400 Correspondence. 
nomic-Meteorology, but the editor, in reply, “ begged to 
decline” my “ obliging offer.” 
I have shown how the Government system of foretelling 
weather has failed, and also how Astronomic-Meteorology 
is neglected. I appeal to your readers to exert their 
influence—and much may be done by individual exertion 
—to use their utmost endeavours to obtain for Astro- 
Meteorology a fair and speedy trial. 
I shall be glad to receive, through your columns, any 
“ observations” with which your readers may favour me. 
Apologising for having so far trespassed on your valuable 
space, 
: I remain, Sir, yours faithfully, 
ALFRED J. PEARCE. 
12 Gloucester street, Belgravia. 
REMARKS ON THE NATURE OF A‘THER. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TECHNOLOGIST. 
S1rR,—I beg leave to forward to you for insertion in your 
valuable Journal a few paragraphs on the physical pro- 
perties of ether, about to be inserted in the beginning of 
my first chapter on Light, thinking they may interest many 
of your readers, who would never dream of dipping into 
the pages of a professedly elementary work, for the remote 
chance of finding some idea with which they were not 
already familiar; and I do so the more willingly because 
I desire to court investigation of an important point in 
physics from those who are more competent than most of 
my ordinary readers to entertain the question at issue. 
That some material medium pervades infinite space, as 
the means of transmission of the light- and heat-waves (as 
the case may be) of the heavenly bodies, is indispensable 
to the dynamical theory ; but is it equally, or indeed at all, 
necessary to imagine that the portion of space within the 
confines of air atmosphere, which is occupied by ordinary 
matter, amenable to our senses, as well as to the universal 
law of gravitation, must be occupied by a strange and 
anomalous form of matter amenable to neither? Proba- 
bilities appear to negative this question. But it will be 
immediately asked, how can zther be imagined to avoid 
pervading our atmosphere and all other kinds and forms 
of matter? Simply by ascribing it to a property of oz- 
ui : 
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m a 
opis 
m. 
