The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-12-30

of the sun; and hence the phenom.
ena of the elliptic. These forces
prevailing at time when the cep.
;rifugal force threw off the moon
from the surface of the earth, il
not only describes an annual orbit
around the sun, but also describes
path around the earth that is
commensurate with its given mass
aud velocity; or more mtelligently,
the mass of the moon having been
an integral portion of the carth's
surface at one time, of course par.
took Of the velocity of the sur
face, but having been separated,
or thrown of, il is gradually losing,
through the friction of the fluids
filling space, its original moment.
um, and it now requires - days to
perform revolution around the
axis of the earth. These several
hypotheses set forth are not only
self.cvident, but are sustained hy
every observed phenomena in pos.
session of mankind.
Before closing this. | wish to
say word about sO-called scien.
fists and pseudo astronomers. In
fact the whole cause of this com.
munication, which sincerely
hoped would not have been neces.
sary, is to say word to Commo.
dOrc Rogers, in charge of the Uni
ted States Observatory at Wash.
ington.
Systematic scientific pursuits by
governments are the badges of
civilization, aud each civil division
of the earth ,ies with each other
in promoting investigation that lie
beyond the power of individuals,
except in IA few instances where
bountccus wealth may enable the
student to devote time and means
to a pursuit the most noble that
pertains to man, that is wholly
without pecuniary reward or pow.
er of sustaining the natural ncccs.
sites of life. Taking as an incon.
tr0vcrtiblc, sclf.cvident aud dem.
onstrated fact, that the planets
were thrown of from equator OF
the sun, 1t follows that il would
have been impossible for the sun
to have given the same orbit to the
asteroids, not only because of then
comparative small mass, but also
because of their close proximit,
to each other.
The matter composing them mus
of necessity have been thrown of
at the same time, and ii this be ~
then the disruption must have ia
ken place after the planet had es
tablished it's orbit around the sun
The orbit being established as il
the case of the earth and otIlc
planets, 10y the motion of the mas
around its own axis, crossing tn,
tangent of the motion impartc,
by the centrifugal force Of the sun
and the planet being disrupted b.
some cause or other, the fragments
would necessarily describe tht
paths of satellites around the poin
that was the axis of the planet, al
well as describing the path of th,
orbit of the planet around the sun
While of necessity this must b,
so, fortunately there is plenty o
data that will occur to the min,
to at once sustain the theory
There is nothing absurd or uncoutl
about the suggestion. Unfortu
nately. ] have no telescope: or fo
; that matter, the training neeessar,
to make the desired observation
! that will verify the hypothesis
and thereby verify the theory tina
leads to o conclusion. Prcsumin,
on behalf of knowledge, addres
sed u courteous note to CommO
dore Rodgers, at Washington
simply setting forth the theory o
motion, aud tho conclusion tina
the asteroids would be found t,
+. have the secondary motion of sat
, elites around the point that wa
/, the axis of the disrupted planet
I and requested him to make tn
: necessary observations, with
view to verify the conclusion. II
is either working out - solution
4 for himself, or is too great an as
c to realize the Importance of dis
I covering the origin of the planet
D aud the various phenomena pre-
:, duced by their motions. In eithc
c event he has no right to seal Il
d an observatory maintained by
$ civilized government for the pm
G pose of aiding in the solution {
It u problem that is interesting fl
i beyond any other earthly pursui
Having failed in the assistance ,
u my government, | very courteou
II ~ request others who may hay
J. the facilities to renew the obse
e vatiOns of the asteroids with