New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-10-20

GLAcIERs.-The following is from foreign
paper concerning the observations OF M. a0Assi[
the Swiss Naturalist, whose theories concerning
the Ice Period of the world have excited the al
,ention OF scientific men in every country. For
The rurno.e Of conducting his observations on gla-
ciers with facility, this enthusiastic sacom has
established himself on the glaciers of the Asr, in
b,, which. he calls the Hotel des Nenfchatalois
In the Academy of Sciences, at It's sitting OF
August 29th, one of The first papers read was a
farther communication from NJ. Agassiz M
Aeassiz informs the Academy that he continues to
note down the progressive movement of the glacier,
and has ascertaned that it is throughout mined
and Slapped by water-cour5es, as he was convinced
was the case from the experiments which ne had
performed, and of which he had given an account.
One of the theories of this gentleman was, that
ice, instead of being solid, az was generally sup
posed, is porous in high degree, and that the
motion Of glaciers, the reality of which cannot be
denied, although no attempt had been made to ex'
plain the cause, IS due to the inftrations Of water
through the mass, thus undermining the base. The
experiments of NJ. AgassiZ, the glaciers OF the
Aar, have fully established the truth Of the theory
which be had advanced. In his last communica-
ton 10 the Academy, M. Agassiz mentions a fact
as to the phosphorescenc- Of clouds. HI informs
us that it is more easy, on the glaciers at night 10
distinguish the hands of watch when the sky is
covered with clouds, than when it is cloudless and
the light of the stars is seen. He also states that
the appearance of peculiar snow, so we'll known
to all the visiters of the glacers, is not snow
that falls but merely modification Of the frozen
surface.
The following concerning the Daguerreotype is
interesting:
1t will be recoected that in recent sitting OF
the Academy paper was read on some remark
able circumstances connected with the Daguerreo-
type. 1t stated, amongst other things, that u
cameo having been suspended so as to hang near,
but not touch, polished plate in a box from which
all light whatever excluded the engraving OF
the cameo was clearly and distinctly marked on
the plate. This fact appeared when the commu'
nication was made, to be almost magical but il
appears, from letter which M. Breguet, the cee-
brated matchmaker, has addressed to the Acade-
my, that this kind of magic has been long known
to him. He states that he has frequently seen, on
the polished inner surface of the gold cases OF his
fat watches, the name of his house plainly and
Iegiby marked, the impression having been re-
ceivcd from the engraved letters of the covering OF
the works, which did not touch the case. NJ.
Breguet's statement however, does not at all d.
minish the Importance Of the communication to
which it refers nor does he attempt to explain the
agency which, in the absence of light, produces
this extraordinary effect. We must, for the pre-
sent, content ourselves with the theory laid down
of the action of rays of heat upon metal whose
temperature differs slightly from that on which the
engraving exists.