Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-07

Of the Law win be found in the ninth volume of Silt
mans Journal Prof Loomis is satisfied of its truth
and mas gwen ms reasons in the same Journal the
Der for March, 1851 And the reply Of the author il
found in one Of the numbers for the same year This
law has precisely the same form Kepers third But
the elements used are very different There is difficult
ty in expressing them without referring theories con-
sidered visionary by MIR. Coues.
The distance is taken from the point of equal atrac-
ton between planet and its next inferior to the
point of equal attraction between the planet and
next superior This distance to be estimated from
the conjunction of the three planets is called the dame-
Of the sphere Of planets attraction and the cube of
It supplies the place Of the cube of the sor distance in
Keplers law, and the square Of the time IF the planets
rotation the place Of the square of the period Of revou
ton It will be perceived that the elements used OBJ
tanned from considering the relative magaitudes, dens
ties and distances from each other of three successive
planets. These materially different from the ele
ments with which it is impossible to compre
hend the rotations Of the planets in formula But
fully into the merits of this question would require
On extensive acquaintance with mathematics and astrono
my, which, according to the principles of the system,
would brand the law on its very face as fa,e.
When prepared for aud initiated into, and have
embraced this new instauration of the sciences Prof
Looms may spare himself his abstruse and difficult calcu
latons to disproye the truth Of Kirkwosds law The
thing will be done to his hand in summary Manners
Perhaps Mr. Coues render the services to geo.
desy that he proposes to astronomy. THIN Prof Bache
and his accomplished corps may all takt holyday and
cease from their painful and intricate computations their
discussion of observations for determining the figure and
dimension and density Of the earth and the law Of the
tides, and leave of perpexng their brains with their diff
cult methods, and putting out their eyes with porng
the crooked cabastc characters With which they
conjure Their books functions and forces and def
mite ntegrals and all such stuff will have become obso-
lete, and will serve, with their vouminous notes. which
will have become useless lumber to make bonfire at the
jubilee the occasion. What glorious time is coming
for young colegians when the mathematical course viii
be stricken from the curriculum
After giving the observed period Of rotation of the sum-
he proceeds 1--WE firm believers in the equality of the
motions Of the spheres" 1t will be favor to learn in
what equality of motion predcated of the spheres
1t cannot be their angular motion in their orbits for then
their revolutions would oil be performed in one Of our
years, their rotation the velocity with which
they in their orbits From expressions both
his communications to the Integencer and in his work
on Mechanics, have thought that he meant the
described by the radi vectores of all the planets
equal that is that in hour the passed by
the radius vecor of Mercury equals that passed by
the radius vector Of any other planet 1t cannot be
cessay to observe that such is not the meaning of KEEP
his meaning and whether he the word velocity in the
received He several times this equality
Of notion and it may be again noticed In of these
senses, however, he make the motions equal unless
he performs the feat of Moliere's Doctor.
1t is also laid down. the sum- the planets and their
satellites governed by one law of notion In this
happy to be able to subscribe his language but
EAR we would be wide apart if we attempted to define this
His formula for determining the suns diameter land
beg leave to state it in the form Of proposition is The
line of the moons revolution is the time of the SUMS
citation double the diameter of the sons orbit is to
he sum of the diameters of the earth and the sun.
have not been the details of Mr. Couess compu-
ations to know whether his additions subtractons null
picatons divisions and exractions of roots without
error That just is but Of comparatively little
nent when the point is to know what reliance be
,ut upon the computation wien it is correctly made.
Some of the principles upon which he proceeds be
demonstrated to be false and others vague and
ain. But even admitting the principles to be sound, it
inconcevable how this formula is deduced from them
lust before giving his formula he says viii take the
noon means, though the formula general
md would answer any other body taken. He says,
estimate the suns diameter need have only the
distance and period of another body and the value of the
ameter is at once to be obtained" This formula /
ardly think will give it with any other Of the planets
tut certainly they all will not give the result This
aw if it deserves the name is but solitary instance
md whether the relations true coincidence
depends upon how far the result agrees with the fact
therwise determined and if it dsagrees sufficient
eason given for changing the values otherwise deter
mined as to be in exact accordance with tho formula
BODIES remarkable law, instead of being solitary in
stance comes very giving the proper relative dis
ances Of most of the planets Though it may be familiar
most of your readers table of its results compared
With the astronomical determination of the distances of
he planets is given which will be ineligible than
enuncaton of the law Supposng the distance of the
arth to be ten, the distances of the planets will be,