The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-02

8 ether vortex Cnfnitesimal in size, of
S course) would have the properties of
& particle of what we term matter
81 This thought, expanded became the
3 vortex theory of matter.
8 THE BEAUTY OF THE VORTEX
THEORY.
4 It IS well within bounds to say that
this is the most fascinating and beauti-
q full conception of the ultimate nature
of matter that has ever been pro-
pounded. The thinking world so re-
s. garded it, and took it up with acclaim,
and made it the foundation of all man
ner Of other beautiful sepculations. 1t
j had a. simplicity that appealed to ev-
cry philosophical mind; for it enabled
the thinker TO reduce the entire uni
verse toNether in motion.
One had but to assume a few differ
ent kinds of worthless (the simplest of
s them circular in form. but others per-
haps variolisly convoluted) to account
for the different chemical and physical
4 properties of the elementary bodies;
and in the minds eye, one had in the
ether that ultimate, unique matter. the
Foundation substance Of the universe.
IF then a man may take pride in his
achievements, it would seem that the
author of this theory might well be eX-
cused if he held this child of his brain
In a little more tender regard than any
other of his mental offspring, and the
establishment of his interviewer may
well be imagined when the vortex
theory being mentioned to hear him
exclainl with all the emphasis that
characterizes his delivery:
1.-The vortex theory is only a dream,
it is only a dream"
"But surely we are not to understand
that you repudiate the vortex theory2'
Not that not that" he said, 'I only
saw that ii is unproven, and hence that
It can prove nothing; it is only a
cream"
was ever there a more astounding
announcement than that2 Was ever
there finer test of the true greatness of
as1y. man? A lesser man than Lord KEEL
vim. having propounded a theory that
so,1nd favor with the world, would
have dwelt and harped upon that the
orv all his life, twisting facts, if need
were. to correspond with it, Warping
everything into shape to fit its needs.
such is the history of almost every the
orv. true or false. Yet here was the
author. of the vortex theory, treating
that theory as if it were a chance
shark from his brain, which might quite
as well be allowed to die away and
disappear.
True science differs from everyday
knowledge mainly in the precision of its
data and its differences, and 1t was in
farRSTlnE
active and most highly developed scien-
tifie mind Of our time-a mind, too,
gifted with Imagination as wells held
1-igidiv IN check and made to bow be-
fore the proven fact.
HIS IDEAS OF GRAvITATION.
Thus If was. for example, when Lord
Kelvin was asked if he leaned toward
the acceptance Of any particular the
crv in explanation of gravitatiOn-that
most universal and familiar of phe
nonena. yet most inscrutable of mys
teries. Before the advent OF the Vor-
tex theory, the only plausible attempt
to explain gravitation was that of the
Swiss philosopher, LIE Sage, who sup
posed that myriads of what was called
ultra mundane corpuscles' are flying
through space everywhere, and have
the effect OF pushing all bodies toward
one another. But of 1ale the thought
IF the vortex atom has suggested that
gravitation may be, in fact, what it
seems a pull due 10 a sort of suction
of the whirling atoms. When asked
whether this theory appealed to him
as 1t does 10 many thinkers Of our time, |
or whether he preferred the rival the !
orv of lie Sage. Lord Kelvin said with |
even more than wonted emphasis: mo, !
no no. 7 accept neither theory; l accept I
no theory of gravitation. Present sci
ence has no right to attempt to explain |
graVltauon. we know nOtnlnS about |
it. we simply know nothing about it
TO convey by words the peculiar en-
phasis and information with which that |
verdict was pronounced would be i'm
possible. 1t would require hardihood |
indeed, in any one who heard it to at
tempt an explanation of gravitation |
until SUCH tine as new data shall have
come to our aid. a subject about the /
cause of which. in the opinion of Lord |
Kelvin, we know absolutely nothing /
is not likely to be illuminated by any /
other person speaking from the basis |
Of present knowledge. This. of course, ]