PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 679 



line would be broken up into a definite number of shorter lines : 

 the longest line in the series beino^ the one most distant from the 

 sun, and the shortest the one nearest to the sun. The length of 

 the lines would be regulated by the ratio in which the velocities 

 decreased with distances. This is a perfect illustration of the 

 manner in which rings were formed. 



Intervals and Common Difference of the Orbital Velocities. 

 Let us» denominate the nebulous matter that moved around the 

 embryo sun secondary matter. Let us represent the force of aggre- 

 gation, or mutual attraction between the particles of the secondary 

 matter, by the number 1,582. This aggregating tendency was the 

 same in all parts of the disk of secondary matter ; it was equal to 

 1,582 in the inner, the middle and the outer parts. The tendency 

 of this cohesive force of 1,582 was to prevent the formation of 

 rings. Of course, no rings could be formed without overcoming it. 

 The differences in orbital velocities were opposed to it. But it 

 required a certain difference of distance from the sun to obtain a 

 dfference of velocities sufficient to antagonize 1,582. Not only so, 

 it required a greater difference of distance to overcome 1.582, the 

 further the secondary matter was situated from the sun. When- 

 ever the difference of distance was so great in any place as to cause 

 a difference of orbital velocities equal to 1,582 miles per hour, 

 aggregation or cohesion was overcome, and a separate ring was 

 formed. It follows, that since there was a common foree of 1,582 

 to overcome, there must have been a common force at least equal 

 to 1,582 to overcome it ; and any two consecutive rings must, all 

 else equal, have differed in orbital velocities 1,582. If all the 

 rings had been formed into planets, they would also have differed 

 1,582. If several rings, from any cause, were prevented from 

 becoming planets, then those planets that ivere formed would differ 

 in their orbital velocities twice 1,582, or thrice, or four times, or 

 some greater multiple of 1,582. By referring to the following^ 

 tables, it will be seen that the actual velocities of the known 

 planets and satellites are in remarkable accordance with thi* 

 theory. It will be noticed that each system has a different number 

 for its common difference, though all are subject to the same law. 



Explanation of Table 2. 

 In the following table, the difference between the velocity of 

 Mercury and that of Venus is put down as 1,582, multiplied by 19, 



