MASKS FOR THE MASQUERADE. ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. MINERS STORE
I
Theorizing
Distinguished Editor Would Have
Us Believe the Earth Does Not
Revolve in Space, but Rests on
Solid Foundation at the Poles.
M. K. Ryan, editor of Civil Engin
eering, the Rig London monthly, star
tled the British scientific world with a
little editorial paragraph in the October
number, which reads as follows:
“It is not generally known, even to
the engineering public, the develop
ments which have taken place during
the past few months in airships of vari
ous kinds, and space does not jtermit me
to enter into details. Suffice it to say
that arrangements have been made to
manufacture them in large quantities
during the coming winter, and next
season ballooning trips will l>e nothing
unusual. The explorer who first arrives
at the north pole will, I expect, do so in
some form of airship and will probably
discover the foundations of the earth
and dispose once for all of that ridicu
lous ami absurd theory that the world
is revolving in space.”
Right here I will state that 1 do not
think for a moment that the editor was
in sober earnest. The squib was doubt
less intended to ridicule some of his
compeers on account of w hat he consid
ered their absurd ideas.
But, however it was intended, it lias
Been taken seriously, ami to interviewers
Be has expressed further ideas a long
way removed from accepted truth.
"To get from London to New Yoik in
three hours’ time is a possibility accord
ing to present-day science,” said he.
“Scientists, Both of the present and the
past, tell us that the earth revolves at
the rate of seven miles a minute. If
this is a fact, all a man need do is to go
up in a Balloon in London, keep it sta
tionary in the air and let the earth
revolve for, roughly, 182 minutes, and
then come down—in New York.”
Mr. Ryan was asked on what he Based
his theories. He counter questioned:
"On what proven facts do astronomers
and other scientists base their present
day theories? 1 have as much right to
put forth a theory as they have. I have
studied the sciences, and particularly
astronomy, for years. 1 contend that
the world is on a soliil foundation. If it
is moving there must be a force to make
it move. Then that force should lie the
force of gravity outside the earth. There
fore the force of gravity outside the earth
would lie greater than the force inside.
Astronomers tell us a point in the equa
tor is revolving at the rate of seventeen
miles a minute, but that we are going so
fast that we don't appreciate it or are
not sensible to it. They tell us that
they are kept on the earth By the force
of gravitation. If a man is then stand
ing on the equator, could In* Be held
there by (one ol gravitation il there
was a greater force of gravity outside
the earth? Wr are also told that the
reason we do not feel ourselves passing
through s|iaee is ls*e»use tlw atmospltere
is carried around atth the earth If
you go up a few; thousand leet Mi a hat
haul. where the centrifugal foree the
earth would have no effect on the at
mosphere, you need only wait there un
til New York came around to you and
then descend.
“Giving astronomers the advantage of
their arguments that we are held on this
world by force of gravity, the centrifugal
force of the earth would yet be much
greater and we would be thrown at
once into space.
“The foundations of the earth, 1 con
' tend, are situated at the north and
south poles. Nature has never allowed
us finally to explore these regions. The
first person that comes within range
with a telescope will see the solid foun
dations. It may, perhaps, be a founda
tion of rock, and if followed up might
lead to the discoveries of other hem
ispheres. Who knows? We can mere
ly theorize as we have done for the ages
past and gone.
“My theory, also, is that the move
I ment of the sun is not an optical delu
sion, hut that it revolves around the
earth, else we would have arrived at
some destination or have received some
j evidence of motion. It can also he
easily shown that the centrifugal force
i of the earth does not carry the atmos
phere with it, as the wind blows in all
directions. If the earth revolves, it is
absolutely certain that there is a force
which makes it revolve.”
I myself make no pretense to scientific
knowledge. However, to those who feel
an inclination to accept Mr. Ryan’s
theory as true I would recommend that
they experiment a little on their own
account.
If they will let a plumb line down into
a deep vertical shaft, in my opinion the
lead will hang directly downward and
mark the spot immediately beneath that
from which it is suspended. Now, if
they will detach the lead and drop it
from the center of the mouth of the
shaft it will not strike the center of the
bottom: it will strike the wall, or at
least go considerably to one side.
Again : If a long-range rifle should lie
pointed straight upward and fired, in my
opinion there would be no danger of the
bullet wounding the experimenter at its
return to the earth : it might fall so far
away he would not even hear it strike.
The released lead in the shaft and the
bullet fired into space above the earth
would each, partially, do the very thing
Mr. Ryan says a balloon would do if
accepted theories are correct: while
passing through the air they would fail
to fully obey the law of gravity but
In* directed in part by mere momentum,
just as a rifle ball, if tired horizontally
into space, will neither drop straight to
the earth nor fly straight in the direc
tion the rifle is pointed.
1 have not tried the experiments al
luded to above, and freely acknow ledge
a lack of education on such matters; but
if 1 should demonstrate beyond a |s>ssi
hle doubt that the had in the shaft and
the rifle ball in overhead space would
actually behave as I think they would,
then I would acccept it as finally proven
that the earth does revolve.
Ill'll SYKKS.
James Bryce, the new British ambas
sador to Washington, is variously men
tioned By the |»aper* as being by birth a
Canadian, an Irishman ami an Rnglish
man. The truth seems to lie that he
was horn in Ireland lie is -aid to have
refitsvsl a (peerage ami to la* the first an
titled British representative sent to the
l ulled "dates i-upitnl.
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| S. E. HEETER, 3
Freighter and Packer
Good Equipments and
Service Unexcelled
JLOJUUUiiJUUUULSUUl^^
FRANK ROGERS
SAYS TWASN'T SO
Frank Rogers, the teamster, says the
story printed with regard to himself
and a fire which started in his cabin,
last week, was false. He says that he
was not in a drunken stupor and that
no one dragged him out and put out the
fire.
Rogers says he had been drinking a
little, but knew perfectly what he was
doing. He went home and lay down on
the bunk while smoking and accidentally
dropped asleep. When he woke up the
clothing he had on and the mattress on
which he lay were afire and the cabin
was full of smoke. He smothered the
fire in his wearing apparel until he
thought it was thoroughly extin
guished. and then ran outside to get ,
fresh air. Then he discovered that his '
clothes were burning again, and as soon
as he could put them out he ran back
and got the burning mattress and the
danger was all over. Rogers declares
that the men who happened along cut
very little figure other than as onlookers.
He says that he came near being suffo-1
cated, but that there is nothing the
matter with him now except some slight j
burns on his lielly.
By the lielated Nome papers it is
learned that in November last Council
was agitated over a house-in-the-street
case similar to the one l>efore the court
in Rumparf in 1003. Four years ago
citizens had the Council townsite sur
veyed and platted and improved in va
rious ways, ami everythidg was serene
till the first of last November, when a
man commenced to build in the middle
of the main street. The outcome of the
case has not been learned, but the Coun
cil residents were pretty sore at the
man who started the building.
JULIUS RAHMSTORF,
GENERAL
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