The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 11, 1895, Page 16

16 THE SAN I ANCISCO ' CALL, SUNDAY. AUGUST .‘li, 1895. MARYELS MODERN ASTRGNMY Logaares . PoNe OHé”or’or\ o Forming a spherical triagg‘s with the tapering extremities of Africa and South America, and nearly equidistant from them, the shores of Southeastern Australia rise above the watery wastes of the South- | ern hemisphere. It seems, indeed, as if an adequate num- ber of relay stations were thus designedly provided for successive vigils as the won- ders of the-night sweep by overhead. the astronomer of Chile discovers eat comet through the southwest- haze be knows that its career is in con- venient view of the zealous watchers under tralian skies, and that a few hours later on 1t meets the investigating gaze of Cape Town before it rises to his view again in the southeast. If it were otherwise many intermediate phases would be lost to the scientific world. This effect of rota- tion is either a boon or a bane to the first | observer, according as science or self pre- | now that facilities for manufacture and | 10-inch equatorials of coldnial manufac- dominates within him. The general mem- | transporfation are greater than ever, no | ture were added to the equipment and ex- | doubt many others of equal size will soon | tensive preparations made to observe the capturing the | transit of Venus in 1874. bers of the astronomical profession, though emulative, are siagularly co-operative and | share the privilege ; 4 =1y,C0 GDgS 22| beams of the “southern cross.” ! fair minded, and the first discoverer of an | ¢he veteran director, Mr. Ellery, turned:| ological observations are of special im-| o When | object is very apt to retire from his post | the ponderous tube toward the light of satisfied that the views lost to him will be | some distant sun, perhaps he recalled the MISS ROSE O’HALLORAN IN HER OBSERVATORY. [Sketched by a ** Call” artist.] greeted with attention far over the western | days, now forty years gone by, when he seas. | fulfilled the duties of his ost on the | | | | | objectionable results of city surroundings, | | appear from time to time are of great value | When the gold mines of Australia were | beights of Williamstown with the simple a : djustments of a sextant. i discovered and numbers of ships anchored | "dj; mpomas Brisbane was one of those | in its bays it was necessary, in order to | gifted men whose talents take a markedly | furnish the true time, to found an astro- | twofold character, and though an efficient nomical station. Williamstown, near Port Phillip, was the site selected in 1853, and to Mr. Eilery was deputed the duty of finding the true time by means of a sextant and of announcing it to the populated eec- | city of Syduey, N. 5. W., he built an ob- | tions of the colony. | servatory in 1831 at his own expense, and | A time signal was established at Wil- | provided instruments of sufficient size for | liamstown and Melbourne, and in the fol- | the needs of research in a field that had | lowing year a clock and a very small | been liitle heeded since the return of La- transit instrument were forwarded to him | caille nearly seventy years before from the | coarsening influence of military camp life, | and he became as expert with™ the use of | | the sextant as with the saber or rifle. | At Parramatta, fourteen miles from the | soldier, his well-set mind rose above the | § from England, and some time afterward ! Cape of Good Hope. With the able assist- | STAR CAMERA. still better instruments, but until 1859 his astronomical duties extended no further. In 1863 the equipment was transferred to a new building, four miles south of Mel- bourne, and not Jong aiter observations of the sun, moon and planets were commenced with the aid of three assistants, and the results published every year. Observa- tions of stars down to the tenth magnitude were also undertaken and valuable cata- logues published from time to time; and the transit of Venus in 1874 was accorded all the importance that is due to that singular phenomenon. B A commission appointed by the R. A. 8., and composed of such eminent men as Bir_ John erschel, Lord Rosse; Lassell and others, ordered the construction of a reflecting telescope four feet in aperture, and, though it arrived in 1870, it was some years before it was entirely completed so as to give the best results, These were chiefly obtained through the final read- justments which Mr. Ellery found to be necessary by means of careful experi- ments. Surpassed in size only by that of Lord Rosse and Mr. Common, its definition of the objects viewed is reported to be excellent since the repolishing of the mir- rors some months ago. -As the great centers of engineering skill and optical science are to be found in northern countries, they have had a monopoly of the colossal telescopes with the exception of this great reflector; but ance of Rumker and Dunlop this military star-gazer, at that time created Governor of the colony, commenced observations and compiled a valuable star catalogue, afterward published by order of tae Lords of the Admiraity of England. In a few years the observatory became a Government institute under the direction successively of Rumker and Dunlop, and on the death of the latter was permitted to decline, its work being discontinued altogether in 1855. Three years after