The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-02-07
Gravity in the Moons Of Mars.

We are able to consider the relations
of inert matter in worlds where gravity
is so small as it must be in the Marian
moons. 1t has been said, by myself
among others, that building and all en-
cheering processes would be much
easier in a world where gravity is very
small than in our own world. But if
less arduous, so far as mere labor is
concerned, they would in some respects
be far more difficult Much more skill
would be required to give adequate
stability to buildings, made even of the
most solid materials, in world where
all weights are so much reduced. Sup
pose even platinum were available in
sufficient quantities for architectural
purposes, yet block of platinum of
given size would press downward with
less force there than a block of deal
wood of about one-twentieth its size on
our earth. Whewell has well described
in his Bridgewater treatise the effects
of a great reductlon in the force of
gravity, though he is not there consider
ing life in other worlds, but the import
ance (Which many are apt to overlook
of those portions of our earth's frame
which lie far below the deepest mines
ever yet dug by man. If the interior of
our earth could be scooped out and re-
moved, we should in fact suffer from
precisely the same Inconvenience as
would affect creatures like ourselves
living in the moons of Mars.
We should, indeed, find ourselves
living like them in dread and
terror. Things" Whewell truly says.
"would not lie where we placed them,
but would slide away with the slightest
push. We should have difficulty in
standing or walking, something like
that we have on shipboard when the
deck is inclined; and we should stagger
helplessly through an atmosphere thin
ner than that which Expresses the
respiration of the traveller on the tops
of the highest mountains" sit is
hard" says the ingenious writer in the
Spectator, ito conceive even one
storied house holding together" in the
Marian moon world, 6 against any
serious lateral blows Projectiles
would be no less deadly than in our
own world. But the range which pro-
jectilcs such as ours would obtain in
such world would render close fight
ing impossible on the one hand, and
efficient aiming impossible on the
other. A Krupp cannon, for instance,
whose greatest range on our earth is,
let us say, five miles, would on the
Marian moon fire projectile which
would leave that moon forever, and the
recoil of the cannon would probably
carry it half dozen miles away from
the firing point Much weaker pro-
| jectile force would have to be en-
ploved, and less mischief would be done
on this account, and also because any
living body struck by one of these pro.
jectiles would give way before it much
more readily than similar body SINH,
larly struck on our own earth. II Richard
A. Proctor. IN Belgravia.
AN amusing incident recently oc
CURED in a church near Sellersville
! Bucks County, Pa. The minister was
/ preaching in German, and delivering 8
very interesting discourse, when hs
was disturbed by two young mer
whispering in the gallery. Finally b.
stopped and suggested to them that i
they wanted to talk he would cease ant
allow them to say what they wished, bu
that their whispering annoyed him
One of them had presence of mind, and
arose and informed the preacher tina
his friend could not understand wore
4 of German, and that if he did not trans
late it to him he would lose all the val
liable discourse. This completely tool
the wind out Of the sails OF the minis
ter. Though it was pretty certain tina
the two men were talking about some
thing else, the assurance of the whis
perer brought him out first best.