The New York Herald Newspaper, August 11, 1872, Page 5

“SAVED FROM DOOM Biserable Failure of Plantamour’s Prediction. Interesting Review of the Astro- nomical Situation. ANCIENT TERROR OF COMETS. THE STORY OF BIELA’S COMET. How It Split Into Two in 1846 and Has Only Been Seen Once Since. THE COMETIC SCARE OF 1832, Donati’s Demolition of the Gene- ‘van Professor. A FEW INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES, ‘We are now trembling on the verge of that event- fal day, the 12th of August, when, at the jatest, ac- cording to the vaticinations of M. Plantamour about six or seven months ago, the world we live ‘m ought to pass throngh no less perilous and ex- qditing a crisis than a collision with a large comet. Remembering this, it is at frst somewhat astonishing to observe the calm fortitude with which the mass of man- wind wait the arrival of so awe-inspiring a meeting, especially when one calls to mind the effect the same announcement had only forty years ago. But it was about a century back that a cometic termination of this “grand majestic world” fnspired the greatest alarm. No assurances could shen be given, as they are now, by the most eminent ef living astronomers, that a comet is after alla very harmless and probably by no means an alto- gether useless fragment of the universe, and that at the worst, all that need be apprehended from a collision with such an object is a greater or less in- crease in the temperature of the atmosphere. Too Uttle was known about them to warrant sci- entists in even guessing at the truth, and astronomers as well as the common herd of mankind were victims toan ignorant and un- founded terror, whenever the possibility of a ren- tontre between one of these bodies and the earth ‘was pressed upon their attention. Indeed, the astronomers were of the two probably very much the more alarmed, for they had already gained some approximate conception of the in- calculable number and eccentric orbits of these curious travellers about the universe, and they knew that it was beyond their skill to predict the course of more than a few among many millions, WHAT WAS THOUGHT POSSIBLE A CENTURY AGO. ‘Thus a savant of 1750 mournfully expresses him- self on this head, as follows:—‘‘When the move- ment of the comets is considered, and we reflect on the laws of gravity, it will be readily perceived that their approach to the earth might there cause the most woful events, bring back the universal @eluge or make it perish in a deluge of fire; shatter it into small dust or, at least, turn it from its orbit; drive away its moon or, still worse, drive the earth itself outside the orbit of Saturn, and inflict upon us a winter several cen- turies long, which neither men nor animals would be able to bear. The tails even of comets ‘would not be unimportant phenomena if the comets tm taking their departure left them, either in whole or in part, in our atmosphere.” Quite an exciting programme of possible misfortunes, wasn’t it? STILL MORE CONTINGENCIES. Another writer, at about tre same date, however, while recognizing the gravity of the danger incurred lm a meeting between the earth and one of these “anwelcome strangers,” found in the event a source of hope as well as of fear. Instead of the long winter which would be the result of the invol- ‘antary departure of the globe into exile far away into the outer regions of the solar system, he cheer- fally suggested that the influence of these bodies, if they could be secured to the earth in the shape of moons or ofa ring or rings similar to those which surround the huge orb of Saturn, would be to modify the temperature of the earth and give us a perpetual spring. And he then adds:—‘However Gangerous might be the shock of a comet, it might be so slight that it would only do damage at that part of the carth where it actually struck ; perhaps even we might cry quits, if while one kingdom were devastated the rest of the world were to enjoy the rarities thata body which came from so far might bring to it; perhaps we should be very surprised to find that the débris of these masses that we despised were formed of gold or diamonds; but who would be most astonished, we orthe comet dwellers who would be cast on our earth ? What strange beings each would find the other!” _ ‘ . a THE ANCIENT TERROR OF COMETS. But though these suppositions, in the light of our clearer knowledge, are seen to be extravagantly absurd, the state of information which suggested them Was still a vast improvement upon the super- stitious ignorance with which comets were re- ded in yet earlfer times. The Greeks and lomans, though they knew nothing whatever about the chances of their collision with the éar'th, regarded them as dread portents of evil, and to their eyes what we now 100k upon a8 the beautiful shape of these Occasional visitors were, to use their own pregnant words, of “horrid aspect.” Early in the Christian era, when men looked almost hourly for the fulfil- ment of our Lord’s prediction of the end of the world, such objects were frequently regarded as ominous of the impending doom. __ HOW COMETS M2'pE MEN PIOUS. Later on, in 88], Ziarge comet which appeared in the southe: cavens so alarmed Lovis J. of France ‘at once set busily to work at building “arches and monasteries in the hope of averting the evi of which he and the men of bis time re- garded the blazing stranger in the sky the assured warning. Inthe middle of the fifteenth century there was another historic scare from the same cause. The Turks, under Mahomet III., were then vigorously pushing their conquests westward through Europe unti! they threatened to carry the Koran to-the shores of the Atlantic, and in Rome the greatest fears were entertained for the safety of Christendom. At this crisis Halley's comet, one of the largest that approaches the earth, suddenly made its appearance in the sky. Pope Calixtus Til. immediately caused prayers to be said in the churches and the belis to be rung at noon every day, and the inhabitants of aii Christian lands were warned to endeavor by sincere penitence and incessant supplications to appease the wrath of the Almighty. Anstria was so'impressed by the appearance of a comet ‘that he abdicated the imperial throne in favor ofhis son Ferdinand, THE OLEARER KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRESENT, ‘Thus in these matters it is pretty clear that our own age enjoys at any rate the most comfortable, even if it should some time or other prove to be an erroneous, faith. Sensible men cheerfully accept the pleasant assurances of the savans that there is little danger of great mischie/ even in the event of acollision between the earth and a comet, while they ridicule the fantastic fears of the ignorant and superstitions, who still look upon the mere appear- ance of such objects in the firmament as fraught with a terrible meaning. Now and then, it is true one may encounter a Visionary creature who will argue that, since the universe is bound in- dissolubly together by the same code of laws, no event can happen anywhere within the boundaries of space without affecting in some degree the des- tiny of the smallest animate atom that inhabits @ drop of water or @ grain of earth, But even though the interrelation of all things conld be proved to be thus intimate and far-reaching, it 18 certain that the influence exerted by the passage of a comet within wew of the earth is too int- nitesinial to be appreciable, PLANTAMOUR A FATLURE. Thus it is seen on reflection to be no longer very Wonderful that M. Plantamour's sensational an- on Aes - And, again, in 1656, Churics V. of | RPO se rem mon een e I | h ury attraction had aiso been agterpined Wil NEW YORK HERALD. SUNDAY, AUGUST 