the instruments were transferred to Sydney, where a new obser- vatory had been founded to meet the urgent needsof the seafaring portion of the population. A 7-inch equatorial and other instru- ments having been added to the original outfit, Mr. Scott, the director, resumed the search for double stars so ably commenced by Sir John Herschel and Dunlop in that latitude. . As some difficulty had been experienced in_recruiting the ‘staff from among the colonists, efforts were made to awaken an interest in this useful and ennobling study, and in a few years astronomical skill an talent were no longer among the required imports. hen the scope of the institution be- came more varied, and the important duty of geodetic surveys was assigned to it, something more than ordinary skill in star-gazing was needed in the manage- ment, and in 1870 H. C. Russell, the pres- ent efficient director, was appointed. Two | i i | | | In these new lands magnetic and meteor- portance, and any unique atmospheric | pbenomena cannot be too soon discovered, | as life and health often pay a heavy tribute %o the possibilities of untried surround- ngs. In these important branches Sydney be- came the oracle in the colony of New South Wales, and assumed the_post filled by the physical observatory of Kew in England. The utilitarian side, however, does not engross the entire attention of the staff, and cometary and planetary observations are carried on with much success. The “‘great red spot” on the planet Jupi- ter was detected in its first beginnings and a drawing made of it by H. C, Russell two vears before it attracted the attention of | ihe astronomical world at lacge. | The charting of the heavens is now in | rogress, and these practical believers in home industry did not go beyond the lim- its of their own city for the entire con- struction of a star camera, with the excep- | tion of the lenses and one important | wheel which baffled the skill of the colony. | Asshown in the photograph, the instru- ment consists of two telescopes of different | size, but so mounted and weighted as to balunce each other, the name twin-tele- scope being often given to such a combina- tion. The larger, 1314 inches in _aperture, is ior photographic work, and the other, about half that aperture, is used as a pointer. The long extension constructed crosswise is the polar axis which such an elaborate contrivance requires. In the interests of home industry in general, it is satisfactory to hear that excellent results have been obtained. Though the observatory is situated | rather centrally, it escapes many of the | as it is built on an' eminence in a small park, and moreover, has beneath it solid sandstone ledges of a thickness that defies the tremors caused by street traffic. The scope of the work has continued to | rectors of Melbourne, Sydney and Ade- laide met 1n conference in the former city to consider the interests of Australian sci- ence, and especially of the meteorological department. No doubt the needs of the country will be efficiently dealt with, as long experience is an invaluable factor in practical science. The private observatory of John Teb- butt, Windsor, N. 8. W., owes its existence to the scientific predilections of the owner, fostered to some extent by the official en- couragement given to the study of astron- omy previous to 1861, It is now more than forty years since he commenced to observe and measure with 114-inch telescope the celestial orbs that at that period glim- mered down unnoticed by the gold-hunt- ing colonists, who songht only the gleams hidden in the murky earth. _ The residence of this scientist occupies a hill on the eastern side of the town of ‘Windsor, near the confluence of the South Creck with the Hawkesburg River. . He built a small observatory close by for a 34-inch refractor, and later onfjavhen he became owner of a 4}¢-inch, a substantial brick building was prepared for it, This moderate-sized instrument, how- ever, soon gave place to a fine 8-inch equa- torial, with which his Jater work has been chiefly carried on. Early in bis as- tronomical career it received the priceless impetus of an independent discovery, The great comet of 1861, which, according to the calculations of M. Liais of Rio de Janeiro, harmlessly swept the surface of the earth, was first seen, by Mr. Tebbutt, on May 13 of that year. Cometary science, to which he has been specially devoted, is much indebted to his vigils, extended over hali a century, and again in 1881 he was the first to announce the great comet of that year. KFew of these celestial wanderers lLave roamed the austral skies unseen and unmeasured b the vigilant watcher on the hills of Wind- The Southern Oross. sor. Inthe meantime other branches of observation have been also assiduously outfit. He has long been a valued contrib- utor 'to scientific journals, official and otherwise, in both hemispheres. By their equipments, achievements and | publizations these observatories, with those described in last Suxpay's CaLr, are the widen steadily, and the publications that | most prominent in intermediate southern to the sailor and to the scientist. The present site of the populous city of latitudes. Being far from the equator the south circumpolar sky is seen at a favorable alti- Adelaide was a verdant but unculivated tract on the banks of the River Torrens far into the present