The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-27
WHAT is LUMINIFERoUs ETHER?
Account of An Interesting Meeting, In
Which Secretary Bayard Took Part.

Which Secretary Bayard Took Part.
Captain f. Petrie, Honorable Secretary
of the Victoria Society, has favored us
with the following account of a meeting,
in which Secretary Bayard took part, and
at which was delivered an address en-
titled, ''What Is Luminiferons Ether?"
IA few days ago Sir Gabriel Stokes,
Bart, FRS, who now occupies Sir Isaac
Newton's Professional Chair at Cam
bridge University, gave the results of his
Investigations on this subject, which he,
as a man of science, has made his speciality;
the occasion chosen was the annual meet
ing of the Victoria Institute tat London,
England), of which he is President Sir
G. Gabriel Stokes was supported by his
excellency, the United States Ambassa-
dor to England, and large number of
home, foreign and colonial members.
Although the hall was densely crowded
in every part, yet many letters of regret at
not being able to be present were read
from others, among those the Dukes of
Argyll Westminster, Fife, and special
communications were also received from
Lord Halsbury, President, and Lord
Kelvin, the President of the Royal So
ciety. The report for the year was read
by Captain F. Petrie. the honorary secre-
tary. and showed that the Home, olo-
nial and American members numbered
$50. The society's scientific work had
tended to bring about truer apprecia-
tion of the results of scientific inquiry,
and to show that there is an absence of
real opposition between science and rev.
elation. Sir Gabriel then described the
luminiferous ether, which had been
| termed medium whose vibrations are
supposed to cause light, pervades all
space, is imponderable and infinitely
elastic. He explained the results of the
| Investigations of home and foreign men
of science Tito the nature OF that sub
| stance. and said that it was quite con-
| ceivable that further great discov ies
| might be made as regards it. What It's
nature was we could only assume; for in
stance. the results of modern astronomi-
cal calculation had shown that light
| travelling at the rate of 10000 miles q
| second, would take four years say, to go
| from the nearest star to the earth: now
| as we saw the fixed stars there must be
some link of connection between us and
them. There were two theories of light;
| according to one. light was a substance
| darted forth from the luminous body, ac-
cording to the other it was state OF
| change taking place. Dropagated by me-
| dunn intervening between that body and
| the observer. Sir Isaac Newton held that
| there must be such a medium. either ma
/ terial of immaterial, but the question
| arose how far did it extend; was it infinite
| like space? Science could give no answer
| if it were limited what was outside iti
If there be such then, according TO phe!
nomena open to our investigation there
| can be no communication Herewith
| But properties of either are no less re-
markable than its extent, the question
! whether it gravitates towards ponderable
matter, science cannot answer but if it be
connected with gravitation, it cannot be
| imponderable. Sir Gabriel then referred
to the undulatory theory of sound, and to
| his own suggestion to Faraday, forty years
ago, in regard to the possibility of the
| electricity having all undulatory motion
somewhat similar to that of light. Since
| then Clark Maxwell had shown that the
| velocity of light agrees with that of elec.
tricity, and Hertz had shown that the Dne
| exhibits some phenomena of the other.
At the conclusion of the address, his ex
| cellency. the Hon. 7. +. Ba yard, the
| United States Ambassador to England, a.
a member to the Institute, moved, and
Sir Henry Barkly, G. c. M. G., K. c. b.
| +. r. S., seconded vote of thanks fol
| the address. Canon Girdlestone and Ad
miral Grant, G.. B., moved and seconded 6
vote of thanks to the chair, and the sum
mer list of home and colonial applicant.
for enrolment as supporters was begun
after which the members and associates
| held a conversazione in the museum
where refreshments We're served