Brunswick Mum is now advertised for sale by many publicans in the metropolis.]
Meaning of "Rasher."
—What is the derivation of the word rasher, "a rasher of bacon?"
J. H. C.
Adelaide, South Australia.
[Surely from the French raser, to shave—a shaving of bacon. Our correspondent will probably recollect that vessels that have been cut down are commonly known as razees.]
Replies.
PENDULUM DEMONSTRATION OF THE EARTH'S ROTATION.
(Vol. iv., p. 129.)
I beg to send you a few remarks on the note of A. E. B., concerning the "Pendulum Demonstration of the Earth's Rotation."
Your correspondent appears to consider that the only fact asserted by the propounders of the theory, is a variation in the plane of oscillation, caused by "the difference of rotation due to the excess of velocity with which one extremity of the line of oscillation may be affected more than the other;" the probable existence of which he proves by imagining a pendulum suspended over a point half-way between London and Edinburgh, and set in motion by being drawn towards and retained over London, and thence dismissed on its course. It is clear that in such a case the pendulum would at starting be impressed with the same velocity of motion in an eastern direction which the retaining power in London had, and that its path would be the result of this force compounded with that given by gravity in its line of suspension, i.e. towards the north, and its course would therefore be one subject to easy calculation. I should imagine that this disturbing force arising from the excess of eastern velocity possessed by the starting point over that of suspension, would be inappreciable after a few oscillations; but at all events it is evident that it might readily be avoided by setting the pendulum in motion by an impulse given beneath the point of suspension, by giving to it a direction east and west as suggested by A. E. B., or by several other expedients which must occur to a mathematician.