The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-15
The MatSorS.

ours ca,ls ethe he'll" for the Devil seems To
he about among the potentate and politicians,
the pruses and the Abolitionists. not to speak
Of individual enterprises OF an extraordinary
character which are turning up constantly IN
the police columns Of the great city papers
and making everybody roll up their eyes ana
wonder what the ID are we all coming 10
next. In the old world, DIR. CUMMINGS VINO
has long been recognized prophet ihs,s
that in about six years, this planet on ""''"
we live and which now, IN Its fn'o
c,or,as looks SO beautiful and attractive, VIII
wind n ~ its affairs although, WIN WISE FFoNi-
sion for the future, he mas hifnseii ieaseo
bonss for a period much beyond that which
no has assigned for the destruction OF the
asrth. The Earl of Carlyle, too, Lord Lieu
tenant Of Ireland, has written a volume TO
rroye that the world is coming TO an end-an
idea which has probably been suggested TO him
by the potato rot and the rapid depopulation
OF Ireland. Some one else has written a book
10 demonstrate that Louis NAPoLKoN is the
identical beast of the Revelations-a very ter
rlbie beast Louis is, no doubt, to the British
Lion-aud tina, the number of the beast, Cog,
we think it is, fits his name exactly. TO
which another polemic has replied, by
adapting the Go TO the English Chancellor
OF the Exchequer, and showing that that
excellent Christian gentleman is undoubt-
eddy the veritaole monster Of the Apocalypse.
In the midst of this connection upon earth,
the atmospheric disturbances have presented
wonders which in ancient times would have
scared the world out of its wits, and which
even now put Professor MERRIAM, of Brook
lyn, at his wits end. That acknowledged
clerk Of the weather has been called upon so
often this year to account for the extraordi-
nary behavior of his atmospherical and cleo
trical pets and proteges, that we wonder he Is
not entirely out of patience and, as If these
were not enough, in all conscience, TO occupy
his time, he is expected 10 take charge of
the meteors which have lately been blazing
athwart the midnight skies, and shaking their
fiery tails almost in the eyes of the star gazers
But MHRIAN is not 4 man TO be daunted by
any pyrotechnics, whether Of the earth or un-
der the earth, and he takes meteor out of his
pocket with as much grace as CHEsTERFIRLD
would have drawn out a handkerchief, and
givss>you the points with so much learning
logic and lucidity, that, when he has done,
YOU know SIS much about it as he does him.
self He insists that the meteors are electri-
CAL and that postulate once granted, MERRIAM
is safe, because he has a patent of electrical
operations and disturbances, and no ore else
has right 10 NEEDLE with his thunder
The American ASSOCIATION of Science which
lately adjourned, nevertheless ventured to in.
fringe this patent of MERRIAM, and took up
the subject of meteors, but had 10 drop il again
conceding that on that subject all scientific
Americans are KnowNothings. We observe
that the eminent philosopher of the New FORK
Herald gives this Association a deserved casti-
CATION for coming to SO lame and i1npotent
conclusion. What are men of science good
for the Herald wants to know. if they cannot
tell US all about meteors We think so, too
Here are these meteors coming along every
week or two, some of them travelling in a most
leisurely manner, as though they would tale
unfold for the instruction of mankind, yet our
learned pundits give them up in despair, in
stead Of compelling them 10 disclose whether
they are fire, water or mineral; fish, flesh or
fowl, ministers Of health or COLLINS damned
We don't know what form of obj urgation is
strong enough 10 heap upon the heads OF these
scientific numskulls, who, for all their know.
ing looks, can't see into a milestone any far
Their than common people, and who, even when
the American Association of Meteors have
thrown all the light they can upon the sub
iect, prove themselves blind leaders Of the
blind, and die without a sign.
Our able contemporary, the Philadelphia
North AMERICAN says there is really something
alarming in the knowledge that there are
wandering bodies in space which come into
this atmosphere, and descend TO the surface OF
the earth with startling accompaniment of
tsffs of fire-actual combustion and explo.
sion-as actual and gen uipe as the bursting OF
key of powder. The subs lance of these frag-
ments takes fire, simply from friction, in the
thiEnest part of the air, at an altitude Of forty
or fifty miles and the surface Of the lump,
whether foot or a mile in diameter, is bril-
liant with light and heat The meteor of July
20th proves TO have been much larger than was
at first supposed, its altitude being at least
forty or fifty miles, and its diameter perhaps
five hundred feet. Such body, as the Anleri-
can says, striking popUlous city, would
prove a terrible visitation. Very likely il
would call out all the fre-engines in New
York, and if ii should fall on the Grea, East
ern, might disturb the equilibrium even OF
tina: mammoth of the sea. But the AMERICANS
theory Of meteors is the best we have seen, and
as this is prac teal age, and not insensibIe to
material values, we predict for it universal
popularity. Assuming that meteors are me-
tallic, the American suggests that they may
also be composed, in part, of precious metals
and, in that case, the profit of finding frag-
ments would repay any risk incurred in dodg-
ing their fall. Here is promising field for
gold hunters, for the actual number of these
fragments flying about the earth is probably
ten times the number seen or reported in the
hours of observation, which are bat few in
the twenty-tour. Keep 4 bright lookout
therefore, fer the next meteor and save the
pieces.
Another subject Of congratulation is that
the great Southern meteor " of August Cd
was quite equal to the great Northern me-
teor" OF July 20. We have our eccentric
bodies as well as the North, our wandering
stars as we'll as fixed starr and they can soar as
high, dive as deep, and make as loud report
as any meteor OF Northern manufacture. We
yield to no section Of this cosntry In great
natural productions and terrific prodigies II
is observable that the magnificent meteor of
August I'd was truly sectional meteor. dis
dainiHg 10 chine In its full glory over any
States but South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee
and Kentucky, and reversing the course of its
predecessor, trayersed path from southeast
TO northwest. III that direction, il disap-
peared, giving it's fire. eating tail mos defiant
nirt over the city OF springfield, in Illinois
as much as to say, Honest old ABE, what
40 you think OF thatl'
Progress Of City Railways.
In view OF the efforts now making for the
acquisition of this great public convenience
In Richmond, 1t may be In teresting to our read.
e-s 10 know that the system is making its way
steadily all over the country. To PhiladeI.
phia, we believe, belongs the honor of frs, at.
tracing the attention of The country 10 the
subiacr and laadine ,ha ,uar 70 .ha -,