The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-30

All Gevesaaeats EngageA In Calcu.
latfng the Earth's Attractions.

II a man had the misfortune 10 fall from
q balloon he would reach the earth much
more quickly II the balloon were near the
north pole than If Ii were near the equa-
tor. An Austrian mau-of-war. the DonAu.
which stopped ut New York recently. 10
making tour OF investigation for the pur-
pose Of establishing the accuracy OF this
statement. One Of her officers. Lieut..
RodieE, has been testing the force Of the
earshs gravity at every point at which
the vessel has touched, and the captain of
the Doaau has been ordered by his govern
inent Ia call at various points simply to
give Lieut.. Rodler an opportunity 10 make
observations. While In New York Lieut..
Rodier experimental In sub-hasement OF
Columbia college. The United States sur
yey officials thought enough of the mat
ter to send a representative to Columbia
with American instruments to verify the
computations made by the Austrian.
The observations OF Lieut. RodIer are
part of a great international gravity sur
yey which has been agreed upon and Is
being carried our By the various govern
ments. IL Was made necessary by pecg-
liar existing condition. Although nearly
every one knows that the earth exerts
strong force of gravity n all Its parts, yet
II If not SO well known that the force IL
variable IL grows much stronger as either
OF the poles Ia approached This IL be-
cause the earth Is nattened slightly at the
north and south poles. The north and
the south poles are much nearer the exact
center Of the earth tnan IL tha equator.
That LIS To say. the distance from the exact
center OF the earth 10 the surface OF the
srapie xone n much greater than Is the
distance from the center 10 the frtgid none
Nov. as the attraction OF grAvitat,on
grows stronger ~ the center Of the earth
In approached. Il 10 plain that the force
of gravity OF the frigid gene must be
stronger than that II the trop.c zone
Tn. earth as whole exhibits this phe-
momenan bat there are certain spots which
seem tg take on ar individuality Of their
own. These spots affect testing ins,ru-
ments I'm such a way that the general Law
might seem 10 as set ~ defiance. were 4
not that certain local conditions serve a.
an explanation, The determination IT this
varying farce of gravity IL net accom-
piishs6. as might hs supposed. BY drop
psng weight from high pesns ard not
sns she rate q Its fail This might be ard
indeed has been accomplished. and ehru~
negr@ph records have been obtained. But
there II another method % obtaining rec
atGS which In much more simple The
tr,cx is aces mrilshed With q pendulum
the rate Of tie swtng 81 which enables the
observer - tell the exact faree Of gravity
existing at any particular p&sns- Ia shcrt
ttE fS<8FfF tN$ haNN1&fkEt sH f3krH tQ~&f&
TIRE e1-th or soath pole ~. faster II Will
swing because mo attraction Of tha eartn
hsccnses greater,
The mocha oses Of this pendulum sw ug-
iTs are highly interesting In sns sub
esiiar cg Columbia college Lieut. Radle~
swNsng the pendulum aud noted by meats
ef ghronosyaah and a csrpnometsr tsss
how leax. rvSa - she slightest fraction OF
a second Il FssatFsss for tne weight 4,
ss-StF .xa% sod :, r. 4 -.
pendulum bar was a small square rsifrar.
Near ey VAS placed candle ard as the
reuaa:uns SwcnE the / sht wAs reflected N
the mirror ard flushed up ard se~a IN the
eass cellar, with every pnisaSien ~ ire
apgaFAtGs E4eas. Rodssr ssoSsst ssroaea
small telescope. the 1ssre sna ~ which
WAS s9asea except far srasa sstt aerass
Ire fsas. As The pendulum swung hssrk
ara setih ths Nxni 81 TIRE candle was
TASTED ga;a ths ;sseseors az The end a.
every sslnE TIE ciaSk 81 tas ssrenasi1.
&esF ApersssA yne observer ~ she siwsskS&n
~ every sesaa1 SO fraction ~ second a.
4 PASSED aaa Lieut.. Re<ste~ was ssAhsssi
& calculate - 8 ntcetS ,ts sssas Requires.
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