The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-29

practical instead Of exhsusng the science, or putting
AMI Instruments Of further progress. have no
doubt we hive on the verge OF discoveries and lnven
tons in every department as brilliant Us any that nave
ever been made; that there truths new facts
ready start into recognition on every sde and seems
TO me there was an age since the dawn OF time,
the progress already made, than the age in which
i've for there never an age more distinguished for
ingenious research, for novel result and bold generaza
ton.
That no further Improvement desirable IN the means
and methods Of ascertainpg the ships place at sea- no
one think will from experience be disposed to assert
The last time crossed the Atlantic walked the quarter
with the officer in charge OF the noble vessel oone
occasion, when were driving along before leading
breeze, and under head OF steam, beneath saress
sky midnight at the rate certainly of ten or eleven
miles an hour There is something sublime, but ap-
eoom-the midnight chi-the awful swell of the deep
the dismal moan Of the wind through the riggingthe
all but volcanic fires within the hold Of the Ship scarce
know occasion in ordinary life in which q rejecting
mind feels keenly its hopeless dependence on IRA
,iona forces beyond as own control. asked my com
panion how nearly he could determine his ships place at
sea under favorable circumstance Theoretically, he
answered, think within me; practically and usually,
within three or four My next question was, how near
do you think may be to Cape Race, that dangerous
he adand which pushes It's iron bound unlghted bastons
from the shores of Newfoundland far into the Atlantic,
first land fall TO the homeward bound American vessel
We must sad hc by our last observations and reckon
ing be within three or four miles Of Cape Race. com
paison Of these two remarks, under the circumstance
in which we placed at the moment, brought my
the conclusion that it s greatly TO wish ed that
the should be discovered Of finding the ships
place accurately, thai navigators would give
Cape Race little wider berth. But do not remember
that one OF the steam packets between England aud
America was ever lost on that formidable point
II appears TO me By means unlikely that with the
Improvement OF Instrumental power and OF the means OF
ascertaning the ships time with exactness great
advance beyond the state OF ant a1d science in
bndpe ships place at sea may take place, as was CT
cted by the invention Of the rejecting quadrant, the
calculation OF lunar abes and the improved constru;
ton OF chronometers.
In the wonderful versatility Of the human mind the
improvement when made, will very probably be made
by paths where IL is least expected The great induce
OF Mr.. Babbage to attempt the construction Of
engine by which astronomical tables could be calculated
and even printed by mechanical means and with entire
accuracy the errors in the requisite tables Nine
such errors in point Of fact discovered in
edition Of Tay ors Logarhms, printed in 17o6, some Of
which might have led to most dangerous results in
calculating q ships place These Nineteen errors Cor
which one only was an error of the press) were
pointed out in the nautical almanac for 1881. In
Of these errata the seat OF the stated TO be
in cos!ne Of II deg. 18 min. sec Subsequent cxam
nation showed that there error OF one second
in this correction, and accordingly 10 the Nautical Alma
mac Of the next year, a correction necessary
But in making the correction Of one second new
committed Of ten degrees. Instead of cosae
Ii deg Is min the correction printed cosDe
deg. Is min. making 1t still necessary IN some
future edition Of the Nautical Almanac TO insert an ezra
tum in an erratum Of the erra.a in layors logarthms
(EdbbuTg Review, vol. hx., 282.)
In the hope of obviatug the possibility OF such errors
Mr. Babbage projected his cacuating-or as he prefers
to call il, his difference machine Although this extraor
binary undertaking has been arrested in consequence OF
the enormous expense attending It's execution enough
has been achieved TO show the mechanical possibility Of,
constructing engine OF this kind of far
higher powers, OF which Mr. Babbage has matured the
conception devised the notation, and executed the draw
iDes-themselvee an imperishabe monument OF the
genius Of the author.
happened on one occasion to be in CON pany with this
ties pleasing his constructive talent Is marvel
lous when another sdudn Count Strzce c just returned
% @
thing Of Mr.. Babbaees calculating machine aud es
pecial whether, like their own scanpan, could be
made to go into The pocket. Mr. Bebbage good humor
edy observed that thus far he had been very much
Of pocket with II.
