The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1871-08-23

Alexander sent dispatch to the Empress immedi-
ately after the surrender ofSedan offering TO inter
vene, on the basis of the integrity Of French
territory Alexander in the same dispatch inform
ed the Empress that he had earnestly recommended
the King of Prussia to open negotiations for peace
and not insist on the cesson of French territory
the dsintegration Of France would be dangerous to
the peace OF Europe This proposal Of Russian In
tervention was however, spoiled by the outbreak
of the Revolution of September 4th, and the flight
OF the Empress, which took place few hours after
a dispaeh had been received from the Emperor Al
exander On hearing the news that the Republic
had been proclaimed, Alexander withdrew his prof
fered Intervention, and notified the King Of Prussia
that Russia wonld remain neutral. Jules Favre aud
all the former members of the Government of Sep
TENDER 4th, knew of the existence Of the dispatch
1t is said the letter was found after the fight of the
Empress, among the secret papers of the Empire,
but was withheld from publication by the Govern
ment of the National Defense. These revelations
apparently made public with the consent of the
Empress Eugenie. The Republicans, chiefly Jules
Fayre and his former colleagues, will probably deny
the proposed intervention of the Gar but the truth
is, the facts related be completely established
How We HEAR AND sEE.-Hemboldtz the best
living authority the subject of sound, says that
connected with the acoustic nerve are three thou.
sand strained microscopic fbres called "Corte's
orgau and that it is probable that every sound that
reaches the set those chords in vibration that
are sympatheticaly tuned to it, just as a voice will
set in vibration those chords of piano that are
stretched produce the same tone These different
vibrations are recognized by the mind by its con.
neeton with the nerve and brain.
A similar mechanism probably exists In the eye
The retina of the eye, which is the extremity OF the
optic nerve, is covered with exceedingly minute
bodies called - rods and cones" These it is prob
able have the faculty of vibrating under different in
luences. The red light is produced by vibrations
OF about four hundred and thirty quadrilnons Of
waves per second. 1t may set in vibration any "rods
and cones" that tuned to such vibration, while
those that sympathetic to the hundred and
sixty quadrilions of waves of violet light will be
set in motion thereby.
This suggests that, just as ears differ In their sen.
stiveuess-some hearing shrill voice that is utterly
inaudlbe to Others whose nerve chords are not at
tuned to them-so it may be in sight. The arrange
ment of the rods and cones" may differ in different
persons. And so it is. 1t is familiar fact, that
some PERSONS are cOlOT Uiinu lutl eau mol us
tinguish red. That is, their "rods and cones" have
not the right length elasticity to vibrate sympa-
theticaly with a wave length as large as those
at the end of spectrum. Aud 1t is fact that
some Others can see colors in the ultraviolet
end of the spectrum to some distance beyond what
is visible to most
Now if we were to extend this variation a little,
we may suppose that some animals may be able to
distinguish as light, by their differently constructed
eyes vibration that is quite insensible to ours 1t
would require slight change 10 the eye to make
the dark heat rays visible as is the difference be-
tween the eyes of a man who can see only from the
violet of the spectrum to the orange, and the eyes
of him who see also the red In fact, the prom
nent eyes of the mollusks at the utterly dark depths
of md-ocan, may be useful, for aught we know, in
seeing by means of rays of heat low temperature
Even the modified heat of the currents of thirtytwo
degrees of Fahrenheit may give these animals
abundant for their eyes.-JoUr,dl Of Microscopy