The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-21
Great storm In tho Sr,,.


Great storm In tho suu.
Observers Of the sun fonnd indications o,
intense commotion on the 1lth, 18th ant
18th OF August. The sun spots were nu
merous, large and active, and protuber.
ances shot up their rose-colorcd tongues
with Increased force and velocity from tho
surface. The earth made instantaneous 70.
sponse TO the solar storm. A magnetic
disturbance suddenly commenced, accom-.
panied by an unusual exhibition of earth
currents continuous and strong. 1t is years
since the Greenwich observatory has re.
corded magnetic disturbances of equal mag
nitude, aud 1t sends forth timely warning
TO telegraph engineers, and especially to
those concerned in the laying Of submarine
cables, that earth currents may now become
frequent as compared with the quietncss of
recent years. A superb exhibition of auro
"a accompanied tho magnetic disturbance
An observer az tho Stoneyhurst Obscrva-
Tory describes 1t as recalling the magnifi
cent displays of 1869, 10 and II, while the
play OF the magnets was ono of the most
violent ever recorded at that observatory.
Tho auroral display was extensively ob-
served in England and Scotland. One OBJ
server describes it as an ontburst of stream
ers, appearing like wavy, swaying curtains
from the zenith to the near horizon, with
the l0vellcst green tints near the zenith:
! another writes that the streaks extended
from horizon to zenith. the color being
principally pale blue with reddish tingc;
another paints the display as brilliant
band Of white light followed by streamcrs,
each strcamer fading away before the sue
cecding one became very BRIGHT, and still
another records glowing celestial picture
hnc nl,s 4
White haze, terminating IN all ill-defined
arch, from which sprang a large number of
oroad strcanlers, stretching toward the
zenith. The same phenomenon was sccn
ny American observers, although 1t did not
receive the attention bestowed upon it by
European observers. 1t Is evident, how.
ever, that the epoch of grand auroras and
ihagnetlc storms has returned, and that our
northcrn skies for months TO come will
probably bc lighted with auroral flames |
nloro earnestly than ever arises the qucs |
tlon OF the cause of the s,ln spot cycle and |
lts intimate connection with electric and |
magnetic phenomena. No one doubts that |
the commotion in the solar orb is reflected |
On tho earth in the flashes of auroral light
ana the erratic movements of tho magnetic |
needle. We can see the cause and note the |
effect. But no one, if the theory Of the |
distributing influence Of the great planets
10 rejected, has found the clcw to the &C.
crct of sun spots. We can only grope In
darkness while we wait for persistent
scarchers 10 solve the problem, and admire
with mingled reverence and awe the Nigh.
" power with which the sun sways his re-
unue of worlds, and the strength of tho
sympathetic chord by which each planet in
tho system reflects in auroral light and die
DN nrrY1nf yaNa 4 tIs1
OF the great central orb.
.,r,,oasor NierrlVT mas long Boen OF the
.a,at the telescope Is a clumsy
method of supplying the deficiency Of eye |
power and some months ago he undertook |
to ascertain If there was any way by which
we could be able to dispense with artificial
lenses. 1t is we'll asccrtalned fact that
persons who are hear- ar-sighted, Or ip other
words, Gun see only such objects as are
near to thcm have the ball of the eye
globuar and protuberant, while those
whose vision enables them to see objects at
long distance from them have the eve
tlattcned and sunken. Tho obvious cx-
planation Of the fact Is tho theory that
when the eye fs tlnltenGd, tho lenses arc
compressed, and thus focal distance ia in
creased, while the opposite effect follows
>AAS
in accordance with this theory, he
conceived the plan of increasing the power
OF tue eye, not by using artificial glass
lenses, but by improving the natural
lenses. He designed Oh Instrument con-
sisting of two small metallic disks, each
pierced with an exceedingly small hole,
and connected by light steel band. These
disks are to be placed one directly over
the centre OF cpch eye, while the steel band
tassing around the head, holds them in
place. This band is 30 made that it can
bc shortened or heightened by turning
thumbscrew, and of course, just In proper
tlon as 1t is shortened the disks press against
the eyes and flal.en them. The inventor
tried his instrument upcn himself before
exhibiting it to anyone. lIc found that
when the disks were put In position and
the screw was gradually turned his power
OF seeing distant objecls steadily increased.
A very slight increase of pressure on the !
eyes gave very marked increase of Wis |
ual power. lIc made experiments both by s
day and night, and in every case with I
marked success. lie found that in the |
daytime he could read the Times at a dis 9
lance OF twenty rods by giving tho screw r
TWO complete turns, and ut night he could {
perceive the moons Of Jupiter and tho ring /
OF Saturn with six turns of the scrow. UpI Il
to this point, the operation Of the instru-
ment was quite painless, but any attempt
TO give greater cyc-power was attended
with sharp pain in the eyes and dazzling
light, which rendered all objects invisible.
Professor Merrill has calculated, however, u
That Six turns of the thumDscrew :
give his eyes a power equal to that of l. !
refracllng telescope of forty-two feet focal " /"
distance, and that, in fact, there is no tel y
cScopc in existence which has anything ?
like the power of his eyes when they have !
been properly adjusted by the help of his
new instrument. !!