Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 323 



1. Laplace's estimate that the velocity of transmission, in gravi- 

 tating acceleration, if finite, must be at least 100,000,000 times as 

 great as the velocity of light. 



2. Le Sage's hypothesis that gravitation and luminous radiation 

 represent equal actions and reactions. 



3. Faraday's search for a gravitating constant. 



4. Hersehel's comparison of the mean vis viva of light with that, 

 of sound. 



5. Weber's identification of the velocity of light (v K ) with the 

 " electromagnetic ratio " (v e ). 



6. Berthelofs " explosive waves," and their action upon sound- 

 waves. 



7. The inquiries of Siemens into the combined influence of rota- 

 tion, centrifugal action, gravitating fall, and chemical affinity. 



To these considerations the following may be added :— 



8. If there is a natural unit of force, we may look for a natural 

 unit of velocity. 



9. Oscillations may be orbital, pendulous, or wave. 



10. Different transformations of similar oscillations are harmonic. 



11. Eotation may be regarded as a pendulous motion, due to 

 retarded and modified revolution. 



12. The resemblance of Le Sage's theory to the kinetic theory 

 of gases points to a probability that the natural unit of velocity is 

 oscillatory. This probability is strengthened if we assume the ex- 

 istence of molecular and intermolecular elasticity. 



13. In looking to the activities of the principal mass in our 

 system for indications of a natural unit of velocity, we find that 

 gravitating velocities may be represented by gt. 



14. In order that gt may be constant, t must vary inversely as g, 

 and therefore directly as r 2 . This variation is found in the rotation 

 of a nebulous sphere, where it holds good for all stages of expansion 

 or contraction which are not affected by external influence. 



15. Gravitating acceleration should do its whole work in stellar 

 rotation as well as in planetary revolution. 



16. Particles exposed to solar superficial gravitating acceleration, 

 during a single oscillation of half -rotation, would acquire a velocity 

 which is equivalent to the velocity of light. If we designate this 

 acquired velocity by v y , we have v y =gt—v x as a gravitating con- 

 stant, which gives the following extension to Weber's analogy : 

 v x —v e =v y . In other words, the unit of velocity which is indicated 

 by solar gravitation is the same as is indicated by light and by 

 electricity. 



17. The velocity of light, like the velocity of sound, thus repre- 

 sents an elastic atmosphere whose height, if homogeneous, would 

 be twice the virtual fall which would give the velocity in question, 

 and whose elasticity is in harmonic accordance with solar rotation 

 and planetary revolution. 



18. Subsidence, from Laplace's limit of synchronous rotation and 

 revolution to the poles, gives a mechanical equivalent of 76,000,000 J 

 for each pound of subsiding matter. The spiral character of the 



