New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-17
SCIENCE fOR THE PEOPLE.

THE VELOCITY OF L1GHT-Preparation are
making at the Naval Academy for interesting scien-
tiac Investigation. Ensign A. A. Nicholson U. s. NJ
having 10 deliver a lecture before scientific BODY
made in preparation for 1t series of investigations
that led him to believe he could determine with more
accuracy than is now known the velocity OF hSh''
Under orders from the Navy Department Mr.. Mitchell
has erected apparatus TO demonstrate his theory
Practically his plan is essentially that used by FOu-
caut with the exception that a lens OF great Ioc''
engh aud plane used instead OF concave
one This arrangement permits the use OF consider
able distance and consequently gives longer interval
of time which usures greater accuracy Inc dlspiace
ment OF the image Of slit is the quantity to be
measured. and this In Foucats experiments was the
fraction Of mimetre and the velocity OF hight couo
not be determined accurately to within traction OF
per cent, thousand miles, In The experiments lAauC
by Nicholson the Displacement has been increased 10
100 millimetrcs. Hence the error Wouid DC nov
greater than onehOusandth Of the whole, or less IMAM
20 miles. The entire apparatus Is understood 10 ne
flushed aud the observations are shortly to begin AT
Annapolis
A NEW NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTAL the re-
cent meeting Of the French Academy NJ de Magnac read
memoir on a nautical instrument which he calls
navispbero. It is described as simple Instrument
showing at once and without calculation the names OF
the stars above the horizon at any gwen moment WIN
their attitudes and aZimuths TO within one degree In
addition it gives with approximatonthe angular
course ana distance DCiNCCu wv IoihtS vh INV VI
great circle. 1t also solves spherical triangles IN all
cases In short it claimed that by the aid of this in
strument all the problems of navigation can be rapidly
solved with sufficient exactness Tor the sailors
use lhe snemeoa a' ypsneon with excel
lent results. The name or the Inventor II
not given in the French papers, but the description
rather susDicOusiy resembles that of similar Invention
by Professor Hill, of Boston, year or Two ago.
How BODIES WE'RE ORIGINALLY FORMED
Tn I.te mil fiOu tO Belgian Academy,
Lagrange propOunded some novel views the fOrma-
ton of bodies the universe He supposes that before
any expenditure Of work the quantity OF heat Of the
universe was NIL and that the temperature was grad
uay raised above absolute zero at the expense OF work
done by contraction. Hence the formation Of solid
bodies must preceded that Of liquids and gases
Through the gradual condensation Of matter and con
seduent enormous development Of heat the earth would
attain least IN parts near the surface the state OF
fuidy necessary to explanation OF its form aud geo
logical characters As the temperature gradually rose
with gradual sggomerations Of matter, very dense
atmosphere would form with pressure diminishing out
ward, and IN more advanced phase the temperature OF
this, after reaching a maximum, would gradually
diminish, causing quefacton sOidlhcatiOn OF GER
tam matters first yapOrous, while other sold bodies
might remain suspended in the atmosphere.
WHY AN ELECTRIC LIGHT FAILED.-The ex-
periments with the Jabochkof candle at Blilirgsgate
the celebrated fish market of London, complete
failure. The light was literally too good. Business at
Rllli0gggdte
ing most OF the bargains between the statesmen and
their customers being made by gasght. In the vivid
RAYS of the electric light sOles that would have fetched
shilling pound by gaslght looked at sixpence,
while fresh from the sea looked week old So
there was q general Query. The cOpous and ornate
dialect of the locality enriched by number of no
table additions there were threats OF revolution by
the bummareess," as the fish statesmen are called and
the corporation finally forced TO Danish the electric
candle and restore the gas.
DAILY WEATHER MAPs.-The Weather Bu-
reau OF the Government has begun the publication
in The Graphic of regular daily weather map, and is
ready to supply the to any paper that VIII print it,
small white circles, with varying centres, each
erased by an arrow, indicate at various points
the prevailing weather. such as clear, cloudy.
rainy while the direction OF the arrow shows the
Of the wind Continuous white lines isobars lines
Of equal barometrc pressure while isOtherms, lines Of
eopal heat are represented by dotted lines The
centres are also clearly marked, and large
shows IN what direction the storm is travelling.
These weather maps are marked improvement upon
those published in the English and German papers con-
tanning much fuller information and presenting ii in
more distinct and Ineligible form. At the time
tnen are not vet perfect The eastern portions are
sadly oyercrOwded, and might be improved by leaving
out all of the meridian of Denver, and giving
The rest of the man on larger scale But the map is SO
good as 1t that few meeoroogists viii complain be-
not better 1t is credit TO the Department,
and is sure To be popular
FINDING HEIGHTS AND DISTANCES AT Sea-
Mr. H. Won Bayer, Of the photographic Office, Wash
iDgtcn has Just issued diagram for finding heights
and distances specially intended for the Of navi
gators when approaching coast. Knowing the height
Of any distant object above level and its angu-
lar elevation, as determined by a seXtant, a little
trigonometry enables the sailor to calculate its
distance and thus ascertain the position of his vessel
Mr. Bayers diagram dispenscs with this calculation.
Entering the diagram on the left with the height of the
distant object aud the right with it's observed angle
OF elevation, the intersection Of the lines drawn from
these wo points referred the base line gives by mere
inspection the required distance The Diagram mas
beeo approved by the Navy Department, and is now
used oa Government vessels. 1t Is sound in principle
simple IN use, and well adapted to the wants OF the
practical seaman.