1], 1872—TRIPLE SHEET Bouncement should have fallen Dr. Cummin, pe last prophec: of the impending de- couse wor! ven the most fanatically earnest among good people have v wisely neglected to imfuence the of the impeniten* Ct the use Ch. di wonder. press recet' he ea with derisive incredulity, and though here and there some fanciful journalist has since occasionally amosed | bimaelf by sptoni off curious conjectu to the coni Si Sets fee eee caters tides ie J wore as wearer mankind, the increase in the number of great crimes and excesses, which is always excited by grand calamities, and the final crash of the two meeting bodies, it has been very clear that these have been merely an effort of tho agination, not an expressed fear of the reason. =eone have obstinately refused to eink into a ne , and this latest cry of “hora novissima” as been a miserable flzzle. WHAT MEN OF SCIENCE SAY. Men of science, however, as was their palpable duty in the premises, at once examined, and as quickly demolished, the thrilling announce- ment given to the world by M. Planta- mour, or rather by tne Swiss at the instigation of that gentleman. First of they settled the important question of “Who is Plantamour ? Plantamour was se ncetee tobea geo tensan who held (and holds) the post of Pro- fessor of Astronomy in a Geneva university, and who until the present year had languished in com- parative obscurity. prediction was merely a neral one, nor has he yet vouchsafed to e us ie calculations and data upon which {it was formed. Practically it simply amounted to this— that at four P.M., on the 12th of August of this year, or at any rate at some period between the sth and 12th of August, a huge comet would strike the earth. The effect of the collision was left to the imagination, and the information we were advised id. trust in Pianta- mour. Of course world Jncignan iis, refused to blindly accept this dictum of a third rate pmee and Pad been very properly ben (aio sally abused for his presung| atten excl the fears and if tne volar DONATI ON THE PREDICTION. Perhaps the best and most conclusive ex- posure of the true character of the prediction by Signor Donati, who discovered the great comet, in 1868, that bears his name, and who has made these bodies his astronomical specialty. He showed that unless Plantamonr had some exceptional and peculiar springs of informa- tion other than those open to men of science in general there was no comet which could be sibly predicted as certain to make its appearance on the 12th, though there was one small comet (Biela’s) which might possibly become visible some time during the present year. But even Biela’s comet was not very hopefully looked for by astronomers. It ought to fopeat. about every six and three-fourth years, it has not been seen since 1852. When it was last observed it ex- hibited indications that plainly si ted the pos- sibility of its total destruction. ese points, to- gether with the probable effect of a collision be- tween the earth and @ comet, are so lees 4 treated by Signor Donati that a translation of his monograph on the subject, published in the Nazione of the 4th March last, is republished at the close of this article, THE SITUATION NOW. There, of course, now remains but very little doubt indeed that the scientific world in general is right, and that M. Plantamour has made a blun- der. If his comet were indeed going to strike the earth on the 12th we ought to have seen it weeks ago, but as yet no observatory has reported the appearance of a comet anywhere in the heavens, and the strange manner in which that gentieman has subsided into silence is another encouraging symptom that we have but little to fear. It may be mentioned further that though Plantamour has not specifically said so, the comet he referred to in his prediction is almost certainly Biela’s; for, in connection with that comet, some calculations of his are prea in & few works on astronomy as au- thoritative, and this same comet, which is also sometimes called Gambart’s, was predicted to strike the earth once before as far back as 1832, In view of this, therefore, and of the interesting uncertainty, that, as Signor Donati ex- pans, hangs over the fate of this comet, some further details of its history may be given here. BIELA’S COMET. It was first definitely discovered on the evening of the 27th of February, 1826, in the constellation Aries, by M. Biela, of Josephstadt, in Kohemia. It was very small, and can indeed never be seen ex- cept with the telescope, unless it approaches so near to the carth as to make a collision—more or leas a probability. It presented in 1826 the appear- ance of a small round nebulosity with a feeble con- densation of light toward the centre. The same comet was also recognized on the 9th of the follow- ing month, by M. Gambart, at Marseilles, It was then situated in Cetus, but there was no trace of tail or nucleus. The .period of its revolu- tion was definitely determined at about six and three-quarter years, and it was gen- erally admitted that this comet was probably the same as one that had been previcuay, observed in the years 1772 and 1805. Two years rward, in 1828, Dr. Olbers startled the world by Rien attention to the very close approach of the orbits of the earth, and this comet at the descend- ing mode of the latter. The following extract from “mind on Comets” tells clearly the calculations upon which this view was based, and its effect upon the public mind :— OLBERS’ SCARE IN 1832, “In 1805 and 1826 the radius vector of the comet at the nodal passage was rreater than the earths, consequently, it passed outside our orbit. Bu in 1532 Dr. Olbers found that the comet at this moment would be nearer the sun than the earth, and would, therefore, pass inside our annual path, but at a distance from it of only ¢.00033, or less than five terrestrial semi-diameters. Now, on the 8th December, 1805, when the comet of Biela was near the earth, Dr. Oibers found the apparent diameter subtended an angle of 40 min., whence he concluded that the real semi-diameter of the nebulosity was at least 6.25 radii of the earth, and it thus syteares certain that if the extent of the cometic atmosphere in 1832 were as great as in 1805 a portion of the earth's orbit would be within the nebulosity of the comet at the nodal passage in 1832, The orbital arc, or arc of true anomaly be- tween the descending node and rihelion amounted to 41 deg. 45 min., which the comet would require twenty-nine days to travers as the calculations had fixed the arrival at lion about midnight on the 27th of November, it was thus inferred that the passage through the descending node would take place on the evening of the 29th of October. The eliocentric longitude of the point of the comet’s orbit, which lies nearest that of the earth is 68 deg. 10 min., and the earth could not reach this point until the morning of the 80th of November, or one month after the comet's | passage by it. These results showed, of course, that there was no ground for alarm, at least in 1852, as the two bodies would pass through the dangerous neighborhood so long after each other, If the perihelion peaeege had occurred at eight P. M. on the 28th of December, an extremely near ap- proach, if nota collision, of the earth and comet must have taken place on the last day of November. wre GENERAL ALARM, Though astronomers were satisfied the comet would not approach within many miiiions of miles from the earth, it wag not so, with the general public. Considerable alarm yas excited on the continent as soon as Olbers’ results were known, and the comet of 1832 was even anticipated as the destined agent in the destruction of our globe. It was argued that