The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-06-27

HOle?"
A Capt. Symms some years since pro
pounded the singular theory that the
earth was turbulent or hollow, and
that after passing a certain point in
the polar circle ship would sail into
the middle of the globe; that this in
ner world was inhabited by races Of
men; and that it was here the wild
geese went when they flew north in
search of nesting and feeding grounds
far beyond the region of eternal ice.
Capt. Symms is dead but his son has
latterly taken up the theory and has
been making speeches in support of
it. Among other facts he claims that a
farmer in Idaho found in the crop Of
returning wild geese some grains Of
singular looking cereal; he planted
them and has raised crop neither
wheat nor barley but combining the
qualities Of both; and Symms claims
that this cerial was gathered by the
goose from cultivated fields inside the
hollow of the Globe!
OF course this whole theory has
been met with shouts Of derisive
laughter from all the scientist of the
world. But nOw,-wonder of won
ders the discovery ismade that the
planet Mercury has probably got a
Symm's hole through it. We quote
from the last issue of the Scientific
American:
Mr.. Richard A. Proctor, the emf
nent astronomer and eloquent lectur-
er, gives report in one of the Eng
lish papers of his personal observa-
tions Of the recent transit Of Mercury
made with an IL inch reflector, and
notes very interesting if not re-
markable discovery. He says:
ga bright spot was seen on Mercu.
ry's disk. It appeared to me perfect
ly central and Of sensible magnitude.
My eldest daughter, who observed
with me, described it as a mere
point. and quite central, as if the
disk were a round piece of black card.
and the bright spot were a hole
pierced through with the compass
point in striking out it's circular out
line. noticed one feature in the
bright spot which seemed to me de-
cisive as to its subjective nature:
when a small cloud passed over part
OF the suns face, nearly the whole of
which was in the field Of view. the
bright spot perceptibly waned in
brightness though not crossed by the
cloud. This / noticed distinctly
three several times. Another feature
perhaps a mere illusi0n-was that
1t seemed to me, as the SPOT thus
waxed and waned in brightness, that
it was triangular in shape. I cOuld
not distinctly recognize this peculiari.
ty when the lustre of the spOt was
steady. The aspect OF the
spotwas not perceptibly modified
when the telescope was re-
leased from the driving clock and
Mercury allowed to approach the
edge OF the rather wide field Of view"
We published in the Scientific
American several years ago the va
garies Of backwoods philosopher to
LILO cHect LnaI our earth had central
cavity OF enormous dimensions. ex.
tending from pole to pole, thruuoh
which the ocean waters ebbed and
nowed; and he declared that whenev.
er any ship could reach the north
pole it might sail placidly into the
aforesaid cavity and reach the bowels
OF the earth; whore . strange race of
human beings would b found liyfn9
In peace and happiness; with Other
marvels in multitudiuous numbers.
In view Of Mr.. Proctor's discoyerv.
the knowledge that Saturn has plane.
tary rings, the fact that whea I miIk
pail Is whirled like Jupiter the liouid
moves outward, leaving N openinr in
the centre, who knows but Nercurv
mas 2 hole through il, and that TIE
bright spot seen by Mr.. Proctor was
simply the sun shining through thu
aperture! II Mercury IL tabular .
may not the earth be alsos This 3
one Of the questions thst Captaan
Hsugats Or Ar. Bsnnstt hays bofsUn
them Tor solutioa II caxsyinx for-
w2rd their polar oxpedffinnr.