Smyrna times., 1859-12-01

. Jected from the moon at a velocity of one I'm,
dred and twenty thousand feet in a secon
which may be regarded as almost impossible
There has been another theory. eopallv unto,
aole' that meteors are formed in the atmospher
oy the concreton of materials which exit
therein, much in the same manner as hailstone
are formed. But facts connected with the me
teorlc masses which have boen discovered dis
prove this theory. Masses of metallic matte
iour or hVe times heavier than water could no
Oe held suspended in the air for any considera
Die time; and the evidence from the cons;itu
ents OF mcteoric stones is very strong that the,
are not instantly formed. While the outel
surfaces OF the meteoric stones show the in
tense action of fire, the inside frequently dis.
plays no marks of heat, and is comparatively
cool. We are not aware that the atmospheric
theory is now entertained by any scientific
men.
The theory of the origin of metesrs now
most generally accepted is that they are cosmi.
Cal bodies, like earth, but of small size. i'm.
men5c numbers Of which revolve around the
sun IN cone or belt which certain seasons
oil the year is intersected by the earth's orbit
IhiS theory considers shooting stars and me-
leors TO be Identical. What gives plausibililv
to this hypothesis is that immense numbers of
SHooung stars are seen at certain seasons
OF the year, mainly in August and Noyem.
Der, though sometimes more are seen in sona
years than III others. Humboldt gives in his
adhesion to this theory. He says that " shoot
ing-starS, hre-ba!ls and meteoric stones are.
win great probability, regarded as small bodies
moving with planetary velocity, and REVOLVING
IN obedience to the laws of general gravity in
comic sections round the sun. When these
masses meet the earth in their course. and arc
attracted by it, they enter within the limits Of
our atmosphere in luminous condition. and
frequently let fall more or less strongly heated
stony fragments, covered with shining black
crust" Arago, referring to the periodical No.
Eenlber phenomena of shooting stars, and also
considering them identical with meteors. saws
" We thus become more and more confirmed in
the belief that there exists zone composed ofl
millions of small bodies, whose orbits cut tho
plane of the ecliptc at about the point which
our earth annually occupies between the lIth
and 18th of November. 1t is new planetary
world beginning to be revealed to u.s.
1t ls the opinion of some scientific men that
some of these meteoric masses NAV ACTUALLY
revolve about the earth, and accompanv il 50
the moon does in its orbit, though being so small
as to be invisible. Sir John Herschel is even
of opinion that such satellites not only exist.
but that some of them may be so large, and of
such texture and solidity as to shine by reflect |
cd light, and become visible (such- at least as
are very near the earth) for a brief moment,
suffering extinction by plunging into the earths
shadow; in other words undergoing total
eclipse.
The hypothesis that meteors, shooting stars. !
@rolites and fire balls are identical, and that
they are material bodies revolving around the
sun, although SO generally received, is bv no
means established. But in the present state of
scientific research, this hypothesis seems the
most probable. q
The fall of Grolites or fragments of meteors
Is more frequent than is generally Supposed
II has been estimated that seven hundred fall
annually on various parts of the earth Thew
are seldom found, however, as they peneralIv
bury themselves IN the eurth to a dspth some
times OF ten or twelve feet The velocity ofl
their decent, indeed, is a strong argument in
favor OF their planetary origin, being mucb
greater than would be due to glavitation alone.
1t might be supposed that the fell of meteortes
If
human life. And so it does, though not to such
an extent that it need enter into the calcnIa-
tlons OF life insurance companies. 1t srecord.
ed that the fall of one killed monk at Crema
in 1911 ; and in 1000 monk of the FRANCISCAN
order was killed at Milan. Two Swedish soiI-
ors were killed by meteorite on board ship in
1874. On the 18th November, 1924, one fell
in France in the Department De rAin. which
set fire to barn.
we have touched as much at length as our
limits would permit upon the phenomena con.
! nected with meteors Much, it will be observ.
ed, of what is received concerning them is pure
speculation. But with the activity of the hu.
man mind and the steady advance of astronomi-
cal research, we cannot doubt that the problem
OF the origin of these interesting bodies will
yet be fully and satisfactorily solved.
OF the twelve passengers who wero killed bv
the late accident to an excursion train in Wis
consin, seven are known to have been ont of
their seats, and it is supposed that the other
five were also not in their proper places. II is
thought that if all had remained in their seats.
not passenger would have been killed. These
facts should convey a warning to those careless
individuals who are moving about and standing
on the platforms of the cars to smoke or f'p
other purposes.
The most extensive and profitable slave
trade now carried on. is by the British at Mau.
ritius. The natives of Malabar and Madogas.
car are carried there in immense numbers. the