if a retardation of Shout one erihejion should take onth in the arrival at p piace, the most disastrou lollow—a line of reasoning which, though possibly correct in. jtgelt was together madmissable under thé @irctiihstances. The periodic time cor- régpohding to the ellipse sotustty described by the comet at its visit In 1826 was known, without a greater error than one day, and the effect of pi; net al requisite accuracy. The date halion peaesee, November 27, could not, therefore, be well subject to @ larger error than one day at the utmost. All fear of collision gr dangerous proximity was evidently groundless.” ‘THE ESCAPE FROM COLLISION. Ae the astronomers predicted and as, of course, all of us now know pertecdly well, the world es- caped the collision, THe rst pe of it, ob- tained in 1832, was on the 23d of August, from the paulegio Fopiene, at Rome. It was also seen by Sir John Herschel at Slough, in Engiand, on the 25d of September, but it was then so small and its light so feeble that it taxed the powers of his twenty fect reflecting telescope to enable him to distin- guish f%. Towards the end of October it became Inore generaily visible, and was last seen at the Cape of Good Hope on the sd of June, 1533. It was, however, at no time perceptible without a good telescope, and was always very faint and had but little central concentration. It arrived at perihe- lion twelve hours only before the computed time— a pretty close prediction, when the imperfect data upon which the calculation had been made are taken into account. In 1839 it was not perceived, but in 1846 it again became visible and remained under observation for @ considerable time—from the 28th of November until the 27th of April, SPLIT IN TWO, It was on the occasion of this visit that the curious phenomenon alluded to by Signor Donati was first observed. When first detected, in 1846, wed a@ faint nebulosity, almost, if not quite, rin form, and with but slight condensation towards the centre. On the i9th December, how- ever, it was piafnly somewhat elongated or pear- shaped, and within a fortnight thereafter the comet separated into two distinct nebulosities, which travelied along in company fcr more than three months, It may be remarked also in passing that to America belongs the distinction of having first noticed and established this division on the zoth December, The distance between the two bodies was at first comparatively small, but from February 10 to March gy to the calculations of our exploded friend, M. Piantamour, who, in this instance, however, appears to deserve credit, it averaged about one hundred and fifty thousand miles. Each nebuilosity exhibited a short tail in the usual direction, and there was also detected in each something resembling a stellar point. On the 12th February the younger or companion comet Was the brighter, but it did not continue 80 more than three or four days. LAST APPEARANCE. In Angust, 1862, this comet again reappeared, and was visible for about three weeks, ‘he second part of the main comet was also discovered, but by this time it had apparently become a distinct body, and could have been no less than 1,250,000 miles djstant from the parent body, And since 1852, as Signor Donati has explained in his paper, the comet has failed to Pad. in an appearance, and Whether it haa beeg destroyed or still survives is for the consequences must } ert. | almost as flatly as | one of the most interesting of cometic problems now agitating astronomers, WHAT THE CHANCES OF COLLISION ARE. Just a fewwords more may be said in regard to the “ F of collision between a comet and tne eartn. rago, while con: the of gach a disaster, caloulated: that the ia possibili' lity against it is greater than 250,000,000 ae nearest approach to a collision that the globe hag hitherto encountered, 80 far as we know, it may further be said, was in 1770, when a comet was only 373 terres- trial semi-diameters distant from the earth, or a 000 miles, tho of 1,438, it is more than probabie, ‘accor late discoveries, that rding to 8, we actually pet through the tail of the comet of 1861 without knowing it. And finally, in 1770,a comet was seen to traverse the system of Jupiter, without inducing the smallest perturbation in the movement of the satellites, while the nebulous body itself was so much disturbed that its whole orbit was changed. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. In spite, therefore, of the wonderful exhibitions of the aurora borealis, which have woreeny lit u] the sky 80 much earlier in the season usual and in spite of the meteoric displays recently re- ported, and of all other phenomena which, in the minds of nervous and timid people, might seem to indicate that Plantamour may, after all, prove a true prophet, it seems pretty certain that in the first place we shall not strike a comet, while even if we did there would be comparatively little harm done. The world may be very evil, and may deserve destruction very badly, but it is not, after all, very much worse than it was in the days of the Roman St or even three or four hundred years ago. While, therefore, it be a very proper and pious thing to sing, with faith, the old hymn (which is, by the Way, a transiation of @ poem on the end of the world by St. Bernard de Marlaix, ginning, phe Novissima, tempora pessuria, sunt vigi- jus vory evil; ‘The times are woximy 1ate; Be sober and weap ti Rat Tavew wore hours will pluuge the huinai race few more hours Fy e hu race ere Which serves a8 1t8 home into a com- of death and destruction, And, after all, are id individually con- the world for us simply means which we are all surely speed- ing, and about which we none of us have any doubt. ‘The mere fact that all our fellow creatures would die with us, no doubt heightens the tragic character of the catastrophe, but merely from an abstract peint of view. Selfishly considered, the end of this world comes to every man when the breath fades out of his body and the light dies out in his eyes and the pulscs of his biood grow still and motionless, SIGNOR DONATI ON PLANTAMOUR. The following paper, alluded to in the preceding article, was published by Signor Donati in the Nazione, of Florence, on the 4th March last :— Many journals have lately gaven currency to the state- ment that within five years a comet would strike the earth, Suddenly the ‘five years are reduced to five months; and, indeod, it is now sald that the collision will take place in'the coming August. It is moreover added that some astronomer has already seen this terrible comet, tnat it is of an extraordinary size and truly fear- i) 3 Ig there any truth In all these rumors? ‘This question having been directed to, me ftom many different sources I consider it expedient to make a public reply. "Fiat some astronomer has lately seon a large comet is entirely false. No comets, neither large nor small, are visible at the present ti Itis Probable, however, that some may shortly app 1 it would be a great boon to seience if those which do appear be large, inasmuch ax it is now @ long time since any such have been seen, and inasmuch as certain dispositions which have recently been made would render it possible to make investiga- tions of a character entirely new. Meanwhile, it may be remarked that no astronomer can foresee whether comets will or will not appear, if we do not consider those which already have appeared at various times, and of which the courses are known with certainty. Of these known or which should appear ai This is the question which astronomers may be asked, and to which they can reply by virtue of the data which science affords them. ‘Among the periodical comets hitherto known there is one (called the comet