M. Daubrie, an authority on meteorites, has been examining two of these bodies which fell in India last year. One of them fell at the village of Pirthalla, in the Punjaub. It weighed twenty pounds, and had the appearance of granite, coated with a blackened skin. The other meteorite fell in the North-western Provinces, and its fall was accompanied by a flash of light and a noise resembling thunder. A great deal of interest has been aroused lately in the subject of meteorites by the course of lectures which Professor Dewar has just concluded at the Royal Institution, London, and which have been addressed to a juvenile audience. Children of an older growth as well can hardly fail to be interested in these mysterious bodies, the only visitors that come to us from space.
We stated last month in these columns that MM. Paul and Prosper Henry had succeeded in photographing a portion of the Milky-way. It has now been suggested by the same eminent French astronomers that the different observatories of the world should join hands in the stupendous undertaking of charting in their true positions all the stars, about twenty millions, which are included in the first fifteen magnitudes. It is calculated that the work might be accomplished within the present century, if twelve observatories in different parts of the northern and southern hemisphere were to undertake it. About five hundred and ten photographic plates would have to be taken at each place, and each plate would require perhaps one night’s attention. But the only nights available would be those having no moon and having a clear and still air. If this work be carried out, its value to the future of astronomical science will be incalculable.
A shock of earthquake was felt at about seven o’clock on the morning of January 20 in Cornwall, at St Austell and in the neighbourhood. It appeared as if an explosion had taken place, so great was the noise, and the sound was immediately followed by the shaking of the ground. Persons felt their beds moving under them, and many others had an impression that a portion of their house was falling down. The shock was also felt at Mevagissey. Many people were shaken in their beds. In one instance a clock was stopped, and in many houses the doors and windows shook violently. The inhabitants of St Blazey and neighbourhood were greatly startled, about a quarter past seven, by hearing a loud rumbling noise and by houses being shaken from foundation to roof. It appeared to come from a northerly direction, and the vibration lasted about four or five seconds. Persons coming in from the outlying districts and giving an account of the shock being more or less severe, all agree as to the time of its taking place.
A more important instance of subterranean activity has been reported to the Admiralty by the United States government. A submarine volcano, southward of the Culebras reef, has suddenly become active, and has thrown up an island two miles in length and about two hundred and fifty feet in height. A similar volcano on the same spot was reported in the year 1877.
From a study of six hundred and fifty thunderstorms that occurred in Italy in 1881, Signor Ferrari concludes that every thunderstorm is connected with a barometric, hygrometric, and thermic depression; it is behind the two former, and in front of the last. Most of those storms arose in the wide plain of the Po. Coming from west-north-west with a velocity of from eighteen to twenty-four miles per hour, they passed (in case of their greatest range) with slackening speed over the Apennines in Upper and Middle Italy. For a given moment the thunderstorm has the form of a long narrow band, advancing, with numerous bends outwards and inwards, parallel to itself, and having its various characteristic phenomena most intense along the middle line. The dominant wind-direction is generally parallel to that of propagation of the storm.
M. de Lesseps, with delegates from the Chambers of Commerce of Paris, Marseilles, Havre, Rouen, Bordeaux, and Lyons, as well as representatives from England, Holland, Germany, &c., whom he has invited to accompany him, has started for the Panama Canal works. The object of the journey is to dispel any doubts as to the completion of the undertaking, and also to give the representatives of the various nationalities an opportunity of seeing for themselves how far the work has progressed. It is said that there are now twenty-seven contractors on the works, who are tied down to finish their sections by certain dates. So many adverse reports have been circulated as to the real condition of affairs, that news from competent and disinterested observers will be looked for with some anxiety.
A scheme, under influential support, has been started for the pacification and administration of that unfortunate part of Africa called the Soudan. This happy consummation is to be brought about by the establishment of a chartered corporation of somewhat the same type as the defunct East India Company. The nominal capital of this proposed Company is to be ten millions, with power to borrow as much more; and it is further proposed that the English government, in consideration of having the white-elephant taken off their hands, should find a handsome subsidy. The money would be employed in the development of the country generally, by the maintenance of roads, railways, irrigation-works, and other works of public utility. As the tribes generally have the instinct of keen traders, it is hoped that these measures may induce them to ‘turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks.’ It is hoped, too, that the operations of the Company may stamp out for ever the slave-trade of equatorial Africa. The scheme is a magnificent one; but its success will depend upon the tact of those who are brought into contact with the natives.
Lieutenant Taunt, who was employed by the United States government upon a mission to the Congo, has recently returned, and gives a very favourable report as to the healthy infancy of the free state. With few exceptions, the chiefs of the different stations are on good terms with the natives. Cattle are reared with great success, and fresh meat is therefore abundant, and the same may be said of European vegetables. Lieutenant Taunt enjoyed good health, and considers that there is no reason why other white men should not do the same, if they will only exercise common prudence. Upon only one occasion did the explorer meet with any animosity from the natives, and this he attributed to the fact that no station had been established in that particular district. He considers that it would be to the interest of the free state if a great many more stations were established. Finally, Lieutenant Taunt agrees with Mr Stanley that on the Congo there are abundant resources to develop.
We have much pleasure in calling attention to the Typewriting and General Copying Association, which for twelve months has been established for the employment of reduced gentlewomen at Lonsdale Chambers, Chancery Lane, London. This worthy little Association has during its first year been so successful in paying its way and making a profit on the work done, that three new type-writers have been bought by it. Authors, dramatists, and many others find it very convenient to have their writings translated into a form which can be so easily read. We wish the enterprise continued success.
The miniature hills and vales exhibited by the wood-pavement of a roadway where there is a constant traffic, is a familiar sight to dwellers in our cities. The only remedy hitherto found for the disease is the relaying of the road with fresh blocks of wood and a long exhibition of the notice ‘No Thoroughfare,’ while the tedious operation is going forward. Mr Bicknell, of the Sandycroft Foundry Company, Chester, has invented a machine to obviate this inconvenience, and it has been tried with some success at Manchester. It has the appearance of a traction-engine, and it carries before it a revolving disc furnished with cutters. These cutters pare the road level, after the manner of a planing-machine, advancing upon the work at the rate of one foot per minute.