SOURCE OF WIND AND WATER POWER. 155 



air, sufficiently to become electro-magnetically uni- 

 ted with them, so as to form carbonic acid gas by the 

 process of combustion, with the re-development 

 of the light and heat previously transmitted to the 

 leaves of plants to consolidate the charcoal. 



THE PLANETARY FORCES DIFFUSED BY THE ELECTRIC 

 ETHER, AS SOURCES OF WIND AND WATER POWER. 



To facilitate the general diffusion of vibrations 

 of sunshine put in motion by the revolving planets, 

 the four most readily excitable and freely movable 

 kinds of molecules (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, 

 and carbon), in gaseous states, are selected for the 

 atmospheric covering of the planet. Three-fourth 

 parts of the atmosphere are constituted of nitrogen, 

 combined with nearly one-fourth part of oxygen. 

 About one per cent of the atmosphere is composed 

 of molecules of hydrogen and of carbon combined 

 with oxygen, constituting carbonic-acid gas and 

 watery vapors. The vibrations of sunshine per- 

 meate these fluid transparent molecules, and im- 

 pinge directly on the surface of the earth, without 

 exciting their molecular vibration to the degree 

 recognized as heat ; as is manifest by the coldness 

 of the upper regions of the atmosphere. The 

 vibratory action impinging on the terraqueous 

 globe is expended in communicating vibration to 

 its particles, manifested either as heat, or reflected 

 as light and colors. 



When a portion of air in contact with a vibrat- 



