Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-06-02

"THE WEST END."-Most persons think that
the reason why the west END of London is more
fashionable than the east is nothing more than
the typographical confguration of the capital.
But the Academy of Sciences at Paris, in its
last sitting, pronounced this opinion to be de-
fusion. In the first place, it appears that it is
not only at London, but at Paris Vienna, Ber-
lin, Turin, St. Petersburg, and almost every
other capital in Europe-at Liege, Caen, Mont
pelier, Toulouse, and several other large towns,
wherever, in fact, there are not great local OBJ
stacles, the tendency of the Weather inhabi-
tants to group themselves to the west is almost
as strongly marked as in the "great metro
polls In the second place, at Pompeii and
other ancient towns, the same thing may be
noticed; and in the third place, where the local
fguration of the town necessitates an increase
in a different direction, the moment the obstacle
ceases, houses spread directly toward the west.
This last fact may, tits stated, be particularly
observed at Rome and, to certain extent at
Edinburgh.
When, then, all cities and towns have their
best districts in the west, it is pretty clear that
the cause of it must be some general law en-
tirely distinct from local situation What is
that law? alt arises from the atmospheric
pressure" answers the Academy of Sciences
"When," it continues, "the barometic column
rises, smoke and pernicious carnations rapidly
evaporate in space. In the contrary case we
see that smoke and pernicious vapors remain in
apartments and on the surface Of the soil
Now, every one knows that of all winds, that
which causes the greatest ascension of the baro-
metric column is that of the east, and that
which lowers it most is the west When the
latter blows, it has the inconvenience of carry
ing with it to the eastern parts of town all
the deleterious gases which it meets in its pas
sage over the western parts. 1t results from
that that the inhabitants of the eastern part of
the town have to support, not only their own
smoke and miasma, but those of the western
part Of the town, brought to them by the west
winds. When on the contrary, the east wind
blows, it purihes the air by causing to ascend
the pernicious emanations which it can not
drive to the west. Consequently, the inhabitants
of the west receive pure air from whatever part
of the horizon it may arrive; and it may be
added that, as the western winds are those
which most frequently prevail, they are the
first to receive the pure air, and as it arrives
from the country"
After thus explaining why the western parts
are the best, the Academy makes these recon-
mendations: /, That persons who have the lib
erty of choice, and especially those of delicate
health, should reside in western parts of towns.
2, That all establishments from which emanate
pernicious vapors and gases should be placed to
the east 8, That in building house in
town. and even in the country, the kitchens and
other dependencies from which pernicious ema-
nations may arise should be placed to the east
The members of the Academy who have an
nounced the preceding discovery, and made
the preceding recommendations, are Messrs.
Pelouze, Pouillet, Boussingault and Ellie de
Beaumont-all Of them Of European reputation