Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
AeADrnr or seisser..-Sifins Of fig. 20.

One OF the fret papers read in this sitting was a
iurther communication from NJ. Agass.z who, ss or
readers know, has, IN tho interest Of science ctab
Ii,hed himself on tho glacier Of the Aar. in hu;
shieh ne calls the Hotel des Neu.chata!0is- NJ.
Aga'sz informs the Ael5emy that hs continues TO
note down tie progressive progress of the glacier.
anc has nscstta'ned thsti, is Throughout, mined AZ
sapped 10y water courses. Us he was convinced WIS
ue case IRON the experiments which he had per
i9fmeo, an Of which he had given account. One
Of the theories Of tbs gentleman was, that ice, in
seau oil beng solid, ms ~Hs generally supposed, Is
porous IN high Cegree. and that the motion of
g'ae'ers The reality OF which cannot he denied al
thoush no aitemp. had been made to exp!ain the
cause, Is due TO the inhlirations Of water through
the mass thus undermining the base. The expert
menis OF Nj Ag,ssI, on the glacier OF the Aar
have iuhy established the truth Of the theory which
he had advanced. In his last communication TO the
Academy, M. Agassz men,ions a Cact which tends
10 corrooornie what has teen stated the phos.
phoresence Of clouds He informs Us that i. is more
easy, on the glaciers at night, TO tislinguish the
hands OF 4 watch when the sky is covered with
Clouds, than when IS cloud,ess and the light Of the
stars rs seer. He also states that the appearance Of
peculiar snow, so well known To oil the visiiers
Of The gaeers, Is not snow thai falls but merely
modification of the ff0z.n surface.
IL viii be rec3leced that in a recent sttirs Of the
Academy, paper wes read some remark BILE
Circumstances connected nth the Diguerotype. II
was stated, amongst o;her things. that cameo hav-
ing been suspended so 10 hang near, but not
tIuCn, plaie IN tOI from which all light
Whatever was excluded, tho engraving of tie ca 70
meo was clearly and distinctly marked on the plate.
This fact appeared when the communication was
made TO oe almost magical; but IL appears from q
letter witch NJ EreCne, the cesbr.,ed watch ina err
has addressed to the ACADEMY, that this kind Of
Mage has beer long known TO him. He states shnt
he ha9 frequently setn. on the polished inner sur
face OF the gold eases of his fat watches, the name
OF his house plainy ard legbly marked, the i'm
preston having been received ON the engraved let.
] Eel nj he 0nF he. H. xarh 4, a
touch The case. Nj Biesuet's statement. however,
does no, NJ all diminish the importance OF the coz,
munica'ion 10 which II rtier7, nor Co.'S he attempt
10 explain the sgency which, in the absence OF light
produces this extraordinary edee'. We must, Tor
the present. CONTEXT ourselves with the theory laid
down, OF the action OF rays OF hest upon metal
whose temperature fiers slightly lsom that which
/ Ike engraving exists.
NJ. Arago made q report on machine for the
composition and dslri5ution Of printing types the
invention of NJ. Gau5>ri. The results so mar
yeious, says VI. Araso, that there IS reason 10
fear that the If this machine would th,ow q
vast number of hands out OF bread. We 90 TO;
parake Of The alarm Of ~. Arsso; for Ingenious ns
The invention is, 1t wants intelligence, and, with
compostors, intelligence IS essential nscn=ni.
cal skill. That poItinn OF the labor which is row
performed ty compositors might be performed by
this machine, may perhaps be true; but would the
work so Performed by the aid o. machinery less
than II done upon the present system entirely 10y
hand II no saving lie effected, the machine wi.
not come into general use. VI. Gauberi may have
improved considerably the principle of the machine
which has been exhibited in London, and which il
now IN use there for getting up a monthly puhlica
uon but, whatever he may mpaEt 10 II, he canno
lmpart mint.
| The Aliona Mercury mentions as n curious fac
that on the removal oil the ruins OF the church OF 81
Peter, at Hamburg, a few days ago, fimes issued
forth, although is now three months siace the fire
| IN that city.