The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-24
sThe Solar Eclipse and Other Phenomenn
of Nature.

of Nature.
The solar eclipse was a success for the
savans yesterday. The observation of the
great luminary came off on the day and at the
time calculated. II was observed in England
dmperfectly in the southern districts of the
country, but more advantageonsly to the
northward and at Wick. The facts and latest
reports have been telegraphed to US, and
appear in our columns this morning. We are
happy when the HERALD is enabled to cor
Eoborate science and vindicate the eternity and
harmonies of the great natural law, as we did
in the case of the meteoric display some few
wears since, against the d5Gt of Professor
1.oomis. That was a really painful occasion
for us, but we were forced as our readers
remember very well, to martyr our own feel
ings in defence of the stars and against the
darkness of New England philosophy. We
did so, and, as we believe, with really excel
aent effect. The men of science have been
more and moro careful ever since. Eclipses
and meteors and comets and earthquakes,
and volcanoes, advance and revolve, and
rumble and groan, and uphcave with much
greater regularity. We have hope, indeed,
that when the HERALD ultimately reaches the
limits of its circulation, from India to the
Pole and from the FIJI to the Giants Cause
way, the people of the Earth will be so accu-
rately informed as to the approach of these
pnd such like wonderful commissions of nature
THAT they may be enabled to get out Of
the way in due season; or, should they suffer
from want of the exercise of well timed
vigilance, that they will duly proclaim ''no
blame to the drivers" whether it be Phaeton
rolling the chariot of old Sol or electricity
propellng from below-a subtle spirit
chanting the DE Profuadis.
Canada, as will be seen, did not sympathze
largely with the eclipse. 1t may be that the
people of the Dominion have had quite enough
of that sort OF thing politically, and, as they
nave just now commenced to freeze in for the
winter, did not care particularly to be left in
the dark as well as ont in the cold. The
British colonists appear to be determined to
talk about something ''big" notwithstanding
80 off they went yesterday morning on the
subject of the advent of tidal wave and an
Earthquake. Doctor Smallwood- ssPh9bus,
what name," under the circumstances -
Eemployed himself ''all day"-so the despatch
tsays-' taking observations; but there were
'no signs of electric or other disturbances" at
Montreal In Quebec and at ST. Johns,
New Brunswick, they were on the alert for
Tidal wave, but were not visited by any such
thing. In truth the tide was lower than
usual, which Is just what we should have ex-
Aected in British America. "about tn ase times I"
canada must be content with snow storms for
the present. The 'other disturbances" which
Doctor Smallwood expected to experience at
Montreal may have reference to the Fenians.
The Fenians were not on hand either. Indeed,
the learned Doctor and the Canadians gene
rally need not expect visitation Of the Irish
Bunburst meteor before the time we now pre-
,dict-a few weeks previous to or few weeks
after the next American Presidential election.
Let Canada look out for stars, and lava and
tidal waves in the month OF December in the
wear 1872 HERALD time