The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-27
LITER RE.
A Theory of the Reception and Re-
turn of Solar Force.
TRAVELS AND FICTION.

ANOTHER CosMIC THEORY.

ANOTHER COSMIC THEORY.
''New and Original Theories of the Great Physical
Forces is the title of little work Of log pages
published by the author Henry Raymond Rogers.
NJ. D., and obtainable from c. X Abel a Son. book
sellers. Dunkirk, N. Y This book is one OF class
almost invariably printed the authors expense.
and which fear seldom repays the pecuniary in
vestment by the enthusiast who believes that he
has soved the problems of the universe. 1t is not
necessarily condemnation of new theory that the
volume in which it is enshrined is forced to make
its way the world unprotected by the imprint OF
great publishing house. On the contrary, such
books have special claim to kindly notice at the
hands of the press and conscientious examination OF
whatever novelties they may present In the present
instance Dr. H. II. Rogers informs US in the preface
that ''he has been unable to accept the usual
explanations of the great physical forces. and the
inadequaces of mooted theories have mpelled him
to efforts for more philosophical interpretations.
If in his investigations he has been forced to strange
and unusual conclusions, has been actuated only
by an honest desire to promote the advancement of
science" 1t is with the 'profoundest of duty
and responsibility" that Dr. Rogers finds himself
placed in antagonism to the largest proportion OF
the scientific world.
The starting point of DIR. Rogers is the study OF
the sun and OF solar physics subject in no danger
of being neglected in the days of Norman Lockyer
and Henry Draper. ''Sun and earth are united in
ndissolnble bonds. In phil osophic minds the con-
victon of most perfect interdependence is rapidly
gaining ground "a grand unity underlies and
binds together in one all physical forces. well in
earth as SUM- It is the social relations of the
with his planets which DR.. Rogers feels called upon
to proclaim. 1.-THE acts, but the earth and
planets react. The gives and dispenses favors,
but also receives and sympathizes. The sun rouses
the earth into action through their mutual rela-
tionships. The two bodies interchange good offices
and essential services"
DIR. Rogers considers the nebular theories of Kant
and Laplace 'specious. inconsistent. illogical, yet
withal plausible and even fascinating 'The present
theories of the transmission of light and sound of
the production of winds and spots. and of the
method of development and dissemination of heat,
unphilosophca and incomprehensible. Fully
impressed with the truth Of the great doctrines of
the correlation and persistence of energy. Dr. Rogers
is satisfied that whatever forces the earth may
ceive from the it must repay Ito the uttermost
fraction" and directs his inquiry to ascertain the
nature of the earth's responsive action. The solu
ton found in the earths solid a repository
of electro-dynamic force forming link in
''grand magnetic circuit" Sunlight is a subtle, in
tangible, vito-magnetic fuid filling the space
between the earth and the sun, beyond the boun-
Election" of sunlight from the planets is not true
mrror-ike reflections; cit consists rather of the
lighting up of the static vito-magnetic fluid of
atmosphere by the great solar current" 1t is the
body either of the earth Of the sum- which is vsi
BILE from other orbs, but the "vivifed atmosphere"
The is as dependent upon the circling orbs tor
his supplies Of light and heat they upon him.
The moon and planets to be visible must possess
atmospheres. Light, like the thunderbolt and the
aurora borealis is true substance. Dr. Rogers
ceps the doctrine OF the French physicist NJ Maiche,
propounded in Les Nones. that is not the Old
fashioned conventional oxygen and hydrogen. but
essentially new element" It may be called either
hydrogen plus electricity, oxygen minus cleo
tricity. or. in other words that normal electrified
hydrogen constitutes water and normal diselectred
oxygen produces the same, that hydrogen oxygen
and water precisely the same, differing only in
degree feectrifcation Dr. Rogers thinks the nebuar
hypothesis has received its death blow by Professor
Halls discovery of the moons of Mars. He rejects
with something very like contempt the combustion
theory the origin of the solar heat and all the
sequent efforts of scientists to account by contrac
ton, accretion dissociation Of compound bodies
in the suns substance for that incalculable amount
of heat, of which the earth is supposed to receive
only 900 part. DR.. Rogers cannot justly be
charged with blind and indiscriminate admiration
scopists. He pronounces the origin of celestial
spectroscopy to be as vague and unphilosophcal as
that of the nebular hypothesis rejects the doc
trine of the suns incandescence thinks 'there may
be no glowing metallic vapors, no hydrogen.
iron no sodium, no magnesium no oxygen" in the
sun; ignores "all undulatory processes, and holds
that light and heat. like gravity act nstantaneousy
IF the most distant fixed star which is visible could
be annihilated tonight its light would be
more forever" The great doctrine which he
has to PROFOUND is that of grand mag
nctic circuit primarily manifesting itself
vertablc flood of light. heat and magnetic force in
motion from the to the earth. Thc line of great
est intensity of this solar vito-magncc current is
found along the line of greatest diameter of those
bodies, and consequently "the centre of this
rent reaches the earth at the Equator"
Hence passes terrestrial magnetism to the poles
and leaps out into space AZ the aurora borcalis,
turning back to the sun by duplex process through
the same current which brought II hither.
We have stated the conclusions of Dr. Rogers work
with fulness disproportonatc to a mere book
notice because we presume him to be anxious that
they should become known widely as possible and
because the subjects OF which 1t are Just now
of absorbing interest. OF course 1t not TO be ex-
peccd that the reader will at accept theories so
radically opposed TO current doctrines but we think
that the author deserves credit for boldness and in
genuity and advise pcrusal of his little work.
PROFESSOR HUXLEY ON HUME.
The series of English Men of Letters Harper 4
Brothers. edited by Mr. John Morley. has reached its
nfth volume, which is devoted TO the famous Scot
fish nh David Uume and il from the u.,,