The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-20

center OF heat and attraction, we might
confidently expect to find conditions
prevailing which existed on our earth
many millions of years ago. And. in-
deed, in this 10 should not find our
selves to have judged wrong. II does
not take very many observations with
powerful telescope to tell that THE
planet is not aolid, but ia rather in a
plastic if not even in a molten condi-
ton. BIT most significant Of all, his
axial revoluti0Ti 10 accomplished in
about 10 hours, conditions which in.
deed correspond to the letter with what
tidal evolution tells va were the past
conditions of our own earth,
MERCURY AND VENUS.
Than again observe the comprehen-
eive fact that both Mercury aud Venus,
the two planets nearest to the sun, al
ways, according to the most reliable OBJ
servations, turn the same face toward
the sun. Tidal friction has, as it were,
arrested the axial revolutions OF both OF
theee planets, and forced them to for
ever pay obeisance to their primaries.
PROOF FROM THE DOUBLE STARS.
Leaving the solar system and passing
outward to the siderial VS. soon find
further corroborstion OF our theory. We
have asen this evening that one Of the
effects of tidal friction ia that the two
attracting bodies keep pushing further
and further away from each other. In
the case of the earth-moon system the
pushing ia pretty we'll one-sided on &C.
count Of the great difference in size of
che two bodies. But suppose that both
bodies we're of about the same mass.
What would be the result? This
ia what the consequence would
be. The earth would push the moon
and the moon the earth about an equal
amount, and this would in it's turn give
rise to exceedingly elongated elliptical
orbits. Now one of the most remark
able facta connected with nearly all the
lunsry systems of double stars far away
in the bosom of undesirable space ia
the exceedingly eccentric elliptical
orbits, caused undou btedly by mutual
tidal action OF the com ponents of the
systems. My authority for this state.
mont Is Herr I. j. j. Lee OF Berlin.
OTHER RESULTS.
There is another collateral consequence
which must follow from q combination
of tidal action and gravitation or prim
tive plastic planet. During the course
of evolution the earth's mass must have
suffered screwing motion 30 that the
polar regions have travelled little from
west to east. relative to the equators.
Prof. g. A. Darwin of Oxford thinks
that this furnishes possible explana-
zion of north and south trend of our
great continents.
THE LIMIT OF THE MOVABLE.
Tidal evolution has indeed furnished
explanations for many important ques-
tions about the remote past and dim,
distant future OF the bodies of our solar
system. 1t has perhaps helped us along
one more step in our painstaking search
for truth and cropping for exact knowl-
edge. This is, however. all that it has
done. The mystery OF the great whole
and the origin of the universe it leaves
as great as ever. Sometimes we feel
hopeful that eventually the genius of
man will unfold it all. And indeed we
| have good cause and a perfect right to
be proud of what the human intellect haa
been able to accomplish. But it eczema
to me that every step ahead only tende
to show the greater extent OF the un-
movable. Aa Carlyle has go finely
said in his Sartor Resartus "Systom
4 OF Nature To the wiseat man, wide as
| is his vision, nature remains OF quite
infinite depth, of quite infinite expan
zion; and all experience thereof limits
itself to some few computed centuries
and measured square miles. The course
of nature'a faces on this, our little frsc-
ton of o planet, ia partially known
to us; but who knows what
deeper COURSES theae depend on !;
what infinitely larger cycles OF
courses our little epicycle revolvss
upon. To the little tadpole or minnow
every Granny and pebble, and quality
and accident OF its little native creek
may have become familiar, but does the
minnow understand the ocean tides and
periodic currents, the trade winds or
monsoons or the moons eclipses, by all
which ths condition of its little creek is
regulated. and may (unmirsoulously
snough) be quite overast and reversed ?
| Just such little minnow is man; his
creek, this planet; his ocean, the i'm
measurable all his monsoons and peril
odic currents, tha mysterious course OF
nature through 9one and @ons."