The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-12
Atmospheric Accretions, or Aeroiites
Explained by COnglOmeratims
HSp0fheSis.

Editors Dispatch: System rcigns supreme
throughout the physical universe. III the
laws of Kepler. Newton, and La Place hold
true. then il seems to us the height OF ab-
surdity TO suppose for moment that tnefe
can be such a thing as precipitatlons from
exterior space upon the surface OF the eartn.
Gravitation is directly as the volume or bulk
of the attracting bodies, and lnVersely as the
distance or interval between the bodies.
This grand law of Newton can the more
easily be understood by considering
the planets in the relation of MAGNETS
to their satellites; the suns as MAG
NETS to their planets; and finally the
great central orb and centre OF the universe
as MAGNET to the solar systems. Here we
stop, for the Finite cannot unravel the lnD-
mite Thus we see that NeWton'S law Is uni
versal. And when we bring our reason 10
bear, will we not come To tue inevitable con-
cusion that there can be no such thlne as
..syStetn" without limits: Ii system re'gns
supreme, the logical deduction Will be that
this same system possesses Inherent limits
which have been devised by an al.wise FRO
yidence as we'll for our own safety as that OF
the inhabitants of other spheres. The same
law which controls the LARGER Will also con-
troll the SMALLER body. We do not think
that any BODY. large or small, Wanders at ram
dom through space. All have their orbits,
which CANNOT CONFLICT. The centr'petal ana
centrifugal forces OF each and every sphere,
spheroid, or any body, Whatever be
its form. being equal, they will all
then he!in equllibrio. Since, tnen, these So
called aGroites can by no possibility be pre-
cini,at;ens from exterior space, or The wan
deriny fragments of exploded spheres, and
inusmuch rs it is a positive and established
fac, that they have I" fallen" 10 the earth
some weighing tons, others only few
pounds-thc question arises, How, then, do
we account for the truly wonderful phe-
uomena? We will proceed to explain: None
of these substances were ever known to
..tau" in thickly- settled localities, but gene.
rally in situations where it was scarcely pro.
bablt they would ever be discovered. On
mains and deserts, where the soil is eXtraor.
diuarily dry, the least wind. or even breeze
viii raise All immense cloud of dust. Again:
Travellers on plains and deserts have
observed great columns OF sand and
dust resembling so-calcd ~ater.spouts
on the ocean. These. while very often
there was no perceptibIe wind at
the time. were undoubtedly produced
hc species Of " whirIwind,> which would
carry the SAND and DUST TO very cOn>ldera-
ble attitude and cause them to DC dlsSemlUa.
ted in the atmosphere. As matter oi course
the height to which they would be carried
would dcpend altogether upon the condition
of tn, atmosphere 1T the time. II this was
very raritied and the wind or breeze quite
strong, the sand and dust would be carried
many miles aoit into the upper regions. The
PARTICLES or atoms OF matter coming in con-
tact with the moisture contained in the air,
and the forces of cohesion ana adhesion opc-
rating at the same time, CoNGLoMERATIoS or
SOLID fcaiion takes place. As soon as the
substance becomes too heavy TO be sustained
in the air, it falls by the operation Of
Ncwton's Law. The greater the height
the greater will be the body formed,
as the conglomerating process would
take place both during ascent and descent
When these bodies ." fall " during the night,
o.. ~ in the case Of the phenomenon known
as "shoot'ng stars" explode without SEEM
lngly "iaIling," they are seen TO be in state
of ignition, the reason Of which Is that
the friction in the passage through the resist
iny medium known as the air is so enormous
that ignition is prodHced. The explosions
which take place, whether heard or other
wise, are undoubtedly caused by the opera
ton of certain gases, iguited probably 10y
friction. 1t is no argument against this
theory that metals have been discovered in
these bodies in a state OF purity exceeding
the Ordinary ore, tor BY THE OPERATION OF
THE COHESIVE FORCE PARTICLES OR ATOMS OF
THE SANE NATURE WOULD BE Mutually AT
TRACTED TO EACH OTHER, THUS PRODUCING
PURER ORE THAN USUAL. u. Is. ID.
KichmlOna, Ia., August ii, 1870.