SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 452, 2 November 1850, Page 141

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

arrived. .- - • None. . BAII.BD. October 26, brig Torrington, 200, Peacock, for Sydney. Passengers, Mr. Duppa, and Mr. and Mrs. Impey. - 27, cutter Catherine Johnstone, 12, Armstong, for Wellington. 28, schooner Mary, 40, Boyce, for Wellington. Nov. 3, schooner Rapid, 30, Walker, for the Wairau. in ppaT. Cutter Maria Josephine, 30, Morrison. Schooner Ocean Queen, 15, Deblois.

Thb Surface of the" -Moon. — At the last meeting of the Belfast Natural- History Society, Dr. Romney Robinson, Astronomer Royal, Armagh,, delivered a lecture on the physical characteristics of the moon's surface, as exhibited by recent telescopic observations. In the course of his lecture the learned doctor saidt — The observations, of the moon through a powerful telescope have confirmed, to a considerable extent, the anticipations of. the ancients ; at the same time, in other and very remarkable respects, they have shown the most striking points of difference. Three of these are important, as showing the difference between the moon and the earth. The first is, that while the ear.th revolves round its axis in twentyfour hours, thus reproducing a quick' reciprocation of day, and night, it is otherwise with the moon, as its Says are pretty -generally equal to fourteen of our days, and its nights to fourteen of our nights. The second point of difference is, that the moon may be said to have no atmosphere of any description, and, do vapour. This is ascertained, in various ways by astronomical observation,, but the most convincing proof of it is obtained by the occultation of a star by the moon. If there be an atmosphere, it most be' perfectlytransparent—it most be a thousand times rarer than ours; and if 40, it must differ from- all other gaseous vapours with which we are acquainted. It follows, from the absence of an atmosphere, that there can be neither clouds, rain, wind, nor frosts in the moon ; and that, unlike the mountains of Jhe earth, which show nothing of their principal aspect, owing to the. action of the atmosphere, the forms of the mountains, and the various accidents of their surface, are most sharply and clearly defined. The third point of difference between the moon and the earth it the light and spongy character of the materials of which the former i» composed. By a peculiar, though slight, mutation of the earth's axis, we have

ascertained that the moon is about the 1.80 th; of the weight of the earth ; that a body weighing 61bs, here would weigh only 1 lb. in the moon ; and that a 24-pounder, if it could be fired from the moon, would throw, ihot six times as far as it could on this «artn. . By ascertaining the comparative weight of the two bodies, we can also determine their relative specific gravity; and we have found that the density of the moon is, supposing it the same throughout, about the 6.10 th of that of the earth. The interior parts of our earth are, however, extremely dense compared with the upper surface. Mr. • Francis Bailey ascertained that, owing to the pressure of the superincumbent earth, marble rock would be in the centre of the earth seven times and a half denser than platinum, the weightiest of all metals; and 300 miles under the surface it would be as dense ~as platinum.' - The earth would be 100 times denser than it is were it not that the heat of the centre of the earth, which is in a state of ignition, Increases the elastic force of the rocks, and resists the pressure of the surface mass. In the case of the moon it is not known whether there ' exists this -central heat or not ; but, if we assume an equally intense heat to exist in the /centre of the- moon, the density of the surface of the latter can be little . more than that of a cork. The learned doctor, after stating that it was scarcely possible for him to confine himself to sobriety of language in describing the appearance of the moon as seen through the most powerful telescopes, proceeded to say that the total absence of- atmosphere contributes to fill up the' extraordinary beauty of a lunar landscape. ~ In the moon' the outlines- of every rock and crag (within reach of our optical instruments-) are seen with the greatest distinctness. On the earth every object at a distance is obscured by the atmosphere, and the outlines of every crag and hill are more or less softened and rounded off by the influence of the same medium ; .but at a ■ distance of 250,000 miles from the moon every little detail is seen with a degree of sharpness and precision which is perfectly " surprising. When looking at the moon through the telescope a great portion of its surface is seen covered* with large spots, slightly and differently cploured. By calculating the size of these spots the height of every elevation and the depth of every chasm can be accurately ascertained. Towards the south of the moon is a very mountainous tract of about 1,000 square miles, covered with the most extraordinary peaks— rugged and wild beyond conception, and not presenting one single square mile of moderate level. These immense mural precipices- have no counterpart on earth. Humboldt caused a careful search to be made for a precipice on. our globe where a stone could be dropped 500 feet without touching an obstacle. The search was in vain. In the moon', however, it has been ascertained that precipices occur running prependicular down 25,000 feet. The reasons of this wonderful fact are to s be looked for in* the atmospheric causes before alluded to, and in the lightness of the rocks in the moon. The finest range of mountains in the moon are called the "Apennines." To the north they rise abruptly to a height of 14,000 feet. - Southwards this chain spreads into a chaos of stupendous mountains, 17,000 miles square— -a series of fearful summits, deep ravines and gullies. North' and west of this chain are the " Alps," in which a gigantic cleft runs through the highest parts. Another class of mountains occur in the form of long chains, from 300 to 400 miles in length. Others are of a type wholly different, and are termed ."ring mountains." These are monstrous circular cavities, some of them 150 miles in diameter. ' The next feature on the moon's surface are the seas, as they have been styled by. the ancients'; but as they are not fluid they should be rather termed plains.- They present the appearance of places where, seas have been. The class of objects called- rills — or more properly rifts— are very conspicuous near the centre. The course of one is 104 miles long three quarters of a mile wide ; it runs through a dozen craters..- The learned doctor, after giving distinguished authority in favour of the old idea that the. "ring mountains" are, craters of volcanoes, went on to state a number of objections to that theory. He next, in reply to a continually put question— " Is the "moon inhabited? and if so, are its inhabitants analagous to ourselves?" proceeded to say :—My answer must be in the.negative. There is no air to breathe, no water to drink, no vegetation to support life, no possibility of communication on the fearful abysses of land, and no seas to traverse. Supposing inhabitants to exist, they must be morally as well as physically unlike us. We are.. endowed with, certain faculties, which we must use ; we build cities, we clear forests, we* unite and, alas ! war with one another. With Lord Rosse's six-feet reflector, an .object of one hundred yards in diameter can .be discovered ; any variation of colour on the side face can be ascertained; a. town like Belfast, with the aspiring chimnevstacks of its manufactories, could not be overlooked Yet nothing of his has beetrneen. All is still, immoveable, and dead — not the slightest trace of any visible living being. We must then suppose that the moon is not intended, at least at the present time, for the support or habitation of any living thing, such as exists on our earth. There is, however, sufficient connected with- her to call forth irresistibly the recognition of the power, and wisdom, and glory of the Great Being who created her, and who has endowed is, His creatures, with faculties to seek, however faintly for the evidences of His work in the worlds that surround us.