PARTIAL IMPACT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13739, 21 May 1910, Page 10

PARTIAL IMPACT.

SOME APPRECIATIONS. \ By this week's mail Professor Bicker- ll ton received a louguiy loiter- iroui".ur I*'. \\. i' raiiKlantl, t-ne* statistical uiatuematician, lormorly -New Zealand (JomuiLssioner of ■ insurance, and uppremtive lettc-'s from otnor ennneiu mon. Ur FranKland some tune ago wrote stating his intention of going to ban Francisco especially to turtner tne .icceptauce of the theory of impact. In his present letter he writes:—"l hasten to inform you that the day before yesterday i spent a most glorious time with Professor See, of the tuited States Naval Observatory, Mare Island. He had invited mc to lunch, and I spent,, solid three hours with him, discussing cosmic problems nearly the whole time. \s> you know, the original object of mv visit to him was to confer respecting the best steps to be,taken for the purpose of gaining recognition in the scientific world for your astrophysiival theories. I found Professor See most ! sympathetic, and in the highest degree apniTciutivo of your splendid work. He showed mo the proof-shqets of his forthi coming book, which. I cannot help feelj in."- almost certain, will bo one of the scientific sensations of the twentieth ' century. His allusions therein to your [theories and arguments are most apI preciative, and in considerable detail I (including reproductions of your dia- ! grams of colliding suns), and it seems evident to mo from conversations with i him that ho agrees to a considerable extent with your views as to the origin of 'Novae' or temporary stars. •. - - • I learned moro about cosmic problems dining those three hours with the professor than I have ordinarily done in is many months. . . I am going to try te stop off at Flagstaff on my way .to New York in order to discuss your views with Professor Lowell." Mr' Frankland encloses a letter he had just received from Professor See. in which ho says:—"l have road and return the letters of Bickerton. I wish you would write him at once, telling him what I have said, and how I am treating his work in my book, which 1 hope will do him good. He deserves better than he has received."

Mr M'erfield, F.R.A.S., Director of Soutli Varra Observatory, writes to the professor:—"Tho theory of partial impact has much in its favour and assists in no small measure to harmonise many observations and cosmic phenomena that were difficult to understand. . . The method of correlation is gradually gaining ground in the treatment of some of the problems of our universe, and there is much to be said in favour of it; when used with care."' His Excellency Plunket, who with his staff attended Professor Bickerten's Auckland lecture on the thin! body, has kindly given the professor an open letter in -which he says: —"I learn with interest and pleasure that you are about to go Hbrne to bring before the scientific world your cosmic theory of the third body. Having observed that . your theory is slowly hilt steadily -winning '.adherents among experts, I believe it to be of such importance that you should have a second opportunity of bringing it forward a,hd of' placing your further arguments and new proofs of its validity in the right quarter. . . I can say that you are a convincing and admirably clear scientific "lecturer.'. . .You are at liberty to use this letter should you so desire, and I wish you alt' success in "your mission." ••'.•'■ Mr Peter Board, the Director of, Education of New South Walee, has written to Professor Bickerton expressing his pleasure that lie is about to visit England. When in Sydney the professor _ lectured to the students of the Training College before the Director, the Inspector-General and a pumber'of other' educational authorities. Mr Board expresses his appreciation of the professor.*; power of cler exposition and of using simple apparatus for effectivo demonstration, so essential in elucidating principles. He sends his best wishes for the success of the visit.