The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-12
NEW %GRAVITATION
THEORY ENDORSED
Columbia Scientists Say Prof.
Sees Electrical Theory
Is Probable One.
FEATURES or DISCOVERY

Students OF science in New York were
GREATLY ,n,cree,ed yesterday In the an
nouncemen, OF prof. Thomas Jefferson
Jackson see. one Of the best known
astronomers and mathematicians III 'ne
United states and at present IN charse
of the naval observatory at Mare
Island cal. tina, he had discovered the
cause OF gravitaticn.
prof. See made the first public state
ment of his theory yesterday IN 81
Louis, although a treatise by nm on 'ne
subiec, has been In the possession ot
the Royal Society OF london Tor nVe
months. 1t was TO this society thdt or
Isaac Newton announced his Jaws OF
gravitation in i6>', and fioi' sec
thought II appropriate that ms own
theories should be gwen first TO this
body.
Briefly, Prof. See contends that gravi-
tation is an electrical phenomenon which
is caused by elementary electrical cur
rents circulating about atoms OF matter
The theory IT Prof. See is an extei'-
slon and elaboration of physical laws
FIRST demonstrated by the French
physicist Ampere nlnety-hve years ago
Ampere. whose name has been given 10
denote the unit OF electrical current,
knON1u lHil NNO h
electricity flowing In tive same direction
attract each other, but repel when now
ing in opposite directions.
Much of the complicated electrical
machinery of the present day ~ mace
possible by the application OF this prln-
ciple. Prof. See goes far beyond TINS
hypothesis and asserts that the entire
universe is governed by forces depend
ing upon electricity In motion.
arN- -. atn,,tg AlnHtyinAl ElrrAntl
around one body of matter flowing in
the same direction as the atomic cur
rents in an adjacent body the more
the two bodies will he attracted, Prof.
See contends, and this mutual attrac-
ton Is nothing more nor less than gray
lily.
''Grayitation," Prof. See asserted yes
terday, does not act instantly across
pace, but is transmitted with the We
Iocity Of light. Thus 1t would come from
the sun 10 the earth in eight minutes.
Prof. See promised yesterday, ac-
cording to st. Louis dispatches. to make
public next September. the 2j0th ami
versary Of Newton's discoveries. some OF
his own theories and discoveries In this
and other fields. including the cause OF
terrestrial magnetism and the periodic
fluctuations dependent on the action OF
sun and moon and other astronomical
discoveries.
When asked yesterday for his opinion
on Prof. Sees theory. Prof. Walter
!. Slichter. director of the electrical en-
gineering department of the graduate
Engineering Schoo of Columbia Uni
versity. said
The statement OF Professor See that
he has discovered an explanation of the
law of gravitstion and ascrlbing IL to
electrical phenomena is not astonishing,
in view of the progress OF the modem
electrical theory, inasmuch as we are
now told by reliable authorities that all
matter and energy are the result of cleo
trical activity
DR.. Hersche. e. Parker, professor OF
physics in Columbia. who was the
leade Of the Parker-Browne Mount Nc
Kinley expeditions of 1910 and 1912.
said:
at has been considered probable for
some time that If the cause Of crawl
tation was ever discovered it would De
OF an electrical nature and this an
nouncement of Professor Sees. judging
from the outline which has been given.
10 a most reasonable pne, because action
at a distance has never been accepted as
a satisfactory explanation OF any force
In nature"
PHILADELPHIA. July ll.-Dr. Arthur
Goodspeed. CHIEF instructor In the de-
partment OF physics at the University
OF Pennsylvania. said to-day that he put
little credence In the story telegrdphed
from ST. Louis as to Prof. Thomas JEFF
ferson Jackson Sees discovery of the
causes Of the grtvitation.
at is stated that a treatise on the
discovery has been in the hands OF the
Royal Society OF London for tn last i've
MONTHS he said. If that is a fact.
then the Royal Society OF London has
been remarkably successful IN conceal
ing valua Die Information