Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-01-24
r,--.-.Tunn.n,vs 1n oNn WEEK


From an old MSin French the
paradoxss there is none more surprising
a. more. calculated to disturb the mind
than that which asserts the possibility Of
having three Thursdays in one week. II
Is, Notwithstanding, possible, and during
the last century it was demonstrated more
than once. CircumnaVigators in their
voyages round the world have discovered
the fact. The ancienls never entertain>
ed an idea of the possibilityof such thing.
II Wasa matter of astonishment TO sea-
men sailing Eastward round the world, TO
end on their return. to the place from
whence they had commenced their voy-
age that they had gained day: II was
Thursday with them, and "Wednesday at
the place oftheir arrival.
Ont contrary those that sailed West
ward round lhe'WOrld,s counted on their
return one day lass 10 have passed than
those did who had continued all the while
ct the place from whenee,the ship,Set out;
so that il was Wednesday with the cir.
cumnavigators, and Thursday at the place
Of their arrival. AS the pilots and others
kept Journals, and paid slfict attention to
every occurrence during the voyage, they
were in the frst instance at loss to acS
count for the difference they found be.
tween the journals Of those who sailed
east, and those who had staken westeT.
y course. They accused eachOther Of
negligence, and the dispute led 10 a
strong contest. Several able mathemat-
mans at last discovered the cause. They
found that the difference in time was oc-
easioned BY the laws Of nature, and moi
the fault Of navigaiorS. a
ThsFeason will be easi ly seen. Eve.
~ Is degrees upon the equator is equal
60 one hour Of time, and the vessel sail
ing oast is always approaching sun>rising
When they have sailed IS degrees east
from the meredian Of London,t it will be
noon one hour sooner than with those Of
London. When they reach the meridian Of
Cairo, 80 degrees east Of London, they
viii have noon two hours sooner than
those at London, and 10 on in the same
proportion. Every meridian they arrive
at will bring the natural day one. hour
sooner than at London, So that when they
have gone quite round the globe, and
Feturned to London again, they will have
gone $50 degrees, and it will be noon, &C.
cording to their reckoning, "a hours or a
whole day sooner than TO those that stay
At London, or, Thursday 10 them when il
is but Wednesday noon in England.
On the other hand, if a ship Sc! Out
from LOndoa and sail westward, when
they come TO the meridian Of the Canary
islands, Is degrees west Of London, their
noon will be an hour later than al Lon.
don. AT 80 degrees west, It viii be
noon two hours later than at London, and
when they get round to London again
through the "a meridians, their natural
day will be "a hours later than at London
OF Wednesday noon with them, whilst it
10 Thursday noon at London, In this af.
HaiTit Is not necessary that ship should
20 round the globe upon the equator, it
Z sufficient II she passes through the sew
Sfal meridians, as all navigatorS must who
60 round the globe eastward or west
ward
For example: Suppose a traveller EN-.
baTks at Rochelle to go to the East In
dies, when he shall arrive at the distance
of $50 degrees East longitude, half the
circumference Of the earth, it will be
midnight there and noon at Rochelle. 1t
ioll0Ws that, in making the whole circle
Of he globe, he will gain twenty.four
hours upon the day at Rochelle. fit
"wednesday atRochelle when he returns
Il will be Thursday with him. The next
day iS Thursday at Rochelle, thus there
are two Thursdays in a week. To find a
third IN this same week, we must des.
patch another navigator, 10 sail from East
fe West. When he has reached $50 de.
RFees ofloDgitude he will find himself op.
posits 70 fhat Of Rochelle, and it will be
Thursday midnight, when they will have
rnoon Of Wednesday at Rochelle. And,
as tbe thing isvery possible, ifthose who
sailed East and those who sailed West
should meet at Rochelle, they would find
4 difference oftwenty-l6ur hours between
their reckoning. The Wednesday at
Rochelle ID Thursday for those who went
20 the East, because they gained a day
Secondly, the Fridsy,at Rochelle isThurs.
dsy 10 those who sSiled West, because
they have lost day. The Thursday at
Rochelle Is the third. Thus, according
g time thsre are three Thursdays in ono
sWeok.