The New York herald., 1874-08-17
Mist.
objects very distinctly
seen below.

At twenty minutes past six we struck the earth
in the town OF Vineand. N j., forty miles from the
FROM this place reascended with the boy, leav-
ing the lady behind, ana rose to the height OF
twilight and the ocean shore was well defined
when viewed from the greatest altitude and at o
a pivot round which the Delaware River and the
capes north OF It's mouth semi-crcled on our hori-
Zon
AS seen by the tabuated notes above, the tenn
perature increased as we rose, and this was SUI.
fcient to induce deep interest to my OUserva-
tlOns. 1t will also be seen that the Temperatures
are very irregular In regard 10 attitudes, out IN
this due allowance must he made ior the times Of
ment OF the balloon. When we entered not strata
1t always felt Ike approaching confagration,
the heat producing an an unpleasant sensation on
ably scorched and felt It's. effects myself as iOrc
bly, as the application OF mustard plaster.
In addition to the thermOmetrlc revelations, 80
adverse to a normal condition Oi atmosphere, my
attention was drawn to q peculiar shadow that
direction. This penumbrous shadow was well
defined in its marginal lines because 1t was dark,
while the town northeast and southwest Of It ap.
peared as white as chalk, as did also the neighDOr-
ing towns within the range of Wilmington, to the
south. and NOrristown, TO the north, both OF
which were plainly seen. AS We receded from the
city the shadowed part vanished into very dark
colored obscurity, while Its outer precincts were
coupled with the strated appearance of PORTIONS
OF the atmosphere, very naturally led the cogitat
ing mind to Frauenhoner's spectral lines. These
appearances were so marked and the anomalous
temperatures experienced expressive that
nothing could satisfy my conjectures Of the cause
80 well as the idea that
THE ATTENUATED ENVELOPE OF THE COMET
was transmitting beams and rays OF sunlight with
dncny nosve and neaatye ines o as 'nqs s PnS
them under the speCtr0scope. 1t lurther induced
the thought, may not all the commissions and ex-
traOrdlnary disturbances OF our atmosphere owe
their origin to the movement Of cOmetary bodies
falling between our planet and the sun In their
erratic courses visible aud invisible to our ocular
My conjectures give simply as such, and as q
natural outflow Of induCtlve reasoning.
In my thirty mine years experience In the upper
air | never found an increase OF temperature as 1
assembled. Once, in the month Of October, found
It little warmer up In mist, 1000 ieet high, and
only once, and then without those widely differ
ent conditions OF but Q few minutes Of time apart
as experienced IN the present instance
THE srRIATED PORTIONS OF AIR,
as noted, seemed IKE twltcherng beams such as
we see over heated surface IN the sunlight and
themselves since we often behold phenomena Of
tina: kind In appearance in the aurora porealis.
The dark beam or brush, that stretched out over
the CITY, was more remarkable since 1t was not
cloud shadow, because there were no clouds
visible except bank that skrted the horizon;
neither was It smoke, but 1t was q well defined
penumbra, or shadow, or dark spectral brusn or
negative ray and was IN its appear
was also during the two hours Of observation
more than ordinary reIractton OF light
Delaware, visible IRON Trenton to the Capes, could
In places be seen looming upon the horizon cloud
Dank While ~ OtneTb lL beculeu submerged uDuer
the horizon, and this was reasonably the result OF
the strlated condition OF the air. When near the
Delaware, and while swinging over It, Its bottom
was distinctly visible within the space OF a lew
miles each way. Even the river bottom grasses
were clearly disccrnable, although the Delaware
Is turpid stream.
THR CAUSES or ArNosPHBRyC CoMMorrONs.
As IL has ever been my practice to relate things
"a see them, and to state the Instrumental OBJ
servatons as exhibited bv the Instruments, here.
with submit for general criticism and analysis the
results obtained In my earnest and best Efforts 70
subserve science aud human progress. There
was considerable electrical action manifested in
| going up and down, as also In passing through
| different regions. having no elecoroscope could
only notice II In the attractions and repusions OF
| the nne sand used Tor ballast and IN the small
| tissue paper cards tnat were thrown out from the
| car.
The observing and studious scientist will readily
! comprehend the effects that would follow II u
| great lentcular body as translucent as the en-
velope OF q comet Is should be placed between
planet and the sun. While we have frequent at
mospherc cOnvulsions from causes little under
stood, we have in the present instance comet IN
It's perihelon passage going between the earth
| and the sun, as q positive datum, and one that
should not be overlooked lightly IN Its meteoro-
lopica, aspect. fiimy cloud or q field OF mist as
is occasionally met with BY the observing aero
| naut never tails to remind hun OF the effects OF
heat and cold attendant upon these irtervent tions,
In their radiattng and rejecting foxces. The cos
mosphere is full Of these meteors comets and
cometary masses, aud II It was not Coggias comet
tampersspreA elQ2dpuSsys. thupssypQlls. &,. ans