century; but, like the otier cities of the watery world tade, and though the stellar lights of the | opposite polé are lost to view the heavenl | hosts are under more complete surveil- that | lance than if the equator was the selected MIDNIGHT S KY, SYDNEY, sprung up on some desolate shore, its stately buildings now number hundreds, and its halls and academies devoted to scientific pursuits show that the wildest | surroundings cannot permanently numb the intellectual yearnings of the Caucasian races, though such yearnings may be wisely subordinated to physical needs for 1 many years. Though not one of the most imposing of these structures, perhaps that which best indicates its cultural advances is the ob- servatory, first established when the city was twenty-four years in_existence, in 1860, with _Director Todd (now Sir Charles Todd) in charge as Govern- ment astronomer. As in many of these official institutes, the instruments st first were small and inferior, but some lXeum later an appropriation was voted to the use of the observatory, and a medium-sized equatorial, a large transit instrument and a suitable outfit for meteor- ologicel observations were procured. Observations of the positions of the southern telescopic stars, of the planets standpoint. Though oceans roll between some of them, jointly they gird the austral | firmament in unbroken vigil. Undoubt- edly a well-selected equatorial station has unique advantages, buc science gains more by a southerly distribution of observers. It is to be regretted that Helsingfors, Russiz, in north latitude 60 deg. 9 min., cannot have a co-operative antipodal station for magnetic and astronomical observation. New Zealand, at the central point of the watery hemisphere, may, in the near | futureé, take a prominent place in scientific research. | The period of the famous prospective trip to London Bridge will be too late, as northern co-operation could not then be relied upon. Cape Horn is scarcely less inaccessible and uninbabitable than some East Indian stations, and an Antarctic oasis might be found as endurable as the sum- mit of Mont Blanc. There is still scope for new establish- ments in the southern seas. Even those who are not star-gazers will THE SYDNEY OBSERVATORY. and of comets are regularly carried on with the aid of five assistant astronomers. Much attention is given to atmospheric phenomena, and as the climate differs somewhat from that of Sydney it is an im- portant ally in these investigations so essential to the welfare of new colonies. About & year since the three veteran di- readily notice how unfamiliar is the out- line in the jllustration of the Sydney mid- night sky. In contrast te the inferven- ing voids, the Milky Way spans the mid- night sky, branching ~grotesquely and mingling " its luster with the brilliant southern orbs. Among them is the famous cross, which -is erect when on the meri- pursued and’ many additions made to his | dian, inclines as it passes toward the west, is top downward near the south point of the horizon and inclines again as 1t passes eastward. Below the cross is the prosphorescent Magellanic clouds, two strange groups composed of stars, nebule and clusters that convey the impression that they had rolied from the larger mass and left voids behind. And the mysterious pole, the im- movable southern sg:at unmarked by star or nebula, that lies in the slightly sprinkled space above the “‘clouds.” Dwellers in these southern lands see the principal northern stars and, in addition, their own bright skies. They see the sun, moon and planets at about the same alti- tude as we do, but inverted, and a north- erly aspect there is one of heat and sun- shine. Our circumpolar stars they can see, and perhaps, with the perversity of human na- ture, repine for the standpoint of the star- gazers of ancient times. Gerrive THE MosT Our oF THE :ARC Lamp.—It was shown recently that among the coming changes whereby better results would be attained in general lighting was the use of the inverted arc lamp. The in- version of the arc has been adopted under many conditions, and to the mass of testi- mony in its favor is now added the ex- perience of a Rhode Island manufacturer. He tried the plan for twelve months and found it much more economical than either gas or incandescent lamps. His factory has already forty-two inverted arcs and before next winter the whole of the works will be equipped with them. The price of arclamps is now so low that the cost of installation is about the same, for equiva- lent illumination, a8 ineandescents, and the expense of maintenance, including interest, is about the same as renewals on an incandescent plant. One of the advan- tages of the arc is that it is always up to full candlepower, while incandescents be- gin to deteriorate the moment they are put into service. Another objection to incan- descents, noticed particnlarly in worsted mills, is the oily scum which settles on the outside of the glass bulbs. This deposit readily collects lint and particles of dust floating in the air, and the result is a material decrease in the quantity of light until the lamps are removed from the sockets and washed. For a long time the arc light, with its in- tense glare and deep shadow, lost much of its illnminating value in posted rooms, or rooms having much shafting and belting. Now that the hght is thrown upward by