Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01

~ S-[D ion given. But for
that matter, there
Is hardly any other question to which
physical science has application of which
ABOUT inc same thing may not be said, for
horo heiVlh interests and mental activi-
ties appear to have no barriers short of
the very limits of present human knowl-
edge while the original east of his thoughts
Is such that almost any topic on which he
touches is sure to reveal novel and unex-
pected relations
IL was in reference to one of his specula-
tolls, and one that easily takes rank
among the foremost scientific imaginings
OF any age, that he very kindly granted an
interview recently. This speculation has
to do with that Notwithstanding question
Oh the ultimate nature of matter When
Lord Kelvin (Sir William Thomson as he
was them came forward with his very ex-
traordihary vortex theory, 1t was based
pom mathematical calculations of that
other great physicist, Won Helmholtz,
winch took tangibi form in Lord kelvin's
mind while he was watching the activities
OF some curious little whIrling rings of
smoke in the air, similar to those with
when every tobacco smoker is familiar
Helmhoitz had shown that such a vortex
whirl once started in a frictionless me-
dunn must, theoretically. go on forever.
course do not go on forever because their
medium Is not frictioniess: but Lord KEEL
WIN observed that while they last they ex-
hibt similar stability. and though COM
posed of mere wreaths of smoke take upon
themselves the properties of solid bodies
IN virtue of the motion, just as a moving
bicycle assumes the property of upright
rigidity. And the thought came to him
that II vortex whirl were started in the
ether, which physicists assume as penetrat-
ing space everywhere, SUCH an ether vortex
dnfinitesimal in sized of esurse) would have
the properties of a particle of what We
term matter. This thought, expanded, be-
came the vortex theory Of matter.
Beauty of ;tbciTheory.
1t is well within bounds to say that this
Is the most fascinating and beautiful con-
ception Of the ultimate mature of matter
that has ever been propounded. The think
ing world so regarded X. and took 1t UP
with acclaim. ard made it the foundation
of all manner of other beautiful specula-
lions 1t had simplicity that appealed to
every philosophical pinds for it enabled the
thinker to reduce the, entire universe to
ether In motion. m
One had but to assume few different
kinds Of yortices (the simplest of them cir
cular in form, but others perhaps variousiy
conNoluted) to account for the different
chemical and physical 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.
III then man may take pride in his
achievements. 1t would seem that the au-
thor of this theory might well be excused
II he held this child OF his brain in a little
more tender regard than any other of his
mental offspring. and the astonshment of
his interviewer may well pe imagined when
the vortex theory being mentioned to hear
him exclaim with all the emphasis that
characterizes his delivery:
The vortex theory is only dream, 1t is
only a dream"
But surely we are not TO understa and
that you rcpudiate the vortex theory?'
NOT that not that" he said. IL only
say that 1t is unproven. and hence that il
can prove nothing; it is only dream"
was ever there a more astounding pro-
nouncement than that? Was ever there
inner test OF the true greatness of any man ?
A lesser man than Lord Kelvin, having
propounded theory that found favor with
the world. would have dwelt and harped
| upon that theory all his life twisting facts
II need were to, correspond with 1t. warping
everything into shape to fit it's needs Such
is the history OF almost every theory, true
or raise. Yet here was the author of the
vortex theory treating that theory as IL 1t
| were a chance spark from his brain which
might quite as well be allowed to die away
and disappear!
True science differs from every day
| knowledge mainly in the precision of its
data and it's differences; and 1t was inter
esting to see how the most keenly active
ana most highly developed scientific mind
OF our time-a mind, too, gifted with imagt-
| nation as WELLS held rigidly in check and
| made to bow before the proven fact
His Ideas of GravitatiOn.
Thus 1t was. for example. when Lord
| Kelvin was asked If he leaned toward the
| acceptance of any particular theory In ex-
| PLANTATION of gravitation-that most univer-
| sal and familiar of phenomena. yet most
lnscrutable OF mysteries. Before the ad-
vent of the vortex theory, the only plaus-
| loIe attempt to explain gravitation was
| that OF the Swiss philosopher LIE Sage,
| VINO supposed that myriads of what he
| calied ultra mundane corpuscles'' are fly
| ing through space everywhere, and have
| the erect of pushing all bodies toward one
| another. But of late the thought of the
| vortex atom has suggested that gravitation
| may be In fact what it seems-a pull, due
| to sort Of suction of the whirling atoms.
| When asked whether this theory appealed
to him as 1t does to many thinkers of our
| time or whether he preferred the rival
| theory of LIE Sage, Lord Kelvin said, with
| even more than wonted emphasis: mo,
no, no; accept neither theory: accept no
theory of gravitation. Present science has
no right to attempt 10 explain gravitation.
We know nothing Aboai it; we simply
| know nothing about It"
| To convey by words the peculiar empha-
sis and information with thich that verdict
| WAS pronounced W0Sid ae Impossible. 1t
| would require hardfAoo6 indeed, in any
one who heard it tSSaattAmpt an explana-
| ton of gravitation. @hl1uch time as new
data shall have com&to Dur aid. A subject
about the cause of sMhieh, in the opinion
| Of Lord Kelvin. we know absolutely moth
| ing is not likely to he Illuminated by any
other person speaking, from the basis of
present knowledge. ThiX of course, is far
from saying that new dafa may not come
| to hand tomorrow. or next year, or next
| century. which will solve the problem
ness OF imagination, would be the last per
son to assert the findlity of present kuowl-
edge. But 1t is certainly a salutary check
| upon the egotism of our time to be told
| that the wisest living physicist, the man
| who has been called the Newton of our
| age. knows as little Of the cause why a
stone tossed into the air falls back to the
earth as the boy who losses the stone.
| The Highest Temperature.
| Another most interesting speculation In
which Lord Kelvin is interested has refer
ence to the absorbing question of the lin
its of temperature. As most people know
nowadays. the condition we term heat is
held by the physician to be merely mode
Of notion vibration or CULVER among
| the particles of matter. The precise ma