Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-16
The MeteOric Shower.
i. S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. IA. 1868.

WASHINGTON, ID. o., Nov. IA. 1868
SIR:-I have the honor to submit the toll
lowing preliminary report of the meteoric show
er of this morning
During the evening of the 18th inst; no
greater number Of lneteors were to be seen than
are usually to be observed on clear nights, I'M
til about II p. M, when there seemed to be
an increase in the number and brilliancy,
though not sufficient to indicate the beginning
of shower. At midnight the number had
considerably increased, and the prevalence OF
trains was generally noted AT thirty five
minutes past midnight, the Observatory party,
consisting of Professor Eastman and Messrs
Harrison and Frisbie, with Waterman Hays, be-
gan to count the meteors, and to plot the tracks
of the principal ones that appeared IN that por-
ton of the heavens covered by the star-chart.
At 1856 a. N. 800 meteors had been counted,
most of them quite brilliant and nearly all
leaving green, blue, or red trains.
Thus far the display had not been confined
to any portion of the sky, but most or them
were in tie northern or southern heavens, ana
scarcely any were in q position to be placed on
the star chart Many of the trains were vlsl-
bic for several minutes One lasted ten min
utes, and traces of one near Beta Urse MINORS
we're seen thirty minutes after the appearance
of the meteor.
After III. som. Professor Eastman, assisted
bv Mr.. Harrison, devoted his time to mapping
and noting the time of apparition OF the prln-
cipal meteors, and succeeded in sketchlng the
tracks of about ninety.
At III. Ann. 400 had been counted, and alter.
ward, the successive hundreds were observed
at intervals.
The observations were continued until six q.
M. at which time there had been counted s.
07S. At h. 90 M, a. m.,, Professor Nourse
and son Joined the party of observers, and as
sisted in counting the meteors in the western
heavens. During the whole display there were
| many meteors seen in the west, but from 4 h.
ON. to h. I'm. the numbers were about equal
| in the west and the east.
The time Of maximum frequency OF the me-
| teors was about h. M, when they fell at the
rate of about $500 per hour. The radiant
point was quite well defined during the latter
part of the shower, and was found by estimate
to be about 1892 in right ascension, and 90 30
in declinaton. The trains we're unusually bril-
liant, presenting the various shades OF green,
orange, blue and red, and remained visible tor
an unusual length Of time. Frequently as many
as five could be seen at once, presenting the APP
pearance, when nearly dlsSipated OF light cirrus
clouds The shower commenced several hours
|
year that it would be seen in 1868 only on the
Pacific Ocean,
A number of star. charts were distributed
several days ago to the various observatories
and scientific men of the country, and it is be-
| ieved that many valuable observations have
| been made, Of which we shall soon learn.
Very respectfully, your obedent servant,
B. +. SANDS, Com, Sup't.,
To Hon GIDEON WELLS, SeCt'y. of Navy
AGRICULTURE AND RAILRoADs.-Th Nor
folk journal says: owe hope that our people
will take the advice so earnestly urged upon
them at the agricultural meetings in Danvile
and Staunton, and not attempt to plant too
much land If they will do this, and sell out
| to immigrants what they cannot proitaby Gull
tivate, Virginia will be filled up with small and
rich farms, and not, as at present, with large and
poor ones. When this great change takes
place, our Commonwealth will have twenty
miles of railroads where it now has one, and
all of them will be paying lines. as they are IN
other States with dense and wealthy popua-
ton. Let every stakeholder, then, owning
shares in these Improvements that now pay
him nothing at all, take bold of the great Ques-
ton of immigration, the only source from
which Virginia can obtain prosperity. Let but
| few thousand of Northern or German far
mers settle near these now unproductive roads
and they will Immediately begin to flourish,
| and the stock will soon pay handsomely.
We not only need an improved culture, but
the operations Of every farmer should be re-
stricted to a narrower surface. In Eastern
Virginia we have probably ten times as much
land as can be worked to advantage land
capable of being converted into a garden. AS
soon as we begin ourselves to develop our agri
cultural resources, crowd of purchasers of
the best class will be attracted hither; and
fifty years hence, if not much sooner, farm
of hundred acres, not now worth more than
few hundred dollars, will be handsome for
| tune to the possessor.
We are not among those who believe that
the abolition of slavery will prove permanent
evil. For time indeed our industries will be
seriously unsettled and thousands of good
men have been reduced, at one Swoop, from
affluence to poverty. But the calamities of a
single generation are but small matter IN the
history OF State. They may, indeed, prove
blessing in the end. The recuperative power
of the Southern people has been slgnally mani
tested even in the midst of their misfortunes.
For in spite of untoward seasons and disor-
ganized system of labor, the leading staples of
the South have brought from two hundred to
two hundred and fifty millions of dollars in the
markets of the world each year since the war.
With an unprecedented public debt weighing
on the country, it has probably been saved
from bankruptcy by the fruits of Southern in
dustry i SterSD2TQ InOeC.
THE LOUISVILLE JoURNAL-We deeply re-
GREETED that circumstances seemed to require
the absorption of this widely known paper by
another, or rather, the merging of the Journal
into the Courier Journal, and the loss, hence
forth of its distinctive name. The reasons as.
signed for this change are given in the continu-