333 



The Rev. S. Haii&ktoii's Rimarks on 



T^ 



■Mhnimi iiit'.) (w/i 'i(.> 'j ' jKl liiiri' i iiio ' :! oii t lit) .if r f^.>^;i'U[ ifxn; OfiT i!r i trr 



XLiri: m\fi(trli^ mi Pi-biFessdv VoUcf'^Tlieory 'bj Soimti. ' 'Bj/'m 



Bev. Samuel Haughton^ Felfoio of Trimfy Colbrjc, Duhlin'-^-. 



'HE following- brief remarks are intended more to suggest 

 another way of viewhig the theory proposed by Professor 

 Potter in tlic February Number Qf this Journal^ than to form a 

 complete discussion of the subject. Any theory which proposes 

 to explain the deficient numerical value of Newton^s velocity of 

 sound is worthy of attention ; but a theory which proposes to do 

 this without taking into account the alteration of the ratio of 

 pressure to density occasioned by change of density^ by com- 

 pression or expansion, must expect to meet this objection aprmi. 

 This change in the ratio of pressure to density is a vera causa; 

 and after the proposed tlieoi*}- has explah)ed, or is supposed to 

 have explained, the deficient velocity, this change must again be 

 taken account of, and will disturb the conclusion of the theory. 

 Professor Potter's view of Laplace's theory of sound has been so 

 completely proved erroneous by the remarks of IMr. Rankine, 

 contained in tjiie jfarch Number of the Philosophical Magazine^ 

 that on this brtlnch of the subject there appears nothing left' 

 unstated. \ •"' ^^ -"''''''''' '' ' "''^; ' '" ' '^ / ,^ , ''^"' 



I propose 'to 'show 'in' me coui-^'^ (>r'mis','coihmuh'jicati'Qn'ffia^^ 

 I'ofessor Potter's theory (correctly ' intefpre'tett") ctoes' hot e-ue 



Profess 



3/c . 



the coefficient — in the equation of sound, but simply the coeffi- 



cient k ; being thus identical in its remit with the old-fashioned 

 theory, ' ' ' i^h- ■■(i|/;> vijt .n oiili' -ni^ -r; 'M'i t-i!:i.- />{ 



Having established, thj^ p^iat, J^h^y^eHh^j:^,,^]!^^^^^! ^IfVf^^ga- ^ 

 sons for not adopting the new tbeory. S' 



'■'" ^" ■'>-"" ■:< Communicated bv th'.i'Xikof:^'^''^ ^^» ^« ^^'^ 



