Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-07
THE COMET OF 1856.
0. Q. A.

The following interesting details respectnghe comet
which is expected make its appearance about the
1856 given by NJ. RABIsET, an eminent French as
ronomer and member of the Academy of Sciences in
article recently published The Boston Traveller trans
lates from the Courier des Etats Unis
This COMET is Of the grandest of which historians
make mention. It's period Of revolution is about three
hundred years 1t in the years l04 392, 683,
975, 1864, and the last time in 1856. Astronomers
agreed in predicting its return in 1913, but it failed to
appearaangue aurendz-rous according to the express
sion of N. Rabnet-and continues to shine still, unseen
by Already the obseryatores begin TO be alarmed for
the fate Of their beautiful wandering star Sir John Her
chel himself had put Grape upon his telescope, when
learned calculator of Mddebourg NJ BONNIE treasured
the astronomical world of the continued existence of the
venerable and magnificent comet.
"Disquieted, all other astronomers were, by the
nonarrva of the comet at the expected time NJ BONNIE
aided by the preparatory abors Of Mr. Hind with pa
tence truly Dutch has revised all the calculations and
estimated all the actions Of all the planets upon the comet
for three hundred years Of revolution The result Of this
patient labor gives the arrival Of the comet in August
1853 with uncertainty Of two years, or less
that from 1856 to 1861 may expect the great comet
which the Of the abdicaton Of the Emperor
Charles " in 1866.
at is known that partaking Of the general supersti-
on which interpreted the appearance Of comet as the
orerunner OF fatal event. Charles v believed that
this comet addressed its particularly TO him
holding the first rank among soyeregns The great and
wise but weared and shattered monarch had been
threatening indications in the political If not in the ply
steal horizon OF still greater tempest come he was
left cry in despair, Fortune abanGons old men, The
appearance Of the blazing star seemed to him admoni
op from heaven that he must cease to be sovereign
he would avoid fatality from which without
hority might be spared 1t is known that the Emperor
survived his abdicaton but little than two years
Another comet which passed near in 1885, and
which has appeared twenty-five times since the year 10
before christian era, has been associated by the supers
tous with many important events which have occurred
near the periods of its visitation.
In l066 William the Conqueror landed in England at
the head Of numerous army about the time that the comet
appeared which now bears the Of Halleys comet.
The circumstance was regarded by the English as a
prognostc Of the victory Of the Normans infused uni
yersa terror into the minds Of the people, and conribu-
ed not little towards the submission Of the country after
the battle Of Hastings il had served to discourage the
soldiers Of Harold before the combat The comet is rep
resented upon the famous tapestry Of Bayeux executed
by Queen Matilda the wife Of the Conqueror.# The
comet in 1885, threw terror among the Turks under the
command Of Mahome H. and into the ranks Of the Chris
ans during the terrible battle Of Belgrade in which forty
thousand Mussumans persisted The comets described by
historians OF the time immense terrible Of
length, carrying in its train tail which covered two
lestia signs 200 degree and producing universal ter
ror Judging from this portrait comets have singularly
degeneraed in our day 1t will be remembered however
that in 1871 there appeared comet Of great brancy,
which inspired supersous fears Since that epoch
science has noted nearly eighty comets which, with few
exceptions visible only by the aid Of the telescope
Kepler when asked how many comets he thought there
in the heavens, answered, many there are
fish in the sea-
Thanks TO the progress Of astronomical science these
singular stars longer objects Of terror The theo
ries Of Newton Haley and their have
pletely destroyed the imaginary empire Of comets As
respects their physical nature il was for long time be-
eved that they composed Of compact centre,
rounded by luminous atmosphere On this subject the
opinion Of M. Rabinet, who must be regarded good
authority on such questions, is follows Comets
exercise any material influence upon globe and
the earth should it traverse in its entire breadth
would perceive than il II should cloud
a hundred thousand millions OF times lighter than our
atmosphere and which could no more make its way
through our air than the slightest puff Of ordinary
bellows could make its way through anvil II would
be difficult TO find comparison more re-assurng."
-
Bayeux represents tho principal incidents including the
% the the history the Of England
by conqueros the Empress Matilda daughter
q Henry H consists Of linen web "a feet In length and 20 inches
ton indicating is suet The hgursar all executed BY the needle
ACCIDENT TO PRoFEssoR LrEBIo-The Augsburg azette
has the following from Munich, dated the 10TH Pro-
lessor LEBrG last night giving lecture chemistry
at the Palace before Queen Maria, Queen Theresa King
Louis the younger branches Of the royal family and
persons belonging the Court when bottle Of oxygen
gas being improperly handed TO him by his assistant
who took for another bottle, explosion took place
and the bottle flew into thousand pieces Fortunately,
the exposon occurred inner room door Of which
was still some fragments Of the glass passed through
the door and slightly wounded members of the royal
party who we're sitting in the front rank Queen Theresa
was cut in the cheek and the blood flowed in abundance
Prince Luitpold was slightly wounded in the forehead
Countess Luxburp in the chin and Countess Sandzel in
the head None Of these wounds win be Of any