Biela, from the name of its dis- coverer) which completes {ts circuit round the sun in six ears and nine months, cirra, and which, indeed, is due in August next. But can the comet of Biela strike the earth ? It is a fact that when this comet, moving in space, passes from the boreal to the austral hemisphere, ft en- counters the orbit of the earth—that is to say, it passes by one of those many points by which our planet succes. sively passes in coipleting its annual circuit round the sun, or, in other terms, the comet of Biela and the carth travel different ways, but these two ways are such that they cross each other at a certain place. i, theretore, at this place the comet and the earth were to pass contemporancously a collision would necessarily be occasioned. But, in any case, this cannot take place in our time, and mach Jéss during the present year, since, fromthe calculations that we have alread made, it results that in 1872 the comet of Biela will sti keep At a great distance from the earth. The comet will traverse the terrestrial orbit on the 26th of August; but on that day the earth will be distant from the comet almost half as much again as it is distant trom@he sun—that is to say, the distance irom the comet to the earth will be on that day more than one hundred and ten millions of geo- graphical miles, and in the preceding and succeeding days the distance will be greatly augmented. On the 2th of November the earth will paxs that point by which, on the 26th of August, the comet will have passed—which Jatier will at that tine be greatly distant from the smd point. There js really, therefore, tio jmminent peril that the comet of Biela will strike the earth. But if not the comet of Biela, will it be possible for any other comet tostrike the earth? And if so, what will be the consequence ¥ ‘These questions have been much dis Without welling at length upon the subject, we will say that this case Is not absolutely impossible, since (relating simply to the scientific reason) a comet and the earth may easil, encounter each other at a certain point in space, but this case is so remote that it may be sald to be the possible of the Impossibies, The comets, moreover, have inasses so small that even if one of them were to approach within a short distance of the earth the latter would, perhaps, have nothing to fear, and, in all probability, in such an event, the comet would’ become @ satellite—that is, a moon'of the earth. ‘And here I will remark that the comet of Bicla is very smail, and that it cannot be seen without the aid of @ telescope. ‘As this year it is generally said that a comet will en- counter our planet during the coming August, so also in 1882 the fumor was circulated that the comet of Bicla, at that time visible by means of the telescope, would strike the earth And, notwithstending that the astrono- mers at that period adduced reasons very nearly similar to those to which I have already referred to demonstrate the falsity of this belief, nevertheless, inasmuch us the public believed (and ‘perhaps still believes) that it is impossible to measure the distances of the heavenly bodics from the earth, ver liance was placed upon the assurances of these scientific authorities ; and the general panic was not dis- sipated until it was actually recognized that the collision had not taken place, and that, whether for good or lor evil, the atiairs of this lower world continued to advance 0 Lpvipeticy comets, are there any an early date? ussed, in the present case, there is still another reason, and one which perhaps will prove more satistactory tan those which have already been urged. ‘This is nothing less than the very great probability that the comet of Biela no longer exists! That which Lhave above observed relative to the dis- tance which, during the present year, would separate the comet from the earth, 1 have advanced upon the hypoth- esis that the comet still exists, and that it continues to nce in the course which {t has followed up to i802. Nevertheless, since 1852 the comet has not been seen. That the comet in question would reappear every six years ard nine months, circa, was recognized in 1826 When the astronomer Bicla discovered it; and it known also at that time that it had been observed ally in 1772 and 1806. From 1826 to 1852 the comet was oh- served regularly in all its successive reappcarances, with the exception hat of 1830. In that year it occupied a porition In such close proximity to thé sun that the brile fancy of the latter prevented it from being seen—pre- ciseiy gn the same prine:y that we are unable to see the starg diving jhe day, though they may neveriheless be upon our hiorfaun. ‘The failure to see the comet of Biela in 1839 was attrib- This Seaton, re. uted, therefore, to its proximity to the sun. stance, however, was not reuewed in the sue din appenrance of 1846, in Which year the comet was obser: from all the ories of both hemispheres. In the comet of Biela presented a most extraordinary nomenon. Instead of appearing single, as was the case on ail preceding occasions, it appeared ble; that is, composed of two parts, each distant irom the other. The computations bared upon the observations that. were made at that time demonstrate that the distance between those two constituent parts of the comet was equal to thirty-nine times the terrestrial radiu or to about one hundred and thirty-four ‘thousand 7 hi miles, In the comet was and, indeed Was seen; but the ce hetween the two paltts of whieh It was compowed reatly increased, and, in fact, while in 1946 the dir- tance was, aswe have said, thirty-nine terrestrial radii, in 1862 it Nad increased to 49 of syose radii, oF to about ‘one million two hundred thonsand geographical mites, In 1858 the comet cain have apifoached the earth, again have becoine vicibie—nniess during that year the cigcuimstance of 1539 were renewed : unless the comet were to ocetpy a position so very near to thatof the sun as to render observations extreme! cult. In fact, in 1853 the comet Was not 1, and the astron- omers said that this was because it was immersed in the solar rays; but in 1866 it should have reappeared, and in a osition eo distant from that of the sun that it would have een visible during the night, Nevertheless that yeur it was impossible to discover it, even with the aid of the most powertal lorescopes. “= © What, therefore, has f¢come of the comet? Has it van- ished, or has It changed its course? That comets may dissipate themselves has already been stpposed by Kepler, who said that, as the silk worm con- sues itself while itapins its cocoon,so comets may consume themselves and die while generating or spinning their long, interminable tails. Nor is the comet of Hiela the only one that has fntled to re-appear when due; there isstill :nother discovered by Professor De Vico at Rome in 184, which, wrding to the computations, should return every five ‘a half years, but which has never since been’ seen, cover, the comet of De Yico was very much larger than that of Biela; and, unlike the latter, it had never appeared double or broken. ut what can become of the comets when they dis- appear? Tewion thonght that the comets elther fell directly upon the sun, or difused their material through celestial mace, thus serving to give aliment to the sun and also to the planets, Nor is this hypothesis of Newton altogether devoid of reason, since, though Ihave hitherto sustained that the chance that the comet of Bicla may encounter the earth is very remote, I say now that it is qilie possible that the material of the comet has already fallen in part, and is still failing upon our planet. Although that which’ I say now may appear in opposition to that which