The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-11-05

similar instances have occurred, some
of which have destroyed life. They
are all found to bear close analogy
in their composition, and their spe
cific gravity is about three and ont
half times greater than water.
The luminous appearance and sub
sequent explosion of these bodies
have long been known, but it is only
within the present century that i
was proved that heavy substances
now called meteoric stones, were s
the same time projected upon th'
earth. The stones or bodies, by al
analysis of their constituent parts
have been found to be composed
invariably, of the following ingredi
ents: Slick, magnesia, sulphur, iron
nickel and chromium. There is oc
cssionslly, but not always, trace o
charcoal. 1t is important to observe
in this connection, that the iron AM
nickel of which they are in part com
- ----1iia- form
state in which they are never Knowi
to exist naturally in the earth. Thi
fact, of itself, would prove that thes
bodies are not of terrestrial origin
but there is an additional fact con
nected with these phenomena which
would go to disproye the hypothesii
that these bodies are emitted from
terrestrial volcanoes, or, indeed, in
any other way trace their origin to
our globe We refer to the Obliquity
with which they come in contact
with the earth's surface, which dem.
onstrates that they are impelled to
the earth by some other agency than
terrestrial gravity, since, in that
case, they would strike the earth
perpendiculariy, which rarely occurs.
There are two theories respecting
the origin of these bodies, either OF
whicn may be deemed probable
One is that they are emitted by lunar
volcanoes with such force as to impel
them beyond the moons attraction,
and where the attraction of the earth
would predominate and prevent their
return. They would therefore move
towards the earth with an accelerated
momentum. They would also par
take OF the diurnal motion of the
earth, which would render the line
of their descent oblique instead ol
perpendicular to the plane of the
The second, and perhaps most
probable, theory is that these bodies
are small particles of large planet
which formerly reVolved around the
sun in an orbit between those OF
Mars and Jupiter, and which was
burst asunder by some internal
force, forming the four minor planets
or asteroids, and throwing out these
smaller particles to so great dis
tance that-Mars being in remote
part of her orbit-they came within
the influence of the earth's attrac-
ton, and have since been revolving
around our globe that they are oc,
casionally overcome by the earth's
attraction and descend to its surface.
Either OF these theories will sc
count for their oblique descent and
immense velocity, neither of which
can be accounted for
on any other hypothesis.
The stream of light accompanying
these exhibitions have been account
ed for in but one way, and that is
that the immense velocity with which
they enter our atmosphere, CON-
presses the air so that it acquires a
sufficient heat to produce combustion,
and finally, the explosion, which
always accompanies these exhibi.
tions.
1t is not yet ascertained whether
these meteoric bodies are identical
with the shooting stars, which so
frequently shoot athwart the heav-
ems, or with the August and Novem-
ber meteors which at times occasion
such brilliant displays Certain it is
that, though these latter generally
move toward the esrth, none of
them have ever been known to reach
it, and while some of those who have
witnessed these exhibitions declared
that they heard kissing sound, re-
sembling the noise produced by the
passage through the air of sky
rocket yet such s display has been &C
companied by no such terrific explo-
sion as shook the houses of Findlay
and vicinity to their foundations a
few mornings since j. L. Smith,
nj. D., Professor of Chemistry in the
University of Louisville, KY, who
investigated the Guernsey county
meteorites, draws the following gen
eral conclusions respecting these
bodies which we append for the in
of our readers
l. The light emitted from meteoric
stones does not arise from incandes-
,ence, but from electicity or some
)ther cause. ss.
2. That the noise attending their