Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-12-29

The OLD METHOD OF AyERTING STORMs.-A hun
red years ago il was customary among the solid far
1ers and other good people Of Europe, whenever the
abennr clouds threatened approaching storm
7hCh it was thought would prove destructive 10 the
2Ts, 10 ring bells or fire for the purpose of
Hpersng them; as it was believed that any sud-
len and violent agitation of the air would have that
1ect This practice, though now generally aban-
hDed has continued N some districts even TO the
resent day Towards the latter part of the eighteenth
%aury, ii was discovered by some prodigy of wis
Nm that church towers were struck by Lighting Of
neT than other buildings, and the fact instead of
ENG attributed to their superior height and promi
nce laid 10 the charge of the bell, and it was
Elaly believed that the noise of the ringing, or the
2nmotOn caused in the atmosphere thereby, attrac-
s1the subtle and dangerous fluid. Much was said
aut the mischief of the system 1t was shown by
ne calculations of German SeVant in 1888, that In
eSpace of thrty-three years three hundred and
yhy-siX towers had been damaged by lightning,
I'D one hundred and twenty one ringers killed and
the same year the King of Prussia issued an Or
nance prohibiting the practice of ringing bells dur
2g storms. The same done in the Palatinate
hlSeveral dioceses in France, and as late as the
ear 1874, only ten years since, the Project Of Dor
.gne repeated the order, assuring the people that
agng the bells was an infallible method Of caus.
Y the lightning to strike NJ. Arago considered
point as to whether these agitatons of the air. by
Ills or firearms, have any effect upon tempests, to
undecided The observations of military men 20
osaOw that the roar of artillery is without influence
fol the weather, and it cannot be supposed that
NJ feeble sound of bells would be more effective. Al
events, Arago says it is certain that they nevel
D|ease the danger.
bANKs.-We learn that the Committee on Banking
me legislature have determined to report to tina
way all The bills on the subject which had been re
tO II ,x,;n loov Wit hn IoOi
we 10 decide which and how many Banks shall b'
aablshed
besides the application for re-charter by the Banl
ne State and the Bank of Cape Fear, the follow
w bills, as near as we can recolect are before thu
<sSatuTe The Peoples Bank, with capital O
millions, to be established at Wilmington, will
.Saches mainly along the line of the Central Rail
aa the Bank of Goldsborough; the Bank OF viii
Sng.on; the Bank of Plymouth the Bank of Greens
trough the Bank of Clarendon, at Fayetteville
central Bank of North Carolina; the Bank o
Ssnhco; the Bank of Halifax; and the Bank O
'"OoFough.- Standard
aon, Wednesday, in the Senate of this State, MI
susGton moved as an amendpent to the Free Sui
se DILL that no foreigner" should be allowed t
w lof Senator unless he had been In the Safe nv
msS That wac the subsance-the amendment 1t
, rI as offered, will be found in the Senate proceed
Il o. that day in this paper. Mr.. Rayner expires
me hope that Mr. Haughton would accept a
1sooment extending the time to 'oenty one gears
ss s We take it, is pretty good evidence of Mr. Ray
5,n S" Know Nottingham" We put it on record fe
Sr3s reference. That gentleman is yet IN the Vlgc
D. manhood, and will be doubtless in public lie nv
". Years hence "Know-N othingism will the
- dead as the other isms of the day-new ism
H. fGGee, will succeed to those which now distur
I'm pubic mind but the great principles of toler;
H. Sns9 Justice will be the They die not.
In way, the speech of Mr.. Rayner in the CONVEX
N.Y. o. 1885, in favor of federation and religious lii
ss I Is y not forgotten That is on record too, an
we republished ere long.-StandGrd