The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-06-18


which is expected 10 make its appearance about the year
1855 are given by M A4binei, an eminent French a.
ronomer aud member OF the Academy OF Sciences, IN
an article recently published The Boston Traveller
translates from the Courier des E'a,s Unis'
This comet is THE grandest OF which historians
make mention lts period OF revolution is about lhIee
hundred years. seen IN the years llo 5s1' osa
975 1884, and the last lime IN 800 Astronomers agreed
m predicting s return In lsas, but u failed TO appear
naaiQus oa TO The expression OF ~
Rabinetand continues shine sill, unseen by US Al
ready the obseryalores begin 10 be alarmed lot he
OF their beautiful wandering star Sf john rietschei
himself had put Grape Upon his telescope, wben
LEANED calculator of Middlebourgb, Nj Bomme, reas-
sured the astronomical world OF the continued existence
OF the venerable and magnificent comet
"Disqne,ed. all other astronomers were, oy the
arrival OF the comet al the expected Tune, NJ Donme,
aided by the preparatory labors OF Mr. HIND win pa
nence truly Ducb, has revised all The calculations anu
estimated all The actions of planets upon the comet io'
three hundred years OF revolution The result OF mus pa
tient labor gives the arrival OF the comet IN August
that from 1856 10 1860 may expect the great comet
which was the cause OF The abdicaon OF the emperor
Charles in 1856.
at is known that paraking Of the general supersi-
ton, which interpreted the appearance OF comet as he
/ foreunner of fatal event, Charles believed mat
this comet addressed lis particularly TO hln as
holding the first rank among soverelgns Inc great anu
once wise but wearied and shattered monarch, had
been for some time the within OF cruel reveIses ihere
threatening indications IN the political ko IN tne
ply steal horizon, of still greater tempest 10 come ne
was len ID cry in despair Fortune abandons OLD men
The appearance OF the blazing star seemed TO nm an al
monilon from heaven that he must cease 10 De sove
reign, If he would avoid fatality from when one WIN
out authority might be spared. II IS known mar the
Emperor survived his .abdcation bat lle more than
two years. -
"Anober comet, which passed near US in 1885. and
which has appeared twenty five times since The year Is
before the Christian era has been associated by Inc
superstious with many important events when nave oc-
Cured near the period OF lis visitation (,
"In 1856, William the Conqueror landed in England
at the head Of numerous army about the time ,hi me
comet appeared which bears the name OF Haileys
comet The circumstance was regarded by the English
prognostic OF the victory OF the Norhans llnfused
universal terror into the minds OF the people, ana con-
ribu,ed not little towards the SUBMISSION oil The coun-
Try after the battle OF Hastings, it lad served TO dis
courage the soldiers Of Harold before the combat The
comet is represested on the famous tapestry OF bayeux
executed by Queen Matilda, The wife OF the conqueror
/ The same comet, in 1856, threw terror among The
Turks under the command of Mahomet IL, and INTO me
ranks OF the Christians during the terrible battles OF pei
grade, in which forty thousand Dussumen perished
rhe comet is described by historians OF the time as IN
aexse, terrible Of length, carrying in its tram
tail which covered two celestial signs 100 degrees)
and producing universal terror Judging from this por-
trait comets have singulay degenerated IN our DAY. II
will be remembered however, that IN 1911 there ap-
peaTed comet Of great briiliancy Which inspired somt
super sous fears Since that epoch, science has noted
nearly eighty comets which, with lew EXCEPTIONS were
visible only by the aid OF the telescope Keper. when
sked how many comets there were IN The heavens
answered, as many as there fish in the sea-
Thanks TO the progress Of astronomical science
these singular Stars are no longer objects OF terror Inc
completely destroyed the imaginary empire OF comets
AS respects their physical nature, i was for long time
believed that they were composed OF compact centre
surrounded by luminous atmosphere. On this suhJec
the opinion OF M. Rabinet who must be regarded a,
good authority on such questions. rs as follows Comets
cannot exercise any material influence upon our globe
and the Garth, should II comet IN its entire
breadth, would perceive il no more than IT II should cross
cloud hundred thousand millions Of times lighter than
through air than The slig hest puff OF ordinary bel
( lows could make lis way through an anvil II woelt
be difficult to find a comparison more TeassurDs.
s"This celebrated tapestry is preserved in the
Episcopal palace B,yeux IL represents The principal in
tory OF The corgaes, Of Engand by William Duke Of Nor
mandy his'sppossd TO have been executed by Matilda
the conqu,ros wife, or 10y the Empress Mulda, daogbte
OF Henry !, consists Ola linen web. PA feet ia length
and 20 inches broad ad drided into " compartments
each having inscription indicating It's subject Tn,
figures are all executed by the needle.
AUTHOR CT THE RAILWAY sYsrnM-We move onward
(says the Cincinnati Gszsue) in every direction in the ell
egan and comfortable rail with too great velocity
inquire 10 whom indebted for this great wonde
Of progressive age, and we know very little OF ht
author OF this system which has done much OF late year
in developing the resources OF our country The bene
fits resulting to mankind from railways every j,
ready 10 admit very large il not beyond the concep
ton Of any among and yet the system is undergoing
daily improvement. Who would think, il in our bus
fling hurry -skuuy think. that the 10 whom
indebted for this great good is still living in Eng
land, has been rdcued and scoded at and is now gene
ally forgotten
Thomas Cray the first protector oil general railway
system, generally laughed at the snggestor of
useless project met encouragement, became poor, dis
hear,ened, despised, and neglected Yet despsed
neglected he was, the work be suggested advanced
with rapid strides and still moves onward with increased
and still increasing velocity. We hod the following
brief sketch OF Mr.. Gray in OF exchanges though
know not who is entitled TO credit for IL. No ont
will read il without feeling interest in the subject and
a desire for further information Of this gentleman:
Thomas Gray born 10 Leeds, England, abou, hall
century and this is all know OF bis earl,
history. The M,ddIeown colliery had railway carry
Goals to Leeds distance OF three miles The moved
along at the rate OF three and halt miles per hour
was laughed at, not by Gray, bu, by the wise public
Gray saw in his little work something that might be aug
menied into greatness and be thought upon the subject
anon his proJec, OF A General Iron Railway" The peo
pie declared bin insane. He peti,ioned Parliament
soug ht is,evews with the Lords and other great men
and iaus became the laughing sock OF all England Hs
received nothing but rebuds wherever be went. All
this took place in 1870, or Whereabouts.
But he succeeded a, last. The railways were laid
The world was benefited by the madness OF Tboma,
Gray. ~ tt E#C4 ssat.
Well, what became Of him The resder viii ask W.
do not know but we believe he still lives in Exeter Il
which place he removed Up 10 1916 he had been neg
lecled While thousands have been enriched by the con
summation Of hs brilliant scheme, he remained forgot
reinforced by poverty 10 sell glass on commission for
living. How in the Peoples Journal few va ago
gave somewhat lengthy sketch Of his career thus bring
ing him into public notice. We have seen nothing !,
punt IN relation to hun lately Elliot wrote grea, tru,l