The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1878-08-24
HOW OLD ARE WE ?

The Esstern ReEisD Of Science dnd Indns-
try, edited by Theodore s. Case, and pub
lisiied at Kansas City, Missouri, is most Gre
dital.le 70 the taste and intelligence of the
people sustaining il, and infinitely more to
its conductors. This number, for July, is
especially interesting to students of Mctenrn-
logy, Geology and Astronomy, and every in
telligeut reader Of current literature will
Peruse with avidity the article entitled THE
Gfeat Pyramid and its Symbolisnis" The
author adverting to difficulties incident to
the adoption Of & standard Of weights and
measures, declares that the pyramidal inch
Is best slapted Of all others to the purpose
OF an universal standard for linear measure
nsut II this standard be fixed that for
liquids and weights IS easily deducted. A
cubic foot Of distilled water becomes the
standard for all weights, and xhile the pyra-
mid exists these standards are chsrxeless.
One OF the early British kings declared that
three average barley cOrns should define an
inch, but the world soon discovered that the
vendor measured shat he sold by one and
Ehat he bought By another half.busteI, and
yet he never violated the Law. Therefore the
sbsurd tsbies in old school srithmctics be-
ginning a three barley cnrns make cne inch,
Twelve inches one foot, etc. The sweep Of
pendulum Of = given length was next
sought to be made STANDARD of measure,
but this was found to vary in different aiti-
ssssl4s sva sitF changes af latitude and cli-
mate. The French standard, curved are in
the heavens--s superficial curved meter-is
proyen to be inaccurate. Alexander II. Ste
phcns, discussing this subject before Cor
gTcss, proposed the adoption of the hair
staadaFd; but since the distinguished gentle.
man failed To tell Us shat hairs he proposed
to use and whether cured or straight. and
whether from msiden's or mans head, the
standard remains infinitely indefinite and
Uncertain. The pyramilal inch Is exactly
one fve-hundred millionfh Of the eartlsa
polar axis, and Is thus based en- the most m.
turaI and most advanced scieotihc principle
approximating absolute perfection. II Is
now asserted by most learned men that the
great pyramid was built in accordance With
these exact geometrieal and arithnetieal
| principles, that il might scrvc purposes now
proposed to be attained by Alex. II. Stephens.
VERY certainly it is located centrnily In the
very midst of three continents, ard ct that
| print on the globe which would lie The NEST
convenient meeting place OF ell people Of all
nations. The writer for the Rerfsse states
that the Pyramid monumentally cosiffnemor-
ates the beginning OF the grand cycle Of our
solar system around Alcyonc, the brightest
Of the Psciades. Around this sun Of our IN.
Eiverse all its systems uf snHs and worlds mud
comets revnlve once in 25,627 years, anil to
this star the apex of. the great pyramid points
with absolute precision. We cannot repro
duce or condehse all that Is said By fhe Re-
sfee. and have only tn suggest that the whole
discussion tends q the CONCLUSION that the
pyramid buildeFE were NEST accurately
versed ID astronomical learning We are a.
most persuaded by the perusal Of the Reefstc
20 give creience 10 tho marvellous stories de-
rived by HerOdosus from Egyptian priests
who talked as confidently and Familiarity Of
events that occurred ten and fifteen thousand
years before their time as do wcof incidents
that preceded the late war between the
| States. Who can measure eafths durationi
] Who can tell how long 1t has been inhabited
OF what degree of civilization Nearths In
habitants attained even before the pyramids
we're upAeavcd ard before the worlds
! gathered wisdom was destroyed hT the hurn-
ing Of the AIexanirian library T. Austin,
Tcxaa, Deseeras