GENERAL MEETING. yl. 
A similar law of attraction prevails between two gravitative par- 
ticles when both are similarly endowed with finite spherical volume 
and mass, excluding the idea of impenetrability (which is not a 
necessary attribute of mass), the Newtonian law being the product 
of the masses divided by the product of the distances (7) ” for 
outside positions. 
gravitating homogeneous spherical mass the stress is precisely as though the 
whole mass thereof were concentrated at the center of said sphere, and 
varies directly as the mass and inversely as the square of the distance be- 
tween the said center and the fixed center of gravitation; 7. ¢., G ~~ M 
d? 
The maximum of gravitating force will here be at the surface, where d is 
minimum. He also proved that at all points within a homogeneous gravi- 
tating spherical concentric shell a gravitating particle is uniformly affected 
by balanced attractions. Hence, the stress for any smaller concentric sphere is 
g Sat m m being the smaller spherical mass and 7 the reduced radius. 
mes 
But since homogeneous and similar masses are as the volumes, and similar 
volumes are as the cubes of the homologous dimensions, 
m Sem 7. i oagre S IR er SR 
Ye 
The maximum of gravitating force is here also at the surface, where r is 
maximum. 
*I write the formula this way because it is possible that we have been in 
error all along in regarding the denominator as a radial space relation, as 
Mm 
implied when we write it a In discussing the deflection of the particle 
under gravity, Newton, for mathematical simplicity, treated it as governed 
by a fixed attracting central force, and in testing various relations found that 
the radial space relation gave the true path of the planetary bodies under 
the immense preponderating influence of the sun’s mass. The fixed center 
of attraction is, however, a mathematical, not a physical, condition, and can 
only be realized by making M =o, when we get a form of expression 
which does not give a law of force. I think it possible that the relation is 
a mere reciprocal distance relation, since the stress is mutual for the masses 
and each is equally distant from the other. The inverse form of the relation, 
moreover, may arise from our subjective way of viewing distance, as meas- 
ured outwardly from ourselves, since we have to go from here to yonder. 
It is possible to look upon the relation as really one of contiguity or near- 
ness, and by placing = = ¢ we get the cosmical law of gravitation as 
Meme. This, however, would not be a useful formula, since we are not ac- 
customed to expressions which attain maximum value with minimum mag- 
nitude. 