Ihave said above, this opposition, nevertheless, does not exist, as 1 will e'comet of Biela should move constantly in its orbit round the «an so long as it remains only wnder the do- minion of the solar attractive force; but 1f, In addition to that force, other forces act, it is quite likely that the comet may change its course and cease to move regu- larly. From studies recently made by many celebrated pro- fessors, aud especially by Professor Schiaparelli—who, on count, has wortlily obtained thie he ‘Astronomical Society of Loniion—it results hat the comets are, #0 to speak, the elder sisters of those corpuscles that geuerate the so-called selle cadent( (falling stars). These latter are not really stars, but rather very small opaque bodies, the which are found disseminated and Vagrant through the infinite apace of the universe, and which, when they are near the earth, are attracted ‘by it and tall toward it; and thus, traversing our atmosphere with extraordinary velocity, they become ignited and dissolve in consegtionce of te very great friction or re- sigtance they encounter. These smal bodies that produce the phenomenon of the falling stars are, like the fixed stars, disseminated through space; and, in fact, notan evening passes upon which, attentively Gbserving the sky for acertain time, soine failing star thay not be seen ; but precisely as the fixed stars form here and there various constellations, ar the gold of Which the largest that we can discover is the Milky Way, an alan these comatic corvuseles Jorm here and there little re- | ‘agglomerations, and from this it Is Sposar scmnetionce in very large sometimes iD It is, for granpie, demonstrated that on the 10th of August and on the [3th of November, many falling stars are seen, because the said corpuscles, moving round the sun in two great troops, form two principal bracelets or armillaries, near which precisely on the days above, mentioned, the earth approaches, and tho latter, by its attractive ‘force subtracting many of those corpuscles from the solar action, draws them toward itself. Now, tbe Professor Schiaparelli has demonstrated that there are several comets which ce generate ‘the falling stars. And the Pro- fessor D Arrest has noted that on the Sth of December are seen every year Sing stars that art or irradiate from that of the celestial aome in which would ar the cometof Biela if, early in December, it we be found in the neighborhood of the earth, seems therefore indubitable that the comet of Biela also rma as of a bracelet of cometic corpuscles which move round the sun, and that the said comet is none other than the largest of the said corpuscles; but it this be true ‘the comet sh: aufler &inechanical action trom those corpuscles in the midst of which it finds itself, and this action Ley. Indeed have rts te posal! ther breakings may have taken pines, 80 that the comet mag have been fuced to nents, each so small as not. be vimble, except ae a falling star, when, early, in December, the” earth approaches bracelet in which these fragments move. ‘This therefore, is why said above that perhaps the material of the comet of Biela has already tallen upon ‘the earth ippert and that possibly it may still be falling. But in all this there is really nothing that can Justify ap- prehension, alnce the corpuscles that, while burning, ap- pear as falllng stars, usually consume themselves in ‘Most clevated regions of the atmosphere; and it is on very rarely that, under the form of those bodies whic are called meteors, they arrive as far asthe surface of the earth, My supposition that the comet of Bicla may have been divided into many of those corpuscles that generate the Ht will acquire a still greater degree of proba- bility if, during the coming Au ust, the astronomers fail to discover that comet as they ta In 1866, I have writtem what appears above relative to the comet of Bicla for the reason that! have been able to find no other circumstance or astronomical index that ean in an: justity the rum« Hy diffused, to the effect tanta comet wall strike the earth during the comin, hi th eral fe ls de- rived foomtemone in howay astronomical, aye enor in- Li oy amaeed and diffuses itself much more easily MERRICK CAMP MEETING. SUES eS How the Long Island Saints Enjoy 'Them- selves—Lovest Thou Me More than ‘Those t—“Great Expectations.” Merrick, L, I., August 10, 1872, A ride of over an hour and a half on the South Side Railroad of Long Island will bring the pious pilgrims to the station at Merrick. This village has grown up since the Camp Meeting Association fixed on this site, but itis @ small affair yet, The camp ground lies about three-quarters of a mile from the station, and is reached over a very dusty road; but the camp ground trustees propose by and by to cut a road from their grounds to the depot through an- other grove, by which the distance will be reduced about one hall. They aiso intend, it is said, to lay @ horse railroad track between the grounds and the depot, which will enable passengers to reach the camp in ten minutes. The dusty road is a new one, cut also since the camp was opened here, four years ago, and is known as Merrick avenue. It leads to the Great South Bay, only two miles dis- tant, where fish are caught in abundance and brought to the grounds daily, fresh and sparkling. It leads also to Hempstead Plains, A. 'T. Stewart's new town, which is two miles distant in another direction. Mr. Stewart has built about fifteen houses on his Plains, and others are progressing. His new railroad runs regularly from Hunter's Point. Asachange THE MERRICK CAMPERS, many of whom have been out here since June, Tun up to the Plains to shoot, or down to the bay to bathe or to fish. Like the disciples at Jerusalem, the disciples at Merrick find that religion and fish- ing are compatible enough, and the Master has not Yet asked, ‘‘Lovest thou me more than these ‘The young folk, of whom there are a great many. or the ground, enjoy themselves berrying. The ground—sixty acres—is covered with whortle- berries, and the campers have been feeding on them these weeks past. Last year the mosquitoes were so numerous as to interfere seriously with the devotions of the pilgrims, but this year the trustees have trimmed the trees about fifteen feet from the ground and cut away all the underbush, so that the stingers have had to find shelter elsewhere. ‘They say, out here, that the vermin have gone toward Sea Clif and Shelter Island—the rival camp grounds. Quail is reported to be in great abun- dance, and the saints, without fear of Mr. Bergh, betore their eyes, take their guns and the lives of those pets of the great humanitarian almost at the same time, There are now about three hundred tents; all of which have been ordered and occupied. Of PRAYER MEETING TENTS there are 61x on the ground, and as many more are expected to be put up. These belong to Hemp- stead, Jamaica, Freeport, Rockville Centre and Eighteenth street and South Third street, Brook- lyn, There are about one thousand five hundred people in camp. Ten very neat cottages fare occupied by Messrs. McKee, Wiison, Phillips, Pratt, Northridge, Boyce, Saxon and others, of Brooklyn, McKee is the Mayor, and has the finest and largest cottage on the ground, as becometh an ofiicer of such exalted rank. Mr. Allen is Water Commissioner, Mr. Boyce Street Commissioner. Mr. Wilson is Treasurer and Mr. W, B. Walters is Presi- dent of the Association, Rev. Messrs. Headley, Tomlinson, Stansbury, Trne and G. M. Landon, P. k, of the Long Island district oftne African Methodist Episcopal Zion Connec- ton, were on the ground in the early part of the week. They were reinforced by a score or more on Tuesday. ‘There are now