent any planet-e'thcr OF TWO
things would take place. The Esrihs progress
i've motion in It's orbit would be stopped, the mo
tion upon lis axis would be changed, and the VI
cis.irudes of day and night be different. Suppose
should be stopped The consequences would be
that all bodies rot firmly attached to the Earth
would move on with the veocHyi it had before the
collison-fer the collision would only stop the
Earth and the bodies firmly attached to ITS sHr-
face We who sit in this room would proceed on
at the rate Of 1000 miles an hour, leaving the
Earth behind us. The same would happen as II
rail car going twenty miles an hour, should sud
denly stop. Onc sitting on the top would go on
at the same rate, leaving the car behind him. he
only difference in the cases Is this-that in the
lnrter YOU would 90 twenty miles hour, and IN
the former 1900. This would be the case with
all detached bodies, the air, water, animal. &c.
If tho collision should take place so to change
the axis of the Earth-whcE is much more pro
ouble occurrence than the eth-r-a universal del
ug- would at once be produced not by rain from
the clouds but by the disturbance of the waters OF
the ocean They now accommodate themselves
precisely to the direction of the Earh- motion.
If this were changed they would ovcrrun the land,
collect around the Equator which would be
formed. and general destruction OF men and an
mails would take place. WIKI q total change IN the
land and sea. To show that TIN. is not mere
speculation of my own, let me read from Laplace
Tie saws that - were such collision TO take place,
nearly all men and animals would be destroyed,
and all the re suits OF human Industry overhrown.
Indeed we know from geological discoveries that
such effects have been produced. We see how
the ocean has covered the highest mountains; We
see how the plants OF the South have been found
existing in The Arctic regions; We discover traces
Of the newness of the historical world, tho present
race having evidently existed not over 1000 years,
the arts being lost and the species reduced 10
few individuals, who would gradually emerge from
L.. 10. Of. .t,.sls-
zation "-Incomprehensbc as it may appear, the
writer was an unbecyer in revealed truth-be-
lonsed in fact to that class against whose tcnets
all nv cctares have been directed-the material
lists You see how infinitely he relates the cir
cums,ance of the Mosaic DEUCE, and ii ne had
sought words to to describe that event, he could
scarcely have been more successful.
Next come. question of interest. Has the
Earth ever passed through the tail of comet!
This event is believed BY many actually to have &C.
Cured in two instances which have been men
toned with great deal OF pretension to Proba-
bilitv. The first was the case OF the great FOG or
1888, which enyeloped all Europe from the Medl-
terranean to the northern part and great por-
ton of North notwithstanding the same lati-
,udcs. thas giving color to the belief that the
comet only enveloped the upper hemisphere it
was remarkably dry fog, evidently not the result
of evaporation, and had peculiar and offensive
odor. 1t was not carried along, moreover by the
winds There were TWO circumstances adverse TO
the supposition, thar par; of comets tail had be-
come mingled with our atmosphere. The FIRST was
that although the heavens were distinctly visible
no head was ever seen. Arago argued that THIS
objection was fatal TO the belief; sut 1t Is singular
that a person of Arago's sagaciiy should have
forgotten that there are great many Comets that
have no heads. as that of BreIa, for instance,
which is mere rapor. The only conclusion 10
which this objection leads, is that If It were q
comet i, wa. ieadless comet The second OBJ
lection /, that The fog did not extend TO the sea
had it been cornctic vapor would certainly save
envelopea the sea likewise this objection Is much
stronger and more difficult 10 meet Another fog