The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-23
ISBIELA'SCOMETONTI TIME?
IF 1T ISN'T THERE MAY BE TROUBLE
IN A WEEK.

! The Earth Might Become wild Ca {
=, Coms5 ItseE-Then Strange Events
Would Esppen-Other Cheerful Pos.
sibilities Are the Smashing of the
Earth to Flinders and tho Scaldins
to Death of It's Inhabitants-We May
Escape With the Larceny of Our
Moon.
From the Netv York World.
Two men running for a hole in the fence
through which only one can pass at time
! would illustrate the race now going on be-
( tween the earth and the approaching comet.
| Which will get across the line first on the
| evening of Sunday next? If both are on
time, AMI if the comet is Biela's comet, as
! now seems to be generally believed, then
the comet will pass across the spot their
courses intersect eight hours ahead of the
earth. 1t is rot yet known, however,
whether the comet is on time. If tits Biela's
comet there is every reason to believe that
it is not on time, because it never yet has
met the expectations Of astronomers, and is
the most eccentric AID unreliable wanderer
Of the heavens, seeming to follow plan of
it's own rather than running in track
which scientists have leid down for it.
1t has been shown how this comet came
up one time only to explode in the heavens
and shattered several well-proportioned
theories which astronomers had built up;
how another year it smilingly showed its
head above the horizon a whole day in ad-
vance of the time it was expected, and then
how it finally disappeared in mysterious
manner, leaving nothing but shower of
meteors and q bad smell behind. Science,
indeed, fails to record single instance in
which Bielas comet swung around the
circle in accordance with the immutable
laws which are supposed TO govern the
movements of all the heavenly bodies. Its
appearance at this time has thus aroused
astronomers to high pitch of interest.
If the record of Biela's comet was not
such bad one there would not be the slight
est doubt that it is that fiery monster which
! is now heading this way. It's periodic city
has arrived; its time is up. Nov. q, 1892,
is the date when it ought to be nearest to
| the earth. But for several years astrono-
mers had been complacently regarding 1t as
lost" Their theory-for a special theory
had 30 be made to fit this particular comet
was that, after having once exploded in the
| heavens, it had gone on bursting as 1t flew
through SPACE and that they were we'll rid
of the whole affair. Therefore it is shat
| scientists, having come to this conclusion
are 10th to believe that Biela's comet has
again appeared upon the scene which it was
supposed to have abandoned 60 their infinite
relief.
At any rate, they say that II it IL really
Biele's comet which is now coming rapidly
| into view, they are partly correct, because
one Of its parts has disappeared. After it
urst the two parts kept company for sew
eral years, being few hundred thousand
miles apart. and they were supposed to be
| inseparable Only one comet head has thus
far been observed, which leads to the be-
lief that the other has exploded. 1t may
| have hit a star somewhere. That is alleged
by scientists as the cause of the original ex-
| plosion, for they profess not to understand
how it could burst of its own volition.
1t would seem, il the comet now ap-
| preaching is not the Blela comet, that 1t
| would be an easy matter for the astrono-
mers TO tell what comet it is. This, however,
| they are unable to do. While hesitating to
| believe that it can be Biela's comet coming
back to earth with load on in the matter
of velocity, not a single astronomer has thus
far had the courage to give 1t another name.
This is because there is no other wanderer Of
the heavens which, with any show Of
reason, could be said to be due about this
time.
Moreover, when the comet gets within
speaking distance OF the earth next week
there is no knowing what it may do. Sup
posing it happens to be eight hours latel
That ia a question which many thinking
| scientists familiar with the habits Of Biela's
comet have asked themselves. Should the
| earth at the same time be running in its
| regular groove according to schedule, the
results which would follow, it is believed,
would be Of a startling nature. or course
this is probably not going to happen. but
no astronomer has yet been found who will
say it is impossible.
On the contrary. nearly all those who
have been observing the comet during the
past week have been making approximate
estimates as to the length of time which
will divide the two bodies a week from TO-
night. Time, not distance, is the fact TO
ia re into consideration in such a matter, for
Bielas comet only million miles away
would, it is said, cause almost as much
damage as if it hit the earth in the back OF
the neck.
Up to the present time, however, it has
been found impossible to accurately define
the rate of speed at which the comet is
travelling and the exact course which it will
follow. OF course, looked at through tele-
scope it is seen TO be heading straight for
the earth, so much so that the full extent Of
its tail cannot be seen, but it is still so far
away that the DETECTION which would carry
il around the globe at a safe distance could
not now be noticed.
1t has been shown how BieIa's comet was
thought by the eminent Astronomer Kiln
kerfues to have struck the earth in 1879 and
that he had telegraphed to that effect to
Prof. Pogson at Madras Much as Prof.
Klinkerfues was ridiculed for this action
when the mistake was subsequently discov-
cred he showed very good scientific reason
for his belief, pointing to the fact that the
comet had been coming closer and closer to
the earth for many years. The extraor-
binary atmospheric manifestations which
occurred in that year are believed by many
scientists TO have resulted from the bursting
OF one Of the parts Of the comet. In every
instance, however, when Biea's comet has
approached the earth its appearance has
been accompanied by Immense numbers of
falling stars, and there is every reason to
believe that many meteors will be seen this
week.
These meteors. which fly In myriads with
Biela's comet, are almost solid balls of iron.
Many of them explode like shells from a
man-of-war when they strike the ground,
while others plunge into the sea with a
loud report, or bury themselves In the
earth. Men and cattle hit by these falling
stars have been killed instantly. There are
countless numbers Of them in the tail of the
comet, and they trail behind it for millions
of miles. Passing through the atmosphere