about fifty ministers there, Thursday was the regular opening day. Reynolds, a veteran of eighty-one years, preached the opening sermon. Charles Fletcher, Rev. C. B. Sing, J. B. Merwin aud H. F. Pease, also presiding elders, conduct the exercises. On Sunday last they held public services in_ the grove—preach- ing morning and evening by Rev. John Broad, a local preacher, of Hanson place Methodist Episco- pal church, Brooklyn. In the afternoon there was @ Sunday schoo! general meeting, and after the evening sermon a prayer meeting was held. COST OF BOARD AND LODGING, There are two hoarding tents, one restaurant and the pavilion—a frame building about forty feet deep and two stories high, in wiich board ¢an be ob- tained at the rate o/ $1 25 per day or $1 per day for three or more days, By the single mea! breakfast and tea are charged fifty cents each and dinner sey- enty-five cents, and meat and vegetabics are brought on the ground fresh every day, ‘The sec- ond foor of the pavilion is arranged as a dormitory for men and contains ‘fifty beds, The top floor 18 arranged for tadies and contains an equal number of beds, Additional lodging tents were erected during the week. Cedar Swimp stream, a pure spring which flows through the camp ground, has the reputation out here of being worth a five mile walk to drink of it. Good water can be found anywhere on the ground by sinking from twelve to twenty feet deep, and some of the cottage Owners have well pipes sunk in their kitchens. There are about a dozen pumps on the ground. The lake already referred to has been forined out of one of the springs which run through the encampment. It is 1,200 ject jong and is well stocked with trout, There is - - No SAL@ Or Los TeRF, Dut @ man can have any lot he iploenes, not already taken, and as long as he pleases, for an annual rent of $5. ‘There are no taxes or assessments. The profits of the Iast meeting (1871) netted $1,236 45. Eigh- teen trains pass over the road daily, seven of which, each way, stop at Merrick, so that visitors can come from New York as early as 8:20 A. as late as 6:50 P. M., and return thither as éa: or t hang 5:10 A. M. or as’ late as 9:06 P.M. — It is, therefore, possible to atvend two services on the camp ground, and then ride to the city in time for supper and an evening church service, if desired. Several cot- tagers and tentere say they will stay here unti! the ist of September. Three hundred conversions were oficlally reported Jast year, and they expect to go one better this year. On Tuesday evening Rev. Nathan Hubbell preached from the significant text “Nothing but leaves.” This was followed by an address from Kev. Mr. Ford, of Brooklyn. Dr. True, Mr. French, Mr. Simonson and other clergymen have preached during the week, afternoons are conducted by Rev. Mr. Stansbury and Mies Hill, daughter of Rev. F. Hill, = The prayer-mectings are well attended, and several conversions have been reported, THE CUTTING OF OFFICER MARSHEA AND JAMES FINLAY, Is Jerry Lynch Innocent or Guilty? Jeremiah Lynch, who was arrested in Yorkville some days ago for cutting Officer Marshea, of the ‘rwenty-third precinct, in the hand, and a young man named James Finlay in the head, was accorded an examination yesterday at the Yorkville Police Court. Several witnesses were produced in Court, who swore positively that Lynch had no knife in his hands when he fought with Finlay. They were equally positive that Lynch had not cut Officer Marshea, The latter in his original affidavit swore that Lynch was the person who had cut him, but on his cross-examina- tion he refused to accuse him directly of the crime. There were several witnesses calied for the prose- cution, but none of them appeared, neither did Finlay. Justice Coulter said he would reserve his de- cision for the purpose, as he seen stated, of submitting the evidence to the District Attorney, whose advice he intended to follow in the matter. He seems to have taken the evidence offered in benalf of the prisoner with many grains of allow- ance, judging from his action in the matter. It is probable, however, that this is the last that will be heard of the matter wt present. The presiding eider, Rev. | The children’s meetings in the | CONCERT SALOONS. The Interiors of the Dens and How They Are Conducted. YOUTH AND AGE. Terrible Depravity in the Heart of a Great City. ROGUES’ ROBBERIES Curious Rumor About Six Hun- dred Dollars a Week. —<—e——__— The Manner in Which Legisla- tion Is Not Effected. The appalling prevalence of crime in the city at the present mement.calls public attention to this most. frightful source of cultivating villany—the concert saloon. Some short time ago but com- paratively few of these dens existed on the promi- nent thoroughfares; but they have lately grown to such an extent as to become one of the greatest evils the city labors under. When these places first opened their doors for the destruction of young men the proprictors were more or less modest im the kind of attractions they set forth for thetr customers, but as time went on and the concert saloons seemed to have hit the depraved taste of the rowdy population they be- came bolder and continued to grow more daring ‘until, finally, they assumed the magnitude of mon- ster Caravans of degradation and vice. At the out- set the greater number of these places contented themselves with the selling of beer, but now all kinds of compound destruction in the shape of drinks are sold in them. The wretched class of women employed contented themselves with cheap calico dresses and retained such other decency of demeanor as they knew how to put on; but, lat- terly, restraint has been FLUNG TO THE WINDS, and the brazen damsels who now inhabit the saloons are bedizzened in all the gaudy flimsiness of cheap splendor. All pretension to good be- havior among the women has departed, and immo- ality of the most revolting description is the only thing sought after. Limbs and bosoms are freely displayed and the general conduct of the ‘women in these places is such as would offend the sensibility of any man with a pretension to pro- prety. In keeping with the attire and demeanor of the females is the entire get-up of the interior of the saloon. The walls and cellings are daubed with the most glaring colors, and the scenes attempted to be depicted are not more than one remove from filth. Some of them are adorned with fountains and flowers that seem only to emit a stench of vice and disorder. Music is added to the other attractions of the dens, and it is usually of a quality that would, under ordinary circumstances, destroy the Iecast sensitive ear. Tables are arranged the length of the halls, with chairs beside them, and at these tables the visi- tors seat themselves, and what they want in the shape of drinks is brought by the women from the general bar, behind which the proprietor and | several bartenders stand. Assoon as the first order is filled the woman, or several of them if there is more than one man in the party, will also take Seats at the table, drinks are demanded for them and they continue to induce the men to keep on ordering THE VILE STUFF SOLD IN THE SALOON as long as any money remains in the pockets of the victims. When the men are provincials and not accustomed to the ways of city life, or fast young men about town, with more money than brains, the women endeavor to make them drunk as quickly a8 possible, and when they are no longer capable of taking care of themselves they are | led out by a back door into a dark off street, and there comfortably and quietly relieved of the loose property the: possess, This operation of “weeding,” as it is called, is performed by young men who are in league with the women, and