The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-05-29

canic action and brought into aggregation bv
some elee trio or magnetic disturbance.
Against this stheory 1t may be urged that it
is based upon simLle hypothesis that the
aycensional To- rec OF vocanoes does carry
into the upper regions of the atmos phere the
elementary part icies necessary to the forma-
ton OF masses OF kind similar TO meteoric
stones. This is purely AN hypothesis to ac-
count for fact which has no support appa-
renuy, independent of the fact itself and
therefore no conilrmatory evidence 1t looks
very much as II 1t were the bold assumption
OF tact To support a theory, instead of being
TACT on which 10 base the theory II is cvi-
dent, with the slightes, amount Of reflection,
mat II does not bear upon its face any pansi-
biIity even. Independently Of the manifest
improbabiiity OF great clouds of me,eor-dust
being waited 10 very distant regions, without
being widely dffused il 10 the whole domain
OF the atmosphere. il can, we think he con-
ciCsiyeiy shown from reasons based on chem-
cal and physical causes, that snch is not the
case, or, at least, that such a theory would by
no means account for all the circumstance
attending the fail of .rrolites.
1t is stated that one subs.ance-and the
principal one found in meteorites namely
nickeliferous iron-has never been found in
the lava of volcanoes; and further that the
particles of iron and nickel found in them
though passing through the heat ted a tmos phere
OF the volcano, have yet undergone no oxyd-
alton, these masses being themselves peculiar
iy free from oxidation, except on the surface.
But the physical objections to this theory
have, perhaps, stiii greater weight, and leave
! several facts to be accounted tor, which pre-
sent more difficulties on this hypothesis than
The primary question Of the origin of the
bodies. Let las imagine 10 ourselves the sud-
den aggregation OF misses of matter in the
upper regions of the atmosphere, and by what
force are we 10 suppose ehey are projec ted
into an obliq ue direc ton, so that they iai 10
the earths surface not perpendicuiarly, but
at various inC1iUations. Is 1T not plain that,
starting from distant regions of the atmos-
phere, the force requisite TO give them a con-
h fai n haAk f
great in tensty. 1t is necessary, therefore, not
only To show the existence of the particles of
matter in the atmosphere before aggregation,
but also to account for the oblique impulse,
sometimes in almost direct antagonism TO the
eastward motion OF the atmos phere ITSELF
IL, however, We suppose bodies to move to-
ward The earth under the simple condition of
an aggregation OF particles, then what should
we naturally expect to find Why, OF course,
that the descent would be nearly or quite per-
pendicular to the earth's surface. Ii, more
over, bodies of various :nagnitudes and equal
density begin their descent from the same
point, having already the motion of the mp
per strata of the tmosphere, then we should
likewise expect to find thar the largest OF them
would be found IN situations, ii any hing,
somewhat farther east than those that We're
smaller; Tor as their motion eastward at the
moment of aggregation would be slightly
greater than the motion of the lower strata
they would tend to advance with a greater
velocity, generating a resistance toward the
west. which resistance would be more sue
cessfully overcome by the larger masses
This would not, however, cause any great
change in the relative positions of the bodies
Now, what are the facts of the case! Why,
AS We have already stated, in the particular
phenomenon we are CO asidering, the very re-
verse OF this is the truth, since the larges,
bodies Were found several miles Ttrther west
than the smaller ones. So we must not only
account fora proJectlle force, but such an
mat one OF It's components simply has
produced 4 very considerable dis spiacement
bearing east and west We think, therefore
that the Theory of the terrestrial origin OF
UrolIteS has not even the shadow OF a foup-
datlon for its support.
