88 Facts from the Arcana of Nature. 



Akt. XVI. — Facts from the Arcana of Nature apparently 

 at variance with the accepted Theories of Science. 

 By Mr. J. Wood Beilby. 



[Bead by the President, 14th September, 1868.] 

 Astronomy regards the figure of the Earth as that of a 

 sphere, somewhat flattened towards the poles, and bulged 

 out equatorially. This definition of its form is educed from 

 the assumption that its primitive state was that of a molten 

 mass of matter, rotating in space, with such velocity as 

 necessarily to cause it to assume an oblate spheroidal 

 form. Upon this fundamental hypothesis are based 

 therefore all astronomical calculations, defining the posi- 

 tion, upon the exterior of the globe, of the points of the 

 polar axis, the division of the globe into hemispheres by the 

 terrestrial equator, and the position of the parallels of lati- 

 tude and longitude. In the practical use of such calculations 

 applied to geodetic measurements, and defining positions 

 at sea, of vast importance to the safety of our ship- 

 ping, results, questionable to the accuracy of scientific for 

 mulas prescribed for the conduct of these calculations, as 

 applied to local observations, are constantly occurring, and 

 too often with disastrous consequences to human life and 

 property. An analysis of the question cannot therefore be 

 deemed unimportant, more especially if carried out with- 

 out bias in favour of theories adopted by early philosophers, 

 whose means of comparing observations of the phenomena 

 of Nature were but few compared with ours. 



The late Astronomer Royal, Dr. Maskelyne, remarked 

 that "Probably no branch of science is more subject to 

 erroneous conclusions than that of hydrology." The 

 questionable accuracy of existing modes of conducting astro 

 nomical observations to determine the Figure of the Earth, 

 may be deduced from the facts undernoted. 



1. Arago observes, "That the several degrees measured 

 on each meridian, between the pole and the equator, com- 

 bined two and two, do not all give the same value for the flat- 

 tening at the poles." It is also observed, that the alteration 

 in the length of the degrees is very irregular, and as yet 

 unaccountably so. 



2. The refraction of light by the atmosphere is very great 

 when the visual angle is nearly horizontal, and hence arises 

 great errors in the measurement of angles, whether the 