who lounge about the saloons until their services are required, when, upon a signal from the women, they betake themselves to the rear of the place, to await the result of “the little game.” The women arrange te rest of the programme, and before iong a drunken man is flung into the strect, through the back door, and he falls helplessly on the sidewalk. The pockets of the unfortunate individual are rified in an incredibly short space of time, and not @ vestige of the “weeders” remains upon the ground. Very soon after perhaps a policeman will pass the way, going his rounds; finding a man | lying on the sidewalk, he cracks him on the soles of the feet with his club until he wakes him, and then, if he is too drunk to find his way home, the victim is taken to the station house, and only finds out that he is robbed the following morning. Every woman, Without any exception, engaged a these concert saloons has some scoundre) of this descrip- tion attached to her. Sometimes they are gamblers, “ropers-in” for “skin” games or em- ployed in some way about “faro banks,” but they are generally thieves, and thieves of the worst and Vilest description. Sometimes the women are em- ployed by ‘panei thieves” to decoy strangers bav- | ing a large amount of money about them into the dens they keep always invitungly open for such | birds, This is THE MOST MODERN METHOD of concert saloon robbery, and is just becoming general, In this case the woman promises the “young mau about town? or the “old country gentieman”—and these latter are very numerous frequenters of the concert sa- loons—to go to supper with him, as s00n as the saloon closes, and on the way, either before or alter the supper, generally after, as she is able to gauge the welght of his wallet while he is paying for the repast, decoys him into the panel house, where he wiil be sure to pay the penalty of his foolishness, The women are usually adverse to taking up a case of this kind early in the evening, for the reason that it consumes a good deal of time, and may not turn out as profitable as is desired. ‘There is, besides, the chance of being able to dis- pose of one or two young fools before the old ones come upon the scene, and #0 the parties willbe able to make the evening entertainmenta lucrative one, Young men drink luster than old ones, and are be- sides less able to stand the effect of the liquor. They are, consequently, more quickly and more easily disposed of. The Lay object of the youth is to make @ display, and if he can get one of the ft women to devote her attention to him exclustvel, he will spend his little store in the most lavisl manner, . heft ~~ * MIB WHITR-NEADED REPROBATE is merely extravagant. He goes into the saloon to enjoy himself after his own fashion, and the women are shrewd enough to understand this and watch and wait until the proper moment | comes, when they make him pay for the patience bestowed upon him. The young man’s | great glory is to be recopnized by one or more of the women when he enters @ saloon, and this in- sane desire to be nodded to as an old acquaintance | in the presence of a large number of men las sent many @ respectable youth to States Prison. To keep themselves in the memory of these women they are obliged to frequent the same place night after night, is takes more money than they can Gsually get in an honest way and the result gener- ally is that to keep up the acquaint- | ance with these women they steal from their employers. Now the old fellows avoid this notoriety and always slip into the saloon as if they had never beon in the place before. They quietly drop into a chair; wait until the particular favorite spies them out—then there is a quiet, suppressed “How de ye do?’ and the old game commences over again. When the young man is very “fresh,” thatis, inexpericeced in the ways of the place, @ woman Will frequently devote a good deal of atten- tion to him for the purpose of hurrying matters to a crisis. The maie accomplice sees this in an instant and moves into the vicinity of the intended victim. ‘The young man’s neck will im all probability e encircled by a pair of female arms, or one of his knees will be used as a scat, and while he is being delighted with the idea that all the men in the place are looking with wonder on this most fortunate fellow, his watch, money and any little trinket he may have about him are being transmitted to the male ac- complice, who #lips out of the place as soon as he sees the ‘job i8 done.” One woman has been known to steal as many as six watches in the course Of an evening, and pass them behind to her ‘driend” in this way. Of course, when THE VICTIM FINDS HE IS ROBBED, he js too much ashamed of himself to make any fuss, aud generally “slinges’ out of the place as if | he were in reality the titef. Sometimes a stubborn countryman will be inclined to give trouble, but in such cases there are always gentlemen (*) standing by who ronghiy hustle them into the street, and then if any noise is made the country- man is certain to come ont the worst. The women EE ay BIT oer TR TMNT a ae ee ee EO that the falling a ers and merchants who are spicious of their partners or clerks very frequently e joy detectives to find out the truth OF falsity of these doubts, and one of the frst places a detective will to for the purpose of be- ginning his work will the concert saioon. He will take the woman into a sort of half confidence, and she will become his willing tool in no time. The presence of such a number of these dens as has lately sprung up on the prominent thoroughfares of the city has created a profound feeling of surprise among all classes of citizens. They are carried on with the most open effrontery, and are not only @ disgrace to the city, but an insult to the community. The police some time ago made an effort to stop them, but the proprietors again flung open the doors and the business assumed its old aspect, au- thorities since the raid seem to have settled down to the belief that nothing could be done for public morality with these places and so the thing has pres on, getting from bad to worse, until at last it has grown to be A PUBLIC NUISANOR. Certain rumors are afloat to the effect that the police are not altogether uninterested jookers-on, and some people go so far as to afirm that a block of these houses sends some one an envelope con- taining $600 every Saturday night, with the tacit understanding of being let alone. One thing ie quite certain: they have been let most severely alone for a long time » but what the inducement was to procure such peace, of course, no one can now find out, During the sesaion of the last Legislature, and just previous to the expira- tion of the time prescribed for the introduction of new matter for the action of the House, Represent- ative McKay, of New York, submitted a bill looking to the entire suppression of the concert saloons. The bill was astringent one, and, taking the regu- lar course, was referred to the Committee on Cities and Villages, of which Mr. Rush C, Hawkins was chairman, Almost simultaneously with the in- troduction of the bill @ yeung man sustaining it, and who was asserted to hold the most intimate and confidential relations with the committee, presented himself to one of the propaldtors of the Canterbury Hall and offered for the sum of $150 to put @ stop to png Jegs. lation on the subject. After some consult 2 among the concert hall proprietors $75 were paid this young man and the balance was promised at the end of the session. A meetingof all the hall proprietors in the city was then held tn the canverpuls Dei and it was proposed to take up a neral st ription of $5 and send the money to Ibany to defeat the bill. After