The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-08

tA..aso'd') cal0 i lss 4rn s.soo+
Jupter....... secs Im4 a1,o
ssss-
Neptune -. so.oaS ISL 1910
Prof Alexander stated that thu distances of the plsa
ricsl gressiou from Mara TO saturn both inclusive
term being intsrpoleted for the astsrodss ratio Of
the distance OF Neptune to that of Mars accurately
uniting of and requiring such inter poa ioa Tho ratio
TO each term to the next preceding Is that
"a In The table When Saturn was compared with Jupiter
tie value OF found to DO too great and whea Nep
tune was compared with Uranus it the contrary
found to be TOO small Other anomalies found TO
exist IN other regions of the system which appear
the table, When however the distances we're com.
bred, two And two: the double found by taking
the of the distance thus combined were found to
exhibit ratios each the square OF these ia tho second
column; as was to have been anticipated In the region
from Mars to Saturn inclusive. That this ratio might
moreover be realized in the region from Mercury to tho
Earth inclusive, BY taking the of tho distances Of
the Earth and Venus as one Prof Alexander marked
surrounded by system Of two if not three rings the
great vscuity between which existed III the region b.
Garth and Mars This might be confirmed BY the ratio
tound to exist in the system Of JUPITER as well ia
that OF Saturn. That the arrangement in the case
the three inner satellites formed one ring.
and the outer satellites another. la the system
Of Saturn similar ratios were found to prevail the rings
having place in the series Of satellites terms miss
ing when tho succeeding satellite very large as
though the ring in such had parted to be subdi-
vidsd Professor then observed that the an
proxmate ful'ment Of Bodies law combined with these
conditions required the value Of to be nearly two also
tnat these conditions were most nearly fulfilled in the
region between Mars and the asterods that in dsscsn
Ing from that the law applied very we'll because the
that the region already indicated outward it also ap-
Piled very well, since Uranus 10 situated at distance
as
the great increase in the terms to be compared aud
because Neptune, as compared with Uranus, dis.
lance too small as determined by previous Those
ratios might enable to compute probable means Of
the next pair Of planets, and thence that Of the
next one beyond Neptune the planets exhibiting theu.
selves In pairs these relations as well as in the rea
tons recently brought to Ugh BY Professor Kirkwood
On Personal Equations in Astronomical Observa-
ton. BY DR.. B. A. Gould, Junr., of Cambridge,
Mass This paper discussed tue differences in man
ner of recording the observations made by different
astronomers, and pointed out some of the means by
which they could become more uniform, and by
which differences in observations made at the same
moment by different individuals could be corrected.
He alluded to the fact that certain astronomers were
affected by the habtual use Of coffee before the OBJ
servatiOn.
Professor BACH remarked on this paper, that
Professor Sears Walker, now deceased, had pio-
neered the methods for equalizing personal obera-
tons, and preventing the arising from loss
msapprehensi0n OF time.
Professor LOOMS, as usual, discussed this paper
and The remarks. He disagreed with everybody gen.
orally, and supposed that he knew something Of the
methods pursued by different gentlemen. lie stated
how he had done, but this caused an astronomc
smile only on surrounding countenances az none OF
them had ever heard Of the gentleman as practical
astronomer. He told US how much difference there
was in the time of the two Messrs. Bond; but DR.,
Gould upset this by reading from the report Of these
gentlemen facts disproving the assertions OF Profes
sor Lo0mis Professor l.. thought it piece OF wis
dom that some obserea had been dismissed by Pro-
fessor Bache. DR.. Gould hoped that the Professor
would not have Professor Bache dismiss hiul. Pro-
fessor Pierce wished to know whether Professor h.
would dismiss Bessel for failures.
Professor Mitchels paper now came up, which is
entitled thus" On new method Of securing uni
form circular motion In the machinery used In re-
cevng the registration Of astronomical observations
OF right ascension BY Prot. q. NJ. Mitchell, Cncin.
Obs
The object OF this was present TO the
association tho curious fact that the vel known machn
known ss ths "Fauenhofer Regulator, usually applied
to equatorial telescopes when properly adjusted is 10
found to be the after repeated experiments
the regulator applied 70 the revolving disc
cese the magnetic record OF time and observations ia the
Cincinnati Observatory. IL was found that tue
die commenced to change its velocity from any unkno
cause restoration Of its uniform motion by pressure
applied to the winding key Of thu regulator would
come the difficulty, and again for time the equilibrium
ing the disc could, BY occasional touches, secure
an almost perfectly uniform motion. The idea thea
conceived Of substituting for the sentinel thus posted
automaton which might take tbs placs Of hts fingers,
and thus relieve him from further duty This has been
successfully accom- plished, and the oath July 1852,
this delicate duty Of watching the minute changes in the
motion of the disc through the electro given
in charge to the sdereal clock and from that time
the present the most results
Professor NJ at she close Of his remarks, exhibited pa
per disc giving ocular evidence Of the singular p@fec
attained by this neE machinery.
Dr. GOULD expressed his very great qualification
that Pref Mitchell had so happily succeeded in his
beautiful instrument for recording observations, aud
that he had now shown the method for avoiding al
tenths and thirds of seconds, and was prepared 10
give accurately within one hundredth Of d second,
every observation made in the course Of the night
He was delighted 10 find that Prof. Mitchell could
now return 10 the fellowship OF the beautiful science
that he loved; and particularly requested that he
would favor the association with yet further descrp
lions Of his method; which Prof NJ. did,
Prof. MS paper elected marked attention, do
without hiteying, or being blurred by blandels. He
is fluent beautiful deiinitive speaker ana stops 1t
the end. The section now adjourned.
SECTION ..
Prof. j. l.. Ca ssels in tile chair.
The following papers were read
on the Structure and Transformation Oft scllara
Aurcliana- by Prof J. l.. Riddcll, New Orleans
" On the Eject Of the Rcclaml ton of the annually
inundated lands Of the Mississippi valley upon the
geneva health OF the country and the navigation OF
that rseS. by Andrew Browa. OF Natchez, Miss
!" On the Structure and Afin;ies OF certain FOSSIL
Plants Of The cartonicrous era By j. $. Newberry,
III. D.. Of Cleveland.
ION some points in the History OF Gordus. BY
S. n. Sanford, OF Granville, Ohio
On the Geological Age and Attntes Of the Eos.
Of Connecticut, New Jersey. and the coal field near
Richmond, in Virginia. by v. C. Red6eld, Of New
York.
ON the Wheat Fly and its rovages. BY r.
Howell, OF Nichols New York
Notice of Bradfords machine for separating
metals by their specific gravity. by Capt. Wilkes
ENFORCING THE BLACK Laws IN INDfANA.--In-
diana. Ike Illinois, has her Black Iaws--a proper
name, we thinlthough they are not Of quite 50 Al