Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-08-18

.4ctiaisnl and TIE Cholcra.-The mysterious prin-
ciple now at work in developing and extending the
disease which is desolat.nc the land appears as vet
to be beyond the reach Of most profound 1bserv-
ers. We'should be glad ii some OF our eminent men
of science would direct their attention to the subject
OF actutism, or that principle power found III the
SUMS rays. which has recently been found to possess
very singular properties.
Formerly, raw of solar LIGHT was supposed to be
homogeneous. 1t was thendigided into part, by re-
fractng medium and its constituent cOlJrs discover
ed. The violet raw was ascerta!ncd to possess
magnetising power. Nest came the remarkable
discovery, by Maus, in 1S0S, that ray Of light al
ter emergence from a rejecting surface, had poles or
sides with different properties. according the plane
Of its incidence. One of them Is the power Of nsin-
uaton between the molecules Of bodies and OF 50 IL
Eliminating them, that may perceive their strIc-
ture when an ordinary ray Of light would not enable
Ii, to do
We have now arrived at another important step
and have discovered Of the solar BEAM that the um
power is one thing and the caloriiic ray quite
another; that the radiatiDns which produce chemical
changes more reirangibc than Of the others,
and that their maximum is found " at the point where
light rapidly diminshes and scarcely any heat can be
detected." This power can be traced. indeed to a
point where there is no light whatever. For example,
certain blue glasses will scarcely transmit any light
but they offer obstruction to the nctiaic power.
yellow glass, which does not sensibly reduce the
intensity of COLOR cuts of the chemical principle at
once.
We thus perceive that we are on the border Of a
vast region OF science and of nature uneXpiOred The
curious fact that such quantities Of dead
fishes are found in some Of the southern bavs. and
that they spoil and die almost Immediately after being
taken in our own river, Hudson, may bear re-
lation to this unknown principle Of octin;sm.
1t is to be hoped that in public institutions.
act themometrical and barOmetrical observations
have been made during the present visitation, and
that such records of the winds and rains may be pre-
served that, by and by, shall be able to approxi
rnate to rational theory with regard to the eG-
iccts Of the atmosphere on the prevailing epidemic.-
.Nlc York Post.
Foreign Immigration and the Ch0Ieru.-From
official statements, Just published learn that the
number OF persons arriving here from foreign ports
during the present month, Exclusive Of citizens Of
the United States) has been about 26.OOO. Of this
number about $1,000 from Ireland, over GOO
from Germany, about 200 from England, 1000
from Scotland 500 from France, and 300 from
Wales, the remainder from Spain, Switzerland
Holland, Norway and Sweden. The number arriv-
ing during the month of May, exclusive of the
United States, 80, 100, of whom 1900 were from
Ireland, 1864 from Germany, 4,O36 from England,
and ,647 from Wales
With such an indscrimnate and overwhelming
Eruption OF immigrants from abroad, the most Of
whom are in bad state of health before they come
ashore, we should not be surprised nor alarmed at
the great mortality at present among the poorer por
ton of our foreign population. More than half Of
those who die of the q prevailing epidemic" it is
called unaccimated foreigners, the reports of
interments from the Health Inspector demonstrates
every week.-.NelC York EJpyeSS