some discussion this plan was abandoned, and a committee of three was appointed to go to the capital to see what could be done. Just as THE MEETING HAD COMPLETED ITS ARRANGEMENTS and the concert hall men were about to disperse, the mysterious young man regen’ him- self and declared he had been mistaken in the amount necessary to effect legislation in favor of the saloon keepers, and that $1,000 would be re- quired to procure that desirable result, The young man was iistened to by the committee and dis- missed, with the assurance that he shoulds be at- tended to at Albany. In the meantime the com- mittee made up their minds to start for the capi- tal at once, and they accordingly set out that night, While the committee of concert saloon men were making the above arrangements a committee of inquiry had been appointed in Albany to come on to New York and investigate the question of concert saloons. Both committees started on the same evening, passed each other on the road and arrived about ihe same time, one in Albany and the other in New York. When the saloon keepers found the committee of inquiry had arrived in York they were seized with consternation. One of the foremost among them rushed to a prominent Broadway capitalist, obtained from him $2,500 on good security, and despatched a special agent with the amount to Albany. Strange to say, the com- mittee of inquiry turned up in that city about the sume time, and THE ACTUAL STATE OF THINGS EXISTING in the concert saloons was for the moment left une inquired into. About this time Hawkins resigned and Representative Budd was appointed to fill his place on the committee. Some days after this change a telegram was received by one of the prin- cipal saloon keepers, saying ‘The bill will go through if not properly taken care of.” In answer to this a despatch was sent back to the effect that proper attention would be given to the measure in Albany. Proceedings were at once opened with the proper parties in the capital, the requisite sum was placed in the hands of the proprietor of a prominent hotel, and the celebrated measure that was meant to sweep these dixgusting dens from the face of the city was never more heard of. It may be that the time of the legislators was too much taken up at that late hour of the session to attend to such minor matters; but whatever the cause was the bill died a natural death. The question of these concert halls is now being thoroughly discussed, and the people will no longer submit to the continuance of such disgraceful dens in their midst. The Board of Ex- cise Commissioners recentiy refused to grant li- censes to several of them, aad contend that the greatcr number of them are now running without any authority. The Captain of the Fourteenth pre- cinct says all the concert saloons in his precinct are licensed up to 1873, The excise people deny this, and tneir books certainly show a different state of things. From the evident desire to shift the responsibility there is certainly some one vo blame for the continuance of the disgrace, and it is undoubtedly the duty of the police to sweep them. from the face of the city unless they wish the people to believe there is au interest at work not apparent on the surface. The Commissioners of Excise express themselves anxious to assist to the utmost of their ability in this matter, and it Is to be hoped the police will come boidly forward and show that the interests of the people are the first objects of their solicitation. BROOKLYN AFFAIRS. Taking the Taxes. Tax Collector Lemuel Burroughs reports having received $88,662 80 in taxes last weck. The Special Tax. James Carberry, a Newtown road retail Mquor dealer, was yesterday held to ball by United States Commissioner Winslow, on the charge of carryiny e pasinhegs without paying the special tax required Police Record. During the week ending yesterday, Saturday, August 10, there were 526 persons arrested by the police of the city of Brooklyn. The principal causes of arrest were violation of city ordinances, intoxica- tion, assault and battery and petit larceny. Fata! Fall. A married woman, named Catherine Dais, rev siding at 556 Third avenue, while leaning out of a third story window at her house at an early hour yesterday morning, lost her balance and fell to the sidewalk, aud sustained injuries whtch are be- Neved to be fatal, She was under the influence of liquor at the time, Business in the Surrogate’s Court. During the past week Surrogate Veeder granted letters of administration on the estates of Phebe Ss. Timpson, Thomas Timpson, Jr., Catherine Lane, August Van Rhuden, Amanda M. Stremmell, Hen- rietta Forbes, Cecilia A. McKenzie, John P. Maguire, Margaret Sumniertield, Michael Quinn, Bridget Me- Gibney and Jerusha P. Pierce—all of Brooklyn, The Fresh Air Fund. The money recently raised to defray the expense of giving poor children a day’s amusement at Canarsie amounts in the aggregate to $1,351. Yes- terday the third excnrsion came off, and was highly enjoyable to the juventics and the philanthropic people who have contributed towards their amuse- ment. The institutions indulged were the Shel- tering Arms Nursery, Home for Destitute Chil- dren, Brooklyn Orpban Asylum and Church Charity Foundation. The Police Force To Be Increased. The Board of Police yesterday transmitted a communication to the Comptroller instructing that official to provide funds for the payment of fifty ad- ditional patrolmen, as they are authorized by the Legislature to add that number of men to the pres- ent inadequate force. The pay of a patrolman is only $1,000 per year, but the applicants for the dy are counted by hundreds. Those who have the strongest political credentials will, in all cases, as heretofore, receive the appointments un- dex the new deal. The Late Dr. Barrow. The funeral of Dr.'Henry Barrow, late an Inspeo tor ofthe Board of Health, took place yesterday morning from the Roman Catholic church of St. Charles Borromeo, on Sidney place. There was & large attendance, among those present being Health OMcer George Cochrane, M. D., and at- tachés of the Health Office; Dr. Gilfillan, Colonel Broome, of the Marine Corps, and others. A grand requiem mass was offered, Rev. Father Duffy acting ag celebrant and Rev. Father McGilliken as deacon. ‘The sermon was delivered by Rev. Father Desres, ‘The interment was made tn Calvary Cemetery. Excise—How to Enclose a Bar. The question as to what constitutes a closed bar in a restaurant has been settled by the Commis- sioners of Police of Brooklyn. They have caused the snbjoined order to be submitted to the cap- tains of precincts :— Arar y direction of the Board of Police all restaurants 1 be allowed to remain open after one o'clock A. M. w rovided the bars of restaurants are com- (lately enclosea by Wood partit Jom, and that there shall Le no, means of Communication with the space thus en- closed during the time prescribed by law. No attention will be paid to the subterfuge of bunting, muslin oF clot Of any description. “ars thus enclosed Will be considere as open in violation of law, and aatd bars shall be clo: as above provided immediately afer fredve vrelock on Saturday nights. JOHN 8. PAL! sat apa 4 Inspector of Police, Acting bine ‘The restaurant keepers complain bitterly of the brevity of the © allowed them by the Police Board to make the arrangements called for in their order as essential to its fulfilment. They contend in concert saloons are frequently made the instru- ments oi the police to discover thieves and oiten to redeem young wen from careera af crime. Bank- that the Commissioners are not so overburdened with business that such mandates ag the above could not have been nromnlested early in the weak,