Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-13

interesting experiments were made
with this singular apparatus, but the
most startling was when it was used
by nature itself. and, the air
seemingly overchsrged with cleo
trical force, an auroral glow
sprang into the air from the multi
tu e Of points, which light. analysed by
the spectrum, was identical with that OF
the northern lights. From this fact,
indeed. Iems,rom very naturally con-
cluded that the aurora borealIs was q
terrestrial display. or very near the
surface Of the earth; but in these claims
he has been stoutly contested by
others. many Of whom claim that the
distance to the aurOral arcs has been
measured to q considerable degree Of
accuracy. and they all agree that 1t Is
quite high, supra-atmOspheric, suppos-
ing the air to be forty-six miles deep.
1t is too much within the domain OF
dry mathematics to discuss al length
the different methods employed by DIFF
ferent observers to determine this
height. but the results attained would
be interesting, no doubt. Lemstrom,
as have said, thought it might reach
TO the ground, and has produced it in
an artificial way thereirom. Sir John
Ross. ] believe ii was. who said that
be and some companions distinctly saw
q brilliant ray Of the aurora pass be-
tween him and a high snow-cOvered
hill not many miles distant. Sir John
Franklin's measurements IN North
America show it 70 be seven miles high.
The French at Bossekop, Norway as
early as 1889, got 1t up to between
60 and 100 miles. Tromholt puts It al
about seventy, and be has made more
measurements and studied this part OF
the subject closer than most physicists.
Nordenskj0ld, the arctic explorer put
il at Us miles, which Professor fearn-
ley follows closely at l25, and
Newton gets but five miles more,
or 80. as result OF his de-
ductions. Somewhere IN the vicIn-
ity Of the numbers given above Will
probably be found the true values, If
they are ever determined. and It may
be that all are within the true limits.
for. like the clouds. a. one OF the above
authors remarks, the auroral displays
NAV he found to have wide limits in
Their heights. Bergman does not rest
contented. however. until be has pub
lished the height at 4Gs miles, Marian
4sJ. nDd Boscovich at s25. ] have not
gwen al Authorities, but probably the
most reliable and the greatest extremes.
The extent Of suToral displays over
the world is not uniform, the United
States being the most favored. while
Siberia. opposite to Us across the pole.
but much further north, Is the least.
New York city has about the same fire.
Quency ofsuroral displays as s.. Peters
burg and London. aid also "a Siberia.
more than half way up the Behrinc sea-
coast, fully 1900 to . 900 miles nearer
the pole. They are seen as far south
as Cuba. Yucaian. Central Mexico. and
Cape st. Lucas on the American CONT
nent, while IL Asia they are unknown II
Pekin. and almost so II the japanese
Islands. Southern Europe, on the latitude
Of New York city. being Just within
the limits Of visibility. IN general, II
is seen about 400 miles further south
on the Western-cOntlnent side than It
II Oh the Eastern. or Just the distance
the magnetic pole Is from the true or
geographical one. pulled over the same
side. so 10 speak. it beng just north
Of our continent. X thus plainly
shows that the magnetic pole Is & cen
raj point from which the aurOrsl force
in some unknown way j. dependent.
The magnetic pole. approximately
speakmg, Is on longitude 100 de-
frees west from Greenwich. AMI Oh
hat meridian the displays are
more frequent than other points
Of the same latitude. A display IN
New York city would be seen to bet
ter advantage. weather permitting, al
about North Platte. Nebraska. on
nearly tie same latitude. A person
travelling north from New York city
would see the auroral displays increase
until Hudson strait was almost reached,
when they would show their maximum
number. being practically constant or
visible every night. As the journey
continued they would decrease, and By
The time the pole was reached II IS not
unfair 70 infer that the display may
have degenerated into the New York
standard Of frequency again. The su-
roral displays are not the most
frequent al the magnetic pole. as some
might infer at first SIGHT from al that
has been said. but about 800 miles
south from that point, not very far
from ny winter camp II north Hudson 5
bay. ] spent a small portion Of VIII
ter nearer the magnetic pole than any
other white person has, and the paucity
Of auroral displays was marked, a.
though considerable trouble was taken
to watch for them should they occur.
They were also particularly weak II
effect. Further south OF the shores
Of northern HudsOn's BAY no
ticed ;hem much more frequently. and
Chesterfield inlet. which puts OF from
the northwest corner OF the bay, l.
called Ak-shai-nsk by the k,quimaux.
which means the aurora borsal.s II
then language, OF the whole signfying
=" tie place Of the northern hsh.s.
From our camp II Hudson's bay the
highest point Of the aurOral arc seemed
70 bear about west-souihvest from Us
whenever the display seemed 70 take
that form but long rolling ribbons. Ike
tie stresmers OF banner IL gentle
breeze, seemed TO be the most common.
lashing the SKY lazly backward AID
forEars Ike huge serpent, while
every now and then some part
Of the broad ribbon would be
suddenly illuminated. and from this
part would spring rigid bars Of hame
toward the zenith. and this bright part
would seem 10 run along the restless
ribbon Ike pulSAting wave Of light.
The displays were seldom strong
enough u give Gnv other color bat