North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-05-03
EARTH,s ROTATION RENDERED VISIBLE.

fact Of the earth's rotatonon its axis7 Weat least
have known more than one instance of stubborn In.
credulity, and, if the truth could be disclosed, we
suspect about half Of every civilized community, 70
say nothing of The savages believe, in their hearts,
that there is reality in what the astronomers say
about the matter. Some palpable easily ineligible
demonstration of the fact, is therefore highly des-
ble not merely contribution to science, but for
the purpose of dissipatng popular eror The last adj
vices from Europe contain descriptions OF remarka.
| bly, beautiful and ingenious experiment, which may
| now be seen in Paris, and may actually be said TO
make the rotation the earth visible to the naked eye.
We suboin account of it, though not a perfectly
satisfactory one, from London paper, which, with
highly discreditable jealousy. fails to mention the
name of the inventor, who is M. Foucalt, young
French Savant who was recently, very near receiv
ing the high honor of being chosen the
of Gay Lassac in the Academy of Sciences. If his
reputation rested on nothing beside this experiment,
his name would be indebly written on the roll of
fame.
The Pals correspondent of the National [ntelli-
gencer gives translation of M. Foucat's exposition
of his experiment, which we have not by
write. 1t may aid the reader, however, 10 state, in
addition to the explanations of the London Globe,
that the great principle of the pendulum in its simple
form of ball suspended by wire or thread, sup
posed to be line without weight, is that when
the ball is put in notion it will vibrate in the
same plane, In reference to absolute space without
sPect to any change of position in the opposite extre-
nifty of the wire, the point of suspension If the
earth revolves on its axis in twentyfour hours,
the point of suspension of such pendulum must, of
course, in that time, describe circle Butt if the
ball of pendulum, capable of vibrating for twenty
hours, moves during that whole period in the same
plane in which it STARTS the revolution of the earth
the ball describe every vibration
horizontal surface beneath it, slightly different
line, UNTIL in six hours, its apparent plane of vbra
ton shall have described quadrant, in twelve semi
circle, and in twenty-four complete circle. M.
Foucalt verified this reasoning by the extremely sim
pie continuance described in the following article, and
by means of which one may see as direct effect of
the earths rotation the apparent revolution of the
sun, but which 1t is impossible to explain with that
| hypothesis.
From the London Globe, April ST.
The ROTATION EARTH RENDERED VISIBLE.
The experiment now being exhibited in Paris, by
which the diurnai rotation of the earth is rendered
Papdbe to the senses, is Of the most remarkable
of the modern notifications of theory. Although the
demonstration by which the rotation of the earth has
been established be such carry conviction the
minds of all who capable of comprehending it,
which nothing can be imagined to add either force
cearness, nevertheless the natural philosopher
himself cannot regard the present experiment without
feelings of profound interest and satisfaction, and
the great mass, to whom the complicated physical
phenomenon by which the rotation of the earth has been
established mprehensible, this experiment is
invaluable At the of the dome of the Pantheon
fine wire is attached, from which sphere of metal,
four or five inches in diameter, is suspended
hang near the floor of the building. This apparatus
is put in vibration after the manner of pendulum.
Under, and concentrcal with it, is placed circular
table, some twenty feet in diameter, the circumference
degrees, minutes,
the divisions numbered. Now, it can be shown by
the most elementary principles of mechanics, that,
suPposng the earth to have the durnal motion upon
its axis which is imputed to it, and which explains
the phenomena of day and night, &C., the plane in
which this pendulum vbrates will not be affected by
this diurnal motion, but will maintain strictly the
same direction during twenty -four hours. In this in
terval, however, the table over which the pendulum
is suspended will continually change its position in
virtue of the durnal motion, so make complete
revolution round its centre. I'D. gu.
Since, then, the table thus revolves, and the PEN
dulum which vibrates over it does not revolve, the
consequence is that line traced upon the table by
point projecting from the bottom the ball will change
its direction relatively to the table, from minute to
minute and from hour TO hour, that if such point
were pencil and that paper spread upon the
table, the formed by this pencil during twenty
four hours would form system of lines radiatng
from the centre Of the table, and the lines formed
after the interval of one hour would always form an
angle with each other of Is deg, being the twenty
fourth part of the circumference Now this is rem
dered actually visible to the crowds which daily flock
to the Pantheon to witness this remarkable expert
The practised eye of observer, espe-
cially if aided by proper optical instrument, may
actually the motion which the table has, in COM
mon with the earth, under the pendulum, between !
two successive vibrations. 1t is, in fact, apparent
that the ball rather the point attached to the bottom
of the ball. does not return precisely the point
of the circumference of the table after two
i've vibrations.
Thus is rendered visible the motion which the table
IL
recty speaking the table does turn round it's
centre but round the axis of the earth never
theess the effect of the motion relatively to the pen
duum suspended the centre of the table, is pre-
csely the it would be if the table moved once
in twenty -four hours round its for although
the sable be turned, in common with the surface of
the earth round the earths axis the point of
sion of the pendulum is turned also in the time
round the same axis, being continually maintained
vertical above the Gentle of the table, The plane in
which the pendulum vbrates does not, however, par
take of this motion, and consequently has the appear
Of revolving in twenty -four hours the
table, while, in reality, is the table which revoves
once in twenty-four hours under it.
PRIME MINISTERS ENGLAND. The following is
a list of Prime Ministers who have held Office under
the British government during the past century.
There names among them that will forever fill
conspicuous place in the history of the world:
Time in Office
Appointed. yrs. days.
1854, April S, Duke of Newcastle, SO
1852, May 90, Earl of Butte, 49,. 322
1863, April l6, G. Granville, 3 81
1855, July IL. Marquis of Rockingham, 81
l765, Aug. Q, Duke of Grafton, I79
ITO, Jan. %, Lord North, IL "a
1882, March 8, Marquis of Rockingham, 1872
1882, July ID, Earl of Shelburne, 266
1888. April 5, Duke of Portland, $50
1888, Deer 81, William Pitt, II 80
1901, Mar. II, Lord Sidmouth, Sc
1904, May IL, William Pitt, gal