Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-05-07
Sua-spots and cycIores.


West which have marked the Spring of 1880
seem to indicate some unusual disturbing in
fuence at work in or upon the atmosphere
of our planet. The laws which govern the
origin and course Of these frightful storms
have not been discovered with any exact
ness; but there seems to be considerable
ground for the belief that they are due to
electrical disturbances, and that these dis
turbances begin at the centre of our solar
system. 1t is known that spots Of various
shapes and sizes occur at times on the suns
disk, that these spots increase and diminish
periodically, and that corresponding chan es
in solar activity are fel. on the earth. 1t
seems TO be pretty fully established that these
variations recur in cycles OF little more than
eleven years, but differing in extent and en-
crgy. and that they are coincident with ter
restrial variations in temperature, electrical
activity and magnetism, atmospheric dis
turbances, and rainfall 1t seems to be
something more than an accidental coinci-
dence that the great epidemics which have
swept over vast tracts of the earth as far
back as history goes have also followed in
the train of such terrestrial disturbances
A writer (Dr Cushing in the IateraatioR-
al ReUieIr had several months ago paper
upon this theme, in which he tried to trace
back the cycle of sun-spot maxina and
discover whether or not it had cOinciIcd with
convulsiOns of nature and the outbreak of
pestience. Having determined rs nearly as
possible the length of the sun spot cycle, he
applied his theory to events which occurred
in the Orient from the beginning of the fifth
century before Christ, during the middle
ages, and, finally, to the European pcsti-
lences of 1916, 1929. 1913, 1859 and 1870.
He cited condolences, which certainly so far
toward proving his theory.
Further applying his theory TO the events
of 1879 and 10 the current year he said:
The last sun spot minimum occurred In
1873, and the maximum Is due in 1SSl-S2;
80 that the great changes in solar and tcrres-
trial activity are compressed into short
time. 1t is only necessary TO recall the great
famines in India, China, and Brazil, caused
by drought, followed by this strange aud re-
markable year, when, but for steamships and
railroads, all Europe would have suffered
from a famine caused by excessive rain, vol
canic eruptions, floods, the wet Summer and
cold Winter of EurCpe, 10 see that the old
influences are still active. Although, there
fore, international charity and steam trans
portation prevent India and Europe from
falling into the famished and miserable con-
dition which formerly followed such seasons.
yet it is not improbable that the gathering
forces Of cholera, plague, and yellow fever
may, with the advent OF the next maximum,
burst the feeble barriers with which civiliZa-
ton ia trying to restrain them, and again
desolate great empires IS former epideniics
did in $50. 1882 SO, 145a S. and 17sl-s2.
If the period of sun-spos is now nearing
lis maximum. it is not Incredible that the
electric disturbances in the sun which coca
sion the spots are showing their effects in the
popularity of the present season and in the
terrible storms to which we have alluded
Other planetary influences may be contribut-
ing TO these disturbances. 1t is known, prob
ably. TO many of our readers, that the four
great planets are approaching L position
where they will be nearer to the sun !hac al
any one time for nearly two thousand years.
An intelligent astronomical observer has
lately written concerning this occurrence:
''It is not unreasonable to suppose that,
with their strong pull and pull altogether,
they (the four great planets) will create some
unusual disturbance in the chaotic elements
that make up the suns fiery mass. The
forces of the new spo.-cycle are now in ac-
tive operation, and those who have closely
watched the influence of the solar disturb
ances on climatic conditions predict hot
Summer from the heat waves that follow
the commencement Of the tremendous solar
outbreak" The authors of that ingenious
book ''rhe Unseen Universe which made
stir in some quarters, five or six years ago,
referred to the same planetary phenomena
which we are now nearing. and mentioned
the expectation of astronomers that it would
he attended with violent atmospheric dis
turbances-tornadces and the like-upon the
| earth's surface These opinions possess iu-
terest, taken in connection with what has
actually occurred in the West and South
during the last fortnight. Our New England
and especially Our Vermont readers have
abundant reason to congratulate themselves
that they dwell where tornadoes are events
of the greatest rarity and where sweeping
pestilcuc" is unknown.