The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-08

| ana the otner the ear method; the former
by the siderial clock close to the
transit circle, the latter by the flow
of time recorded on a BARRE
covered with paper and which is made
to ikvolve at uniform rate of speed,
a prick puncturing this revolving barrel
by means of galvanic current at each beat
of the siderial clock. These are the leading
facts and data in connection with transit
observations. We have said that Mercury
was the nearest Of the known larger planets
to the sun. There are some smaller ones
comparatively very near TO the earth, some
fifty or more in number Some pecu-
liar thoughts occur in connection
with these. Take Ceres, for example
The diameter of this little sphere
is about 100 miles, less than one-half the
diameter of the state OF Texas. Now Texas
has an erea of 276 900 square miles, whereas,
Ceres as thus extended would have only
$500 square miles; or one-half the size of
the state of New York, Let us see the con-
sequence of this state of affairs in this COM
pact little world. In lecture sometime
since Mr.. Proctor observed that the
diameter of the earth being fifty times
greater than that of Ceres, therefore, an
object there would be fifty times
lighter than it would be here.
This being so, man there would be able to
lift weight fifty tons as great as here. A
ton, therefore, would be an easy load, and
boys would play with boulders and big can
non balls for marbles, and rattle intended
for stout baby would he as large and
heavy as the clock in the Dallas county
courthouse. SO also would rapidity of mo-
ton increase correspondingly, so that Mr..
Beecher, or any other enterprising gentle
man, might jump over the HERALD build
ing with as much ease as he can now lift his
legs up a common staircase. Indeed
staircases might be abolished, and Mrs. DR..
Mary Walker could jump with ease from
the sidewalk into the Masonic quarters of
this building in which we are now writing.
These are all truths iflife in Ceres be posi-.
BILE, of which however we know naught.
These are some of the things which have
been learned through that great instrument,
the telescope, the simultaneous invention
of Lippershey, a Hollander, and Calico,
the Florentine, and to which we are indeed
indebted for the variety and immensely of
our knowledge respecting the physical CON
dition of the heavenly bodies that so aid
the navigator, the explorer the engineer,
commerce and other human existences.
The instrument that established the truth
Of the Copernican theory and gave UNI
bounded alarm to the church, as demon
strating beyond all question, the rotundity
of the earth, its revolution around the sun,
and the plurality of worlds, which seemed
to fatty contradict the revelations of the
Bib:, For this was that venerable old
man, Calico, accused OF imposture, heresy,
basphemy, atheism, summoned before the
lnquisition and made to recant on his
knees, and with his hand on that Bible to
abiure and curse the doctrine
of the movement of the earth,
and finally committed to prison, treated
there with remorselcss severity for ten
years, and then dying, denied burial in CON
secrated ground This same telescope that
was so freely used on yesterday revou-
tionizcd the world of science, religion and
government, and raised men up from brutal
toll to better pursuits from tyrannous op-
preston to the freedom ofmanhood. From
the sands OF lowly earth man made piece
Of glass through which he read the lofty
dome and taught the story of the stars. For
centuries that sand laid all unutilized
though its manufacture into glas,
was known. So too, twas known centuries
before Christ that piece of amber when
rubbed would repcl light bodies. 1t re-
manned, once remarked Professor Draper,
an isolated fact, mere trihe for 1900 years
Dealt with scientifically one day it central
lied the world, revolutionized statesman
ship, and condensed political power by en-
abling men to instanteneously communi-
cate across even oceans These are few of
| the reflections that Yesterdays work give
| rise to. Tho practical effect of these astro-
nomical labors, more than the thoughtless
mind suspects, will be sooner or later,
and in due time, developed in
the general good. Those who
sheer at them should remember the circum-
stance of the working farmer who laughed
at the finely dressed gentleman who, see
ing hm driving the instrument, suggested
an improvement, whereupon the farmer
laughing, said he was "a foolish theorist
that pillow was perfect my good fellow"
responded the inventor, 81 made that very
pillow, and in my midnight closet planned
and thus achieved the tightening of your
labors while you slept unconscious, un.
dreaming of the boon this foolish the
orist' had brought to you"