the inversion of the lamp and refracted downward by the white ceiling, the rays are equally diffused thmugh the apart- ment and the ideal system for niill light- ing has been reached. The imporiant question for the manufacturer to consider is whether this method of lighting is suffi- ciently economical for his purpose. A mill-owner, who is satisfied on this point, has supplied some illustrative figures. In a braiding-room, 136 feet long, 66 feet wide, and 12 feet high, in which were two rows of posts, a main shaft and three short counter-shafts, and 420 braiding machines distributed in 14 rows of 30 machines each, he replaced 84 gasjets by eight inverted arc 1amps. The lamps were placed in two rows, each row being 17 feet from the side walls, The 84 gasjets consumed in one evening 1890 feet at $1 50 per thousand feet at a cost of $273. In the same length of time the eight arcs consumed 9900 watts at 15cents er thousand, at a cost of §148, leaving a lfl:mnee of $135, or a saving of 47 per cent. BASEBALL BY ELECTRIOITY.—A Very pop- ular entertainment has been started in New York. The baseball ground is on the outskirts of the city, and many an en- thusiast who would gladly make the jour- ney to see the game in progress finas he cannot spare the time. Madison Square, however, is in the center of the city, and easily reached from the business districts. In a theater near the square a reproduc- tion of the baseball ggme at the Polo ground is now being given by electricity, and the representation is so realistically put on the stage that nearly all the pleas- ures of the game, except mobbing the umpire, can be enjoyed bg,' the spec- tator who sits comfortably in the orchestra, cooled by electric fans. The scenery is painted to show the Polo grounds, where the game is played, and the stage is set to represent the ballfield. The players, automatic figures, two feet high, are in their respective positions, ready for the umpire’s cali_to “Play ball.” The game begins: The ball flies from the hand of the pitcher, and is snapped by the catcher or hit by the batsman, who runs the slides to base; the fielders catch and throw, and the battery-work is repro- duced in_every detail. The ball is moved by electricity, and flies about from differ- ent parts of the mock arena as qmck]{ and as accurately as in the game being played at the Polo grounds. But the representa- tion is not confined to New York games. When the New York Clubis afvay from home, the games going on in distant cities will be reproduced at the theater every afternoon, so that a baseball-crank who is mightily concerned about the New Yorks’ chance for the pennant can save his fare to Baltimore, Boston or Chizago by taking a ticket for the afternoon’s performance. Eircreic BoLDERING AND CURLING Iroxs. — Electric soldering irons are rapidly taking the place of the iron heated in the ordinary way. The 1ron can be brought to the required temperature in an instant by inserting the terminal on the flex- ible cord carrying the current in the bandle of the iron, and alil the trouble of making and maintaining a fire is saved. The iron is provided with interchangeable copper tips, so that when one becomes worn an- other can be substituted at slight cost. The ease and rapidity with which electric heat- ing can be effected are bringing this class of apparatus forward, not only in the industries, but in the domestic economy. One of its most popular forms is the elec- tric curling iron heater. The heater is suspended from an ordinary electric- light socket, thus avoiding damage to fur- niture which might possibly be caused by an apparatus mounted on a stand, set on a table or stand. This appliance is now very much used by ladies in traveling. The connection is made in a moment, and . there is no . necessity for striag-| ing a long flexible cord to the table. In order to obtain the highest econ- omy, the heating resistance is inserted | in the curling tongs; this insures the ap- plication of the heat at exactly the right place, and when the tongs are ready for use, which takes about half a minute, the current is gradually reduced by means of a | compensating resistance. The regulation | of the heat is thus entirely within the con- | trol of the person using the iron. The electric gur}lniiron is the only appliance vet devisec that will effect its purpose gxghouc running the risk of burning the air. Ereorrio Crocks.—It is rather a difficult thing to realize that it is possible for the whole population of the largest city to tell the time of the day without a single clock in the place, but nevertheless ‘clock works” are no longer a necessity, and clock-winding will soon be out of date. The “self-winding” clock is an ordinary electro-motor at regular intervals, the con- tact controlling the magnet being con- nected with some moving part of the clock. The great difficulty hitherto has been the unreliability of this cm:tuc_zi ow- ing to the smali amount of power aval able for making it, but by new devices absolute certainty of action can now be insured. But while it is possible for every one to have his own automatic cloc! vw1'x'1dzr, a system, called the ‘‘synchronome,’ has been introduced which still further simpli- fies the regulation and operation of time- keeping devices. This system consists of one pendulum, kept in faotion by means of two wheelsand an electro-ma%ne(,whlch derives its energy from asmall dry cell. The object of the pendulum is to transmit electrical impulses at regular periods flong a single wire to any number of cloc! faces. whether in a house, a public building or a church-tower, the hands being ‘“synchronized’ forward by each of these impulses. It thus becomes pos- sible with both winding and clock works. 