Let us now go upon the hypothesis that
these bodies reach Us from some point beyond
The limits OF our atmosphere, and consider
whether the facts have presented do not
confirm THIS snppOsltiOn:
In the hrst place, II we suppose number
OF bodies OF unequal magnitude and equal
density To fall into our atmosphere. which
by the earth's rotation ON its axis is moving
in our latitude 1T the ra te of some six or seven
hundred miles per hour, having no eastward
motion OF their own, the atmosphere would
exert constant and energetic force tending
TO Impart 10 them It's own eastward motion
but rs the quantity OF matter increases with
the Increased dimensions of body in a higher
ratio than the Increase Of surface, the former
being IL the cubes and the latter Us the
squares of the di,nensiOns,) the effect of this
force would be considerably greater upon the
smaller masses, and would therefore carry
them 10 the eas tern limits of The section Of
example before us, rs We kave already stated
such was really the case. Yet ii cannot be
assumed that the whole amount Of the differ
ence III the longitudinal positions is que SIM
ply to the motion OF the atmosphere, since
th 5 would only be true for bodies falling III !;
definite plane namely, in plane coincIding
with a meridian plane of the earth. AS We
have already observed the belt within which
those fell in the case before us extended in a
direction from southeast 10 MOI tn west over
some ten miles; but adopting the argu-
ment We have just presented, it is appa-
rent that the direction III which they en-
tered the atmosphere much less
angle with the meridian than is indicated
by their positions on the earlh's surface
1t must also be observed that not only are the
largest bodies OF the collection farther west,
but likewise farther north tnan The others
aud since we know, by the Impressions they
made, that their forward motion bore IN gem
eraI directiU from the south toward the north,
perhaps, as above indicated, 1T a small angie
with The MERIDIAN we have here also Il coIi-
cidence III fact with what might have been n
IcIpated, the greater momentum OF the larger
masses III proportion TO the opposing atmOs-
pherlc resls tance, carrying them to The most
northern limit. Now, the resisting force OF
the atmosphere increasing as the square OF the
velocity, we know would III the case OF bodies
moving with great speed be of great intensity,
aud hence We should naturally expect Il great
retardation of the velocities OF bodies falling
To the earth's surface. The great moving
power OF the atmosphere, Indicated sometimes
IN the effects OF hurricanes, gives an adeq uate
idea also OF its capacity of resis tance.
In the present instance IL may be asserted
that the veiocities OF the bodies al the moment
of collision with the earth's surface was not
very great; a fact that may be safely assumed
in consideration of the inconsiderable depth
10 Which they tered, even III soils presenting
no pee uiiar obs true tions; L depth OF perhaps
not more than average OF from one 10 one
aud u nalf feet. But Independently OF this
fact, the sound of the explosions was heard AT
4 short interval before The bodies themselves
reached their destination, indicating mat their
velocity could not have exceeded that of sound.
This Interval between the report ana the APP
pearance OF the bodies was Il very short one,
giving only time TO look up, and il at the
time OF the explosion the bodies were at
some distance from the earth's surface,
as must have been the case, then there
could have been little difference between
the velocity OF sound and OF the bodies
Assuming this rs An approximate result. We
pass on To consider The probable eastward mo-
tion which the atmosphere mad impaired to
them and II this can be shown on reasonable
grounds TO have been very considerao Die, then,
since The Ga apncity OF Il medium when moving
10 impart velocity CORES ponds win It's ca
paciiy OF retardation when the body Is NOV
ing, the veloclties being equal We may justly
conclude that III the same Time the ret;tTQatlou
Of IL great velocity may have been very con-
siderable. Before proceeding to this task, let
us consider, in some IliuStratl1ns, the conse-
Quences of falling bodies coming III contact
with revolving sphere Suppose, Tor exain-
Pile, We have u sphere of piastic material re-
Voiving from west 10 east on Its axis with Il
given velocity, without being surrounded by
any resisting medium. Ii, now, We drop upon
this sphere Il meridian plane II small body
having the same velocity the sphere ItseiI,
al the point OF contact, then II would not en-
ter the surface in the direction OF the centre,
but at an angle OF i5 degrees west OF the me-
ri6ian plane in which il moved. Ii, however,
YOU suppose the body 10 have an eastward mo-
~ hal of h9 .