The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-28
The Final Fate Of the World.

Therefore, the Ranchero says the arrest was
right II was the first step Of a protectorate.
The Final Fate of the World.
If two bodies were placed in space without
any force acting upon each other than their
own gravity, they would Immediately start to-
ward each other, and would rush together.
The sun and planets, which constitute the
stellar system to which our solar system be-
longs, are prevented from running together
into one mass by their revolutions about each
other. The revolutions of the planets around
our sun, and of the satellites about their pri-
maries, have been ascertaned. with that won
derfu precision which is the Just pride of as
Economical science, and astronomers are now
engaged in the sublime problem of unrayeling
the revolutions of the countless suns that make
up our stellar system. Already the cluster of
the Pleiades is indicated as the proximate To-
cality Of the center around which our sun,
with bis attendant planets, is sweeping his vast
orbit and it is suggested that it is probably
the common center of the orbits of all the suns
of our stellar system.
If the force of gravity extends across the in
conceivable spaces which separate the several
stellar systems Of the universe, those systems
must IUSll IO5CLItI uucSS Licy are liclU apart
| by revolutions around each other.
| If light were an emanation, as held by New
/ ton, the spaces between the solid bodies of the
universe might be absolutely empty; and in
that case, the revolutions of the bodies around
each other might go on forever On the other
/ hand, if light is vibration in subtle fluid
the fluid must obstruct the motions Of bodies
revolving in it, and they must finally come to-
gether in one mass. The experiment so inge-
niouslv devised by Arago and carried out with
such honorable regard for the fame of its de-
sinner by Messrs. Faucault, Fizcau and Bere-
ouet, to determine whether there is differ
\ ence in the velocity of light in its passage
through air and water, has demonstrated that
| light is vibration 1t follows from this that,
as far as light extends, space is filed with a
| material fluid which resists the motion of bod
/ les revolving in it, and bodies within this space
must gradually wind their way inward, and
ultimately come together in one mass.
The moon must be drawing very slowly
nearer and nearer to the earth, and the two
bodies, in the far distant future, will come to-
gether The solid crust of the earth will be
broken up by the shock, an immense quantity
Of heat will be generated by the destruction
of the moons motion, and the two bodies will
fuse together in one molten globe. AS the
new and enlarged earth is cooled upon its
surface, a second series of geological deposits
will be constituted, accompanied, perhaps, by
strange and uncomfortable forms Of animal and
vegetable life.
At the same time the earth is winding its
way inward toward the sun, and must ulti-
mately fall, an inconsderable pebble, into the
/ Il. & n
the planets, and oursolar system must one day
be but a single globe. When this globe is
cooled to the right temperature, it may be Gov
cred with a multitude of inhabitants, and as
tronomers may rise who will watch its revolu-
tons among the associated suns of our stellar
system. If their knowledge and intellect are
equal to the science Of our astronomers, they
will foresee the ultimate coming together OF
all these suns into one common globe. And
not this only, for they will predict the final
coming together Of all the stellar systems Of
the visible universe into one mass of matter.
When this matter is first collected, it will be
intensely hot from the destruction Of motion in
the several suns and systems of suns as they
come tsgether, The heat will be radiated out
ward into the universe, and the one mass of
matter will be gradually cooled During the
cooling there will be the same play and mutual
interchange Of heat, light electricity, magnet
ism, and other mponderabIe forces that is now
upon the earth. As the cooling proceeds the
action of these forces will diminish when
977 degrees is reached, light win cease, and
darkness will fill the universe. As each vibia-
ton Of heat leaves the material mass, it will
expand outward at the rate Of 192, 900 miles
per second in all directions, in the form of a
swift swelling hollow globe. When The tenn
perature Of absolute cold is reached (-493-2
degrees) the last vibration of heat will leave
the mass of matter and will expand outward
through all infnity Of space and time
Surprising, however, the ethereal fluid which
fills the visible portion of the universe is lin
tied in extent SO that the last vibration Of heat
viii reach its boundaries and cease, what then
becomes of the force of the universe, and of
the doctrine of the conservation Of force.
TScientfc American.
THE ORIGINAL on MAN OF CANADA-Abou