1f desired a house or building can be sup- plied with its own synchronizer, which controls 1ts own circuit. In this way every room in thehouse can be supplied with the time of day to within a variation of .one second per month. The device is usually placed in the hall and the actuated dials can_either be placed on the mantel shelves of the various rooms or suspended on the walls with flexible cord, as the. ab- sence of mechanism enables them to be treated artistically, and suggests their combination with drawing-room art work in wrought-iron and wood-carving. The electric movement can be fitted into any existing clock-case, and striking orchiming may be accomplished by all or any of the diels. The wiringis very simple, consisting of the connection of one dial with another by a single line. For putting forward the hands of all the dials a push button is pro- vided on one of them. Foy setting back it is sufficient to move the hands of this dial only and all will be altered. TrE Uriury oF LigaTxING Rons.—Alex- ander McAdie has collected some interest- ing statistics regarding the frequency and severity of thunderstorms. About260peo- ple are killed annually by lightning in the United States. Of these casualties usually only one death occurs in each of Januvary, Febrnary, November and December. In March, 3; April, 13; May, 28; June, 77; October, 12. The annual loss by fire due to lightning strokes is estimated at two and a half million dollars. Of the annual number of 575 buildings set on fire, accord- ing to last year’s weather returns, 370 were barns, stables and granaries, 24 were churches and 131 were dwell- ings. The region . of greatest fre- quency of thunderstorms in the United States is in the southeastern portion, ex- tending from Georgia to Mississippi, where, on the average, forty storms occur each year. In the northern part of the United States the number is only twenty and on the New England coast but ten. To the west and soutbwest of the Great Lakes thunderstorms oceur most frequent- ly in May or June, and to the south and east in July and August. The general direction of approach in the United States is from the west; but in Southern Florida the storms approach from the east, thus following the direction of the general movement of the atmosphere. Mr. Mec- Adie recgmmends that lightning rods should be either of copper-tape weighing six ounces to the foot, or of iron rod or tape weighing thirty-five ounces | to the foct. The top of the rod should | consist of clusters of points, which have | been plated to prevent corrosion or rust. | The grounding of the rod should be in | damp earth or running water, and inde- | pendent groundsiare preferable to water or | gas main pipes. In spite of all that has been catzulated or suggested on the point, there is no definite area of protection de- | pending on the height of the rod. The risk of a lightning stroke is about five times greater in the country than in the city. In fact, it is hardly necessary to clock in which the winding is done by an | ouses of the city. NEW TO-DAY. To-Morrow MORNING_—a When you wake up, ask yourself first of all as to whether you are quite fit to do your day’s work as you ought to be, and if you are, turn your attention to your wife ; she needs it. If either of you feel unequal to doing a good hard day’s work, your first duty after dressing is to go and get a bottle of Dr. Henley’s Celery, Beef and Iron, and having procured. it And take a wine glassful at once. IN THE AFTERNOON_ s If you are wise you will look carefully over both your own and your wife’s health. If either of you are suffering from indigestion, dyspepsia, nervous or general debility, insom- nia, “that tired feeling,”” ‘‘the blues,” or any other ailment, you must continue yofir medicine regularly, and don’t neglect to order a case, for you have probably neglected your health for a long time, and you should not expect one bottle to cure you any more than you would when first seen to be a certain sign of summer, IN THE EVENING <t Just devote a few minutes to considering how much money you spend on stimulants which do you harm, rather than good. One glass of bad whiskey will upset your stomach, muddle your head, and unfit you for business: Henley’s Celery, Beef and Iron will stimulate your entire system, and do you unmixed good—not harm. And when you have seen how much good you get from the first bottle you will be so delighted at the benefit you have received that you will order another * then a Casew——mm—— EverY Dar—=— Proof ls forthcoming as to the splendid work that Dr. Henley's Celery, Beef and Iron is doing. It contains celery to make your nerves perfectly sound ; beef extract to stimulate your entire system ; iron in the exact propor- tion tp purify and enrich your blood without blackening yom-'ueq: or disturbing your stomach. THE GRANDEST TONIC AND STIMULANT ON EARTH TAKE NO SUBSTITUTE Then ottle e a Swallow July, 63; August, 46; September, 15; and _ Ehoe rods on the ordinary block dwelfing-"