Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-13

of the 10-foot reflector. and THINKS ina.
Il can DO completed IN four years. ana
30 suspended in water that u VIII %
manageable and accurate and available
20 within less than Is degrees OF the nori-
xon and up to Is degrees from the Poie.
Its movements into position will De easy,
and Its clock-work to counterpoise the
rotation Of the earth. will be driven by
electro motive power. II will weigh about
100 tons. and yet have no weight on ~
bearings. The mirror win cost WIZ
and the whole instrument &l5ee@ sir
Howard rendered some assistance In
deyising the mounting Of our Lick teie-
scope. and Is doing likewise IN the case
OF the Yerkes.
What n desirable contamination II VIII
be ~ his plan for this giant tank~seie-
scope can be executed. IT VIII De the
crandest of earthbound buoys. ana VIII
enahie the children OF this world to ex-
More the abysses Of space and 10 record
the wonders therein EMBODIED OF that
Omnisclent and Omnipotent Being who
made them all land holds them. as II
were. In the hollow OF his hand"
The bright and happy idea OF Dr.
Common of
FLoTATION IN WATER
has solved the intricate problem OF so
mounting II as to make II pre-eminentiy
seryiceable. especially In photography. II
is 10 be partly immersed In q well 100
feet In diameter and 90 or 60 In depth
The tube Is be 50 feet long. and to con-
sist of two steel shells. several Inches
apart, and will swell out spherically above
its middle. or course I the lower end
will be water-tight. for the great mirror
will there be placed. This Is to be OF
glass, IL that can be obtained; II not. then
sxtn hn w
highly poliNed and covered with an ex-
ceeding thin Zone two hundred-thou-
sandth OF an inch) coating OF silver. but
this coating is not TO be behind the glass,
but in front OF II.
Sir Howard will also avail himself OF
an improvement made by Dr. TOMBSTONE
Stoney, who has very recently devised
a most ingenious arrangement Tor sup
porting telescope mirrors upon an ar
support, graduating the pressure accord.
ing TO the angle OF incllnation vi
the telescope by an automatic con-
trlvance" This will prevent or lessen
the danger Of warping and distortioh
above referred to.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ASTRONOMY.
Photography has already actually mace
some discoveries; the light OF ceiesuia,
objects which the human eye hao iaiIeu
II,
ment. reached the sensitive plate ana ieit
there its repeated record which closer
scrutiny has enabled the observer U
verify. Hereafter he can trust the pho-
toeraph. which he intends TO employ ih
manning. TO the remotest distance Wmch
teIescones can be made to reach all the
unseen occupants of 1.-The spacious III ma
ment on high" Hence the intense inter
est that must centre in the proposed W.
| foot buoy-refiector. .u,,
| Photography IA blessed thihs e.'iy
way. Ii Is scientific, artistic practi0a''
| wonderful; susceptible OF the most con,
| mon and Of the most useful ana deNgn,iui
| anniications: IL rises to sublmity when
| - Gets 10 revealing and perpetuating the
| unseen wonders of the celestial profounds.
| A friend of mine wished TO pay Visi.
| IN bis betrothed In a distant Stale, put
| was forced to endure q separation TOT
| whole vear He travelled to her In one
| of Uncle SANS mail-pouches IN the
| form of a miniature hand-painted on
ivory. encased in a gold locket, ana tnal
| enclosed in a morocco case hheu WIN
velvet. Time rolled on, and so did photo
graphy. and sent him, by mall his irst
grandchid In a far more convenient anu
| less expensive shape.
Whilst waiting for the realization OF
| the grand l0-foot reflector why Hot iipe
rate Lord Roses from its chains, hoat IL
| In water, and let 1t. from its earthly CTS
| tern. search and map the boundless and
bottomless oceans above and around us!
1.-THE sky
Spreads like en- ocean hung on hlSh,
Bespangled with those isles OF nght,
| So wildly, so spiritually bright.
Who e'er gazed upon them shining.
And turned to earth without repining,
Nor wished for wings 10 flee away
And mix with their eternal ray?'
That boundless ocean embraces not only
isles Of light" but archipelagoes OF
them, island universes, commonwealtha
of star clusters, and vast continents OF
nebulae. The astronomer has already
| Toasted his eye and his soul on large num-
| bers OF these marvels and mysteries, but
| is signing for more light from those in
finite depths which enfold so many to
which neither his eye nor photography
| has yet penetrated His longings are
| now likely to be gratified. Let 1t kindlt
| anew his gratitude and his alteration to-
wards the benehcent and Omnipoten'
| Creator Of all the beauties and all The
| wonders which he loves TO seek and study
b. b. NJ.
Richmond, November %, 1894.