The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-10-16

SpcoA OI. IL beetHS = part OF tNo t8Ctlc OF
error, when no other cause is ~ effectivs,to
adopt truth and bring it into disrepute by
pushing it to extremes. People may believe
the moon still raises the tide of the ocean, and
no doubt physically affects our globe in
many other ways, despite the superstition
of the credulous. So it is with comets. Ac-
cordins to my theory of a universal fluid,
tthe electric iluid,) and the mechanical ar
engagements Of our system, the electric ten
SONS or destiny increase in passing outward
from the sun. This condition is caused by
centrifugal force Of rotation, which at the
same time begets rapid stream Of reStora-
ton along the equatorial plane and in planes
parallel 10 it. Now, comet approaching
the sun or centre Of the system is surcharped
with electricity, and by proxom,y disturbs
the electrical condition Ct contiguous bodies
as the earth. The imponderbity O: this
fluid, however, does not exempt it from the
laws Of specific heat, which are found to be
in the inverse ratio Of fluids inertia, and
consequently 1t may be presumed to possess
such specific heat in very high degree
We all know the changes Of temperature
following and preceding great electrical de
velopments, which are due to this cause and
hence we see how a comet may produce
ence when nearer to us than the sun. It is
also evident that this influence may be ex-
eTcised, either increasing Or diminishing the
temperature, i. e., either be productive of
heat or cold, according to the fact of whetb-
er it be approaching or recedng from the
earth. Something is also due to the comets
own electrical condition; but whatever the
influence at the beginning, the opposite con
di,ion will obtain when leaving the earth.
The present comet offers favorable Cd.
portunty for testing this question; for,
although not very close to US, it Is evident.
ly comet Of more than ordinary power and
magnitude Of mass. The weather for the
last three weeks, during which it has been
approaching, has undergone mark ed change
here. Tie early frosts which were so feared
during the first week in September have
given place to a summer temperature, and
the corn has felt the genial influence. In
1871, when the greatest comet OF the century
was visable, the vintage was so excellent
that the Comet Wine" was sold at extrav.
agant prices, and the present year also bids
fair to produce a similar vinta e. But if
this theory be cor rect there is practical al.
plication Of it Of which We NAV avail our
selves for the comet is about to pass its
nearest point, and the reaction will come
upon US in the shape Of very early winter,
whose first beginning will be Of extreme Sc
verify. We should also expect very dis
turbed weather on the lakes 10 precede this
advent, and, being thus expectent, might
avoid the attendent evils. IL is for the pur-
pose Of inviting attention to this connection,
Of phenomena that has entced lie to waive
my objections against parabing my peculiar
theories before the public, seeing that am
doomed to be ever in opposition. Having
done this, | would close, bat there is one
argument often adduced to disprove the
views herin advocated which feel under
the necessity Of exposing. In 1882, the cell
brated ARAGo issued a Tract on Comets"
which contained table of the number of
commets and the mean annual temperature
in each year Of a series, showing by com
parison that no influence was produced; but
a comet could produce great extremes with.
out affecting the mean annual temperature,
by producing both heat and cold in the way
pointed out Besides this, il would be pre-
poslesous TO assign an influence to a small
short period comet known to be gaaeous,
and scarcely perceptable in the telescope at .
moderate distances, equal to q comet of
thousand years, which came rushing down
upon US from the outer boundaries Of our
system, with an electrical energy perhaps a
thousand-iold greater but this is ony an
example Vt the unphilosophical manner in 7.
which the subject has been treated by the /
scientific.
This theory of comets I havo often before .
presented, showing now every peculiar Pie. /
nomenon Of the tails, auclei and diameter
may be triurnphantly explained by the ai-
mission Of these principles, end without
which We become eDtan gled IN endless diff
entities. The present comet calculate NAV
hrve a peaiad of sixty eigh: years, yet it
might perhaps be identical with the comet Of
1858, with period three times as long
for IL follows from the theory, that obserya-
tons made before perihelion passage will /
give shorter period than observations con- /
sI,ierably afterwards. Also, that the tail Of .
a re,rogade comet will be, ceteri, paribus,
more curved for the same length than di. |
rect comet. Also, that the TAIL will be longest !
when passing through the plane OF the suns /
equator. Finally. | would remark that this /
is not the srea, expected comet, as that com. /
ct could not by any possibility be seen in .
high northern deciuation at this time of the
year. T. BAsSSErT