The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-01
Aithn>olltl 1ispatth.
WEDNESDAY. ....:.. MARCH l, 1871.
TIFF CIRCULATION or THE DIapATCa
IS LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIR
cUIATIoN OF AIN THE oTaER DAILY
new srkPERs OF THE CITY.
fp,fniishc,1 bv EenNcst. I

NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY.
Published by Eequest1
The Moon Hoax The Great Fraud on
sbe Scientific Worsd-Locke's Story
OF Herschei's Noon Discoveries
How tho World Doubted and Re
lteved. ..-
From the New York Tribune.]
In the year 1855 the American scientific
world was convulsed by the publication of
what purportcd to Oc the discoveries Of Sir
John Herschel Nhe youngcr) at the Cape Of
Good Hope. The account appeared in
Moses Y. Beach's New York San, and was
supposed to be communicated to the Edin-
burgh Journal Of Science. OF this hoax
Richard Adams Locke. whose death is just
announced, was the author. So clearly was
the narrative written that for time the
marvellous story was accepted as genuine.
The article, as originally printed, appeared
under this formidable title:
"GREAT ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES LATELY
MADE By SIR JOHN HERscHEL, Ii. D., F. r.
S., AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE"
The article then goes on to state that Her
schel, by means OF vast telescope con-
structed on an entirely new principle, had,
ut an elevated point in South Africa, sue
ceeded in maxim. the most extraordinary
discoveries in every planet Of the solar sys-
tenn, but especially lad penetrated all the
mysteries OF the moon. Every detail of the
information was accounted for with mathe-
matical accuracy and scientific ingenuity,
and scholars who had devoted their lives to
the special study Of astronomy could bring
no conclusive reasons for doubling the truth
Of the pretended discoveries. The account
stated gravely that the elder Herschel had
devoted his life to the perfection OF tele-
scopic lens which would, by combina-
tion OF ingenious contrivances, reduce dis
tance to nothinguess. BY means of It's lens
and 4 combination Of achromatic contri-
yauceS, comprehensive only to the initia-
ted. this wonderful instrument magnified
~, 900 times, bringing the most distant
planet close enough for investigation. OBJ
jects on Saturn not over eighteen inches in
diameter were made perfectly plain. Her.
schcl, it was stated, expressed his ability to
study even the entomology Of the moon.
\ transit Of Mercury was to occur in 1925,
and the Cape OF Good Hope was the only
spot Offering the needed facilities for its ac-
curate observation. This explained quite
satisfactorily the spot where the alleged dis
coyeries had been made.
The astronomical expedition, it was
stated, consisting OF Sir John Herschel (the
younger), DR.. Grant, and Lieut.. Drum
mond. oil the Royal Engineers, F. R. A. S..
and large corps OF skilled mechanics, lett
London in September, 1884, and the results
OF their laDors We're thus given to the world
| one year later. The work of the explorers
on their arrival at the Cape Of Good Hope,
| with the selection OF IN observatory and
the erection Of the telescope, are succlnctly
and luinulely described. .sI'he lens, which
is enclosed in q frame of wood, and braced
| TO its corners by bars Of copper, IS suspend
| ed upon an axis between two pillars, which
are ucally $50 teet high. The field of view
from this colossal telescope had diameter
of 80 feet;
| WHAT WAS SEEN IN THE MOON.
| After many days of preliminary investj
| yaliOu. III which stars and comets were re-
Quced 70 commonplace spectacles, the SUI
ureme work-the exploration Of the
| inoon-took' place. cit was about 10H
o'clock on the night OF the 10th OF Janu-
ary, the moon being then advanced within
| four days of her mean libation, that the AS
tronomer adjusted his instrument Tor The
inspection OF her eastern limb" The
whole iiumcnse power Of the telescope was
(appl!ed, and to its focal image about one
halt OF The power OF hij microscope. ION
y, "
OF view was covered throughout its entire
alea with beautifully distinct and even
Vivid representation of 6aSultac rock d! Itt
color Was greenlsll-brOwn, and the width
of the columns, rs defined by the iuterstlce.
on the canvas. was invariably twenty.
eight inches. No fracture whatever ap.
peared i'll the mass first presented, but
IN few seconds il shelving pile appeared
OF i've or SIX columns width, which show
ed their Dgure TO be heXagonal, and ther
Authorizations similar to those 1T the baSaltlt
formation at SIata." Here flowers were
discovered such as bloom in our own fields
The ear1h's diurnal rotation, causing
rapid ascension Of the moon, seemed Il
present new features TO the observers ever,
instant, and upon the canvas appeared
every moment green fields such lis the worl(
has, with all the other attributes OF sublll
NARY lie. The trees, said the narrative
were for Il time of an UNMARRIED kind, an.
uulike ANY have seen, except the laryes
kind OF vcws III English gruvt-yards, Which
they III some respects resemble. Alter tn,
trees, green plan, 40 miles in extent, wa
lrcfecteu Oh the canvas. In time al !nlant
lake appeared, which was described rs mos
enchanting. The beach WIS white rs snow
rently green marble, varied 1T chaSms witt
grotesque blocks of chalk or gypsum
and ieathered and testooncd ut tn
summit with clustering foliage OF un
known trees, while the water wa
as blue as that OF deep ocean, ant
broke in large white bi!lows OIL tue sand,
strand. In this vicinity no animal life wa
discovered. Hundreds OF miles OF moor
were thus travelled over, and great anXiet,
begun to grow upon tie gazers Tor som
sign Of life IN the new world thus wonder
fully brought TO their feet. Presently
novel train OF scenery appeared upon tn,
lens, and DR.. Herschel was thrown int
an ecstacy of wonder and delight. n lot,
chain of obelish-shaped or very slende
pyramlds, standing Ill irregular groups
each composed of about thirty or tort!
spires, every one Of which was perfect.
squares, and US accurately truncatet
as the finest specimens of crystal
| They were Of IL faint lilac hue, and very re
| splendent. DR.. Herschel proved these tc
| be wine.colorcd amethysts. They reached
all altitude of 80 to 80 feet. The whole
| breadth of the northern extremity Of thii
sea, which was about 300 miles, having
crossed the telescope plane, a wild, noun
famous region, abounding In forests fvery
much larger trees apparently OF English
forest oak that had been hitherto seen wal
entered upon. These trees were covered
with superb foliage Of broad, glossy leaves,
like laurel, which nung in the open glades
from branches to the ground. This having
passed, a valley was entered which " filled
| the observers with aStOniShment," 1t was