The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-02-12
THE WORLDS POSITION.
Astronomical Expedition Equipped
to Determine Where We Are
I'm the Universe.

TO Determine WneEe we axe
I'm the Universe.
While the political world has been dis
cussing the course of British trade, as
tronomers have been equipping an ex-
pedition which is, If possible, TO solve the
question whether we are all, free traders
and protectionists alike, with the sun
and the rest of the planets, rushing
through space at the speed of $4,000
miles an hour in the direction of the star
Vega, says the Sphere. With this ques-
ton is connected another very vital one
of our position in the general scheme OF
the universe. The study Of many facts
in astronomy has tended toward the i'm
preston that the earth Is but a grain on
the sand beach Of space. Other recent
accumulations Of facts, however, seem
to indicates Dr. Wallace, the veteran
colleague Of Darwin, has pointed out
that the earth occupies unique and cen.
trail position in the visible universe. In
this very vital discussion it Is of i'm.
portance to know whether we are moving
away from the apparently central posi-
ton in the plane of the Milky Way with
a speed which is great or negligible ano
in what direction we are moving.
To gather accurate facts concerning
this movement, Prof W. W. Campbell
director of the Lick observatory, has sent
out an expedition to Santiago de Chilli
whose mission it is to measure the velo-
city of 300 or 400 of the brighter stars in
the quarter of the sky surrounding the
south pole, for the only way in which we
become aware of the flight Of the solar
system is by watching the counter move
ment of the stars. 1--WE are like" says
Prof. Serviss, passengers on the deck
of ship moving swiftly through Q
crowded harbor. The direction ano
velocity of our motion are indicated by
the other craft and the shores around us
Ships ahead Of us, which we are over
hauling, loom continually larger; those
behind, which we are leaving, dwindle
in the distance. This does not quite ap.
ply in the case of the stars, because they
are almost infinitely far away, and the
change in their brightness resulting from
an approach to those in the north and
our retreat from those in the south is
too slight to be noticed even from yeal
to year. But, luckily, the waves of light
do the work for us. The light Of the starr
toward which we are going has its un.
dulation practically shortened by ouI
swift approach, and the light Of those
which we are leaving behind has its un.
dulattons practically heightened, and
the spectroscope not only detects these
changes In the light waves, but enables us
by their means to measure the rate OF our
motion and also to deduce it's exact d.
rection."
More than 100 years ago Sir William
Herschel declared that the solar syster
- sun and his attendant planets, includ
ing our earth-is moving in straight
line approximately toward the constella
ton Hercules. That was merely guess
on Sir Williams part for there were nc
means then OF ascertaining the distances
of the stars or their velocity. Later dis
coveries have shown, however, that the
statement was absolutely correct and
that the solar system is moving to
point, either in Hercules or in Lyra
Herschel put the speed down to about ter
miles second. Recent lengthy obser
vations and calculations at the famous
Lick observatory in California declare
the speed at IL miles second or 45 ,00t
miles every hour.
1t is confidently expected that the COM
bination of the spectrographic results
obtained at the Lick observatory in Cali
fornia and at Santiago will lead to a very
satisfactory solution Of the perplexins
problem of the motion of the solar sys.
tenn through space. The expedition will
be away two years.
1t will be of interest here to quote DR.
Wallace's conclusion: "The three start
ling facts that we are in the center of
cluster Of suns, and that the cluster il
situated not only precisely in the plane
of the Milky Way, but also centrally IL
that plane, can hardly now be looked
upon as chance condolences without any
significance in relation to the culminat.
Ing fact that the planet so situated has
developed humanity. OF course, the re.
lation here pointed out may be true re.
lation Of cause and effect, and yet have
arisen as the result of one In a thousand
million chances occurring during almost
infinite time; but, on the other hand
those thinkers may be right who hold
that the universe is a manifestation OF
mind"
Police Torture I'm Japan.
In 1899 girl of 10 was murdered in