The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25

honoon, May 10.
EXPRESSES to the stars, half.
day excursions to the SUN
and evening trips to the
moon are within the wonderful
possibilities of the near future, &C
cording to British scientist
Fl. krauss Nield, one of the lead
Ing British astronomers, is author
ity for this statement
Professor Nield believes that in.
terpianetary travelling will BIZ
brought about with the helm OF the
newly discovered gas coronium.
winch forms part OF the corona Of
the sun.
This gas is SO light that a guam.
tity or 1t the size Of baseball has
suHcient lifting power to raise an
elephant. Applied to the dirigible
oaiioon or the aeroplane 1t would
increase the lifting power of the
machine hundreds Of times.
Inc corona is that part of the
sun which Is most visible during n
sotai eclipse, and coronium forms
thc greater part OF IL. Coronium
has never been found on earth
us properties. its gravity and it's
ilfting power have been calculated
from spectroScopic analysis and
from 1ts behavior In association
with other substances Of which
more IS known.
1t Is calculated that IL a comet
could be condensed into the density
OF piece OF iron II could be packed
IN dress suit case, although Il ia
millions of miles long. Now.
comet has been observed passing
through the suns corona at n speed
OF 800 miles per secondhand Is.
without the slightest retardation of
speed. This shows that the corona
is much lighter than comets
tail, and enormously lighter than
hydrogen, which we now use to lift
balloons
1t is believed that coronium
exists in the upper regions of the
atmosphere. Many new atmos-
pheric gases. such as krypton. neon
and argon, discovered by Sir VIII.
lam Ramsay. have been identified
In recent years. and II Is highly
probable that others still remain
to be found. If coronium exists In
the atmosphere it must be In com
b1nation with other substances
which hold it down.
When We are successful in
tsolating coronium We shall solve
the problem OF aviation both within
the atmosphere and beyond" said
Mr.. Nield. He is a fellow of the
Royal Astronomical Society, and
was chief Of the solar eclipse ex-
pedition to Burgos, Spain, in 1905,
and also leader Of the British AS
Economical Society's expedition to
Cape Matifou. Algeria, in 1900.
There is nothing lighter than
coronium," he continued. although
1t seems a rather extraordinary
prediction, maintain that some day
this coronium will be harnessed, and
we will have an opportunity OF
visiting our neighbors upon the 9TH
er planets. This may not be during
our generation. But it is sure to
come. And when it does we will be
able to discover for ourselves what
sort Of people resi-, {, on Mars.
"Coronium is closely allied IN
nature 10 lepuIuLu, WHICH exists In
large quantity in great number
of the nebuae Of the heavens. and,
like nebulum. it exists in a free
state there.
The coronium line has only been
observed something slightly under
two hours In the whole history Of
the human race. In other words,
1t has been seen at the total eclipse
observations for only a few seconds
every two years. With specially
prepared chemical plates I sue.
ceeded III photographing the corona
at the moment OF totality. pre-
pared my plates, placed my camera
and had everything in readiness
ten minutes before the eclipse, and
was able to get a photograph before
the totality was over. The totally
lasts only 81 seconds, so you can
readily see that there Is not much
time to be lost, and everything
must be in readiness.