Whatever advances may be made in Astronomical
science, theoretical applied strongly inclined
think IL at they will be made in connection wit In
creased command Of instrumental power. The natural
order In which the human mind proceeds in the acqusi
ton OF astronomical knowledge Ia minute and
observation Of the phenomena Of the heavens The ski
Jul discussion and analysis OF these observations,
sound phil sopby in gcneralizing the results
In pursuing tins course, however difficulty presented
sth, which for ages proved nsuaerablc and which h.
The same extent, has existed In other science, viz
that all the leading phenomena Ia their appearance
ceusve. lts, indeed true that in all sciences superb
cial observation only lead except by chance, TO
pei hcial know ledge but know Of branch which
,he same degree in astronomy the great leading pie
nomena the reverse Of true while they yet appeal
strongly 10 the senses that men who could foretel
eel pees and who discovered the prece sion OF the equ
ncxes, si believed tha; the earth rest In the
tire al The universe and that all the OF heaven per
foi med daily oluon about II as centre.
IL usually happens in scientific progress that when
great fact IS at length discovered approves isse
at once TO all competent judges. II furnishes so
luton 10 so many problems, AMI harmonzes with
many other facts, that all the other data as IL
crystalline at once about it. IN modern times, ",
hav often witnessed such an impotence, so 10 say
OF great truths 10 be discovered that it has frequently
happened that they have been found ont simultaneously
BY more than one indiSidua and disputed question
priority Is event OF very common Not
with the true theory Of the heavens So mpIete is the
than on yield the suggestion Of the truth and il
Was only VIII the visual organs were armed with an
simcft preterrat@a instr umenta power, that the great
.sCt found admission 10 the human mind.
IL Is supposed that In the very dawn OF science Pytha
eorss his disciples explained the apparent
the heavenly DO lies about the earth by durna
iuion Of the earth on lis axis But this theory though
bearing 20 deeply impressed upon Il the great seal OF
truth simplicity was in such earing contrast with the
evidence Of the senses that failed OF acceptance
guilty Of the middle NfJund favor With minds Ike
those Aristotle Archmcdes Hppsrchus Ptoemy or any
All their ingenuity and all their mathematical skill
exhausted in the development OF wonderfully comph
Gated and Ingenious but theory. The great
matter truth, rejected for It's simplicity, lay disresarded
Al The second dawn or science the great fact agno
beamed into the mind Of Copernicus Nos at least 10
that glorious age which witnessed The invention Of print
ing the great mechanical engine Of intellectual progre
and the discovery Of America, may expect that tns
long hidden revelation second time proclaimed, viii
mand the Of mankind. But the sensible pae
stl too strong for the theory; the gorou
deluion Of the rising and the setting could no, be
Tycho Sc Brahe furnished his observatory
with instruments superior In number aud quality 10 att
that had been collected before but the great
Of discovery which, By augmen,ng toe optic power OF the
eye enables Il 70 penetrate beyond the apparent rhe
nomena and TO discern the true constitution OF b,
heavenly bodies, was wanting at Ursnienburg. Tne
observa OF Tyebo discussed by Kcper conducted
that most fervid powerful and sagacous mind the Ola
covery Of soe OF the most important laws OF the celes
tial motions, but was not TIL Calico, q. Florence had
pointed his telescope the sky that the Coperncan
tenn could be sad to be firmly established n the scientific
world.
On this great name, my friends, assembled are
TO dedicate temple to Instrumental astronomy, may
well Iause for a moment
There much, In every way in the city OF Florence to
excite the curiosity, kinde the imagination, aud h.
crafty the taste. Sheltered the north by the vine
clad hills OF fesole whose Cycopean walls carry back
the anqusry ages before the Roman before the rus
power, the howery city orcnza) the sunny
banks Of the Arno with It's stately palaces Dark and
irownirg piles OF medieval structure msiestc dome
the prototype OF st. Peters, bacas which enshrne IN
ashes Ct OF the mlghtest OF the dead the s,oa
where DANTE stood 10 the campane the house
Michael Angelo. still occupied by a descendant OF his
lineage and name, his hammer, his cbsel his dvidcrs
his manuscript poems, all as II he had le them bu, yes
terday-ary bridges which seem not much 70 rest
the earth to hover the waters they span-the
ioveest creations OF ancient art rescued from the grave
Of ages again 10 "enchant the word'-the breathing