Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-04-30
HE Az TT g. 90.

The attention Of RAIL ROAD CON lRACIuh'
FL made expressly for Rail Road purposes the quairs
4Imt
central central up "peimanen, magnet asa T he oUR.
attractions OF the planets and satellites only effects
his magnetic influence This influence he supposes
be exerted through the agency OF magnetic atmos-
pere which varies in density invcrsey the distances
from the sun and the attractions OF the planets be't
induced through this agency, is (aso inrerseiy IA
their respective distances from the sun and their mag
nitudes conformity"
Now we are not so much disposed to find fault with
ms theory generally TO object TO the intro
dnction into of his law of ratio of distance
Were that law TO prevail, since the magnitude of tho
earth does not vary the force OF gravity any partcu
lar place on the earth will vary in the inverse ratio Of
the earhs distance from the and since that dis
lance Is constantly varying the length II pendulum
winch vbrates seconds, will, also, be constantly vary
ing throughout the year and since, in consequence
oil TINS variation, the earth is 30OOO miles the
sun in December than in july it is casy ca cuatl
that clock, regulated keep time in july,
would gam no less than % minutes IN a day in Decent
ber and, rice uersa, clock regulated for December
, would lose the same amount daily in July, conside
ration OF no small Importance to those whose astron'
omy is not all locked up in the roots and powers OF
numbers but who are willing to depend somewhat NJ
on observation as we'll as theory. Were Mr. ioungI
theory to prevail, astronomers might as well throw
aside their astronomical clocks as useless lumber. And
those who buy and sell to get gain by weighing with
. spring instead OF balance, might make n handsome
profit from the increase OF weight from July to Decem
Der, as there would be an actual gam OF more than
three pounds every hundred.
Perhaps the most ingenious and original portion of
the theory embraced in this chapter is its geological
appcat ion. instead OF placing the magnetic poles of
the earth upon its surface, most others have done,
he supposes them to be placed in contact at the centre
. There as between the opposite poles oil Cavanc
battery, he slpposes intense heat TO be produced
tusng the whole internal mass of the earth, and
slonally upheavng, breaking through and disturbing
the surface In this way he for the internal
heat ofthe EARTH whence originates earthquakes and
y1Icn md he yaro p1ppp p1ppD IA
earts surface which have so long puzzled geoogsts
In the sixth chapter have authors attempted
4 demolition OF the prevailing theory OF the tides ana
the substitution OF his own AMI since his own is q
somewhat ingenious carrying out OF his magnetic the
. DRY OF the solar system, will endeavo to furnish
:, our readers a brief abstract.
I He supposes, as already stated that the earth and
h moon magnesed by the sun and thereby acquire
d their power OF attraction and polarity He supposes
that III respect to the the earth has two hxed but
- no movable poles, and the moon two movable and
fixed poles and that in respect TO the earth the
moon has fixed pole only and none in respect TO
I, the sun. This fixed pole OF the moon is the cause OF
. her presenting always the side the earth. The
% movable poles OF the moon in respect TO the sun, are
10 always at the points, where line from the sun, thro
70 the moons centre, meets her surface.
. The production of the tides he ascribes wholly T.
ar the fixed pole of the moon which induces polarity at
IS the two opposite points on the earhs surface who
n, in the line extending from the fixed pole OF tho
~ moon through the centre OF the EARTH These poles
!, created by the moon, will attract matter towards
It, themselves and tend to accumulate it the points
G where they bnt account OF their rapid motion
q. occasoned by the earths rotation, he thinks they do
ia not act upon the water directly but, by magnetism
" the continents and islands, they them arac
tn the waters towards their shores, and that the hegh
be OF the tide upon the shores Will be nearly in proper
70 ton 10 the area OF the continent, island This at
90 ords him easy method OF accounting for the sup
n, posed tact TINT the tide rises less height island
az IN large ocean, than the shores OF continents
We The spring tides he supposes to be occasoned b!
no the ncTea ed power OF the fixed pole OF the moon,
/ consequence OF being in the line of her moveab,
ie poles IN respect to the at the sy-yges, and The
re he"P des ny ls beng at tie greuesdisance iron
At that line at the quGdrdtures.
4 We come now to authors investigation of tn.
Il; theory OF the progressive motion of light contained
his seventh and last chapter and we will be as bre
4 as the case will admit
ID He commences by giving no less than fifteen rea
sons why the ecpses of Jupiters satellites not
a, be relied upon for calculating the progressive motion
l oil light not one OF which Is inconsistent with the tac
pr oil such progressive motion and the whole together
\, amount only TO this, that on account of the weakness
= OF the light reflected by the satellites the yariab,
n cearness. refraction and light in our atmosphere
"a the difference in the sight OF Observers and the
al qual ragniyng power OF telescopes, and, perhaps
q some slight imperiections in the tables there may b.
m small dlscrepance between the observed and cacula
m ted times OF the eclpses. But all observations show
l. concnsivey, that if all the eclpses be calculated TO
n, the mean distance Of Jupiter from the EARTH ,hos,
"a which occur, when Jupiter Is nearer the ear,t
p, than the mean distance, will happen earlier than tn
: calculated time, and those, which when Jup
"a terls more remote than the distance, will hap
- pen ater than the calculated time /; and since wher
Jupiter Is IN the extreme deviation from the mean dis
~ lance the observed times uniformly vary alb Ut $
!, minutes from the times calculated for the mean dis
NJ lance we regard ii very strong presnmptve proc
m that about l6! minutes required for light To pas
over space equal to that OF the diameter Of the earh
- orbit
"a Since, however, it was not so much OUR Autaor
m proiessed object TO prove that light has progres
I'd sve motion inime as 10 prove that DR. Bradley, whc
= has been supposed 10 have confirmed the doctrine o
=, such progressive motion by his observations upon the
~ liked stars, entirely mistaken in all his conclu
sons, will call the attention of our readers for a
a. he % 10 Of oh
!; and II we are not greatly mistaken, we shall max,
~ it appear that Nh Young neither well understood III.
subject OF alteration, nor DR. Bradleys observations
"a and reasoning
\ After quoting considerable length Brndley's ac
~ count OF his observations upon Y Dracouis, con
tanned IN his letter 10 Dr. HALEY, he then goes on I,
e conceive diagram, whereby he is to convict III,
y, Doctor of absurdity, and ignorance. lie suppose
the star 10 be sultei in the plane OF the eclipc and
a, says truly, that from such star, the earth, could III
~ motion be seen, would appear to vbrate backward
" and forwards in straight line lying in that plane
~ and would seem to be perfectly clear that
-, situated could have no aberruton excepting in the d
recon OF the plane OF the ecptic very nearly cas-
90 and west But our Author goes say that, wher
the earth in one part OF its orbit, land he is speak
i ing IN reference To the star in the plane OF the eclpc
the star will be 20 south OF tangent the orbit am
81 when III the opposite part Of the orbit it will be 20
:" north o a tangent.
Now it will appear from the foregoing statement, ba
in me author SO ignorant the subject TO know
of that star situated in the plane the elliptic canno
e. possibly oe thrown out OF that plane BY alteration
~ either to the south or north and had DR. Bradley
obsety ations been made upon star so situated h
~ would probably have discovered no alteration at all
n lor although such star would have large
western alteration, II would have very hide northen
or southern, mud his observations were calculated /,
- detect only the latter
Stars situated the plane of the ecptic alread,
10 enaIhed can nave alteration only IN the dlrcc oI
m ithat plane, or nearly east and west These star:
- may appear M their true places twice during eacl
~ out OF the plane OF the ccp,ic are, during the earth
annual revolution. thrown out OF their true places by