THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2388, 7 December 1899, Page 63

THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY.

By a Bakker. Of all the forces of nature, that which most completely baffles the efforts . of scientists to explain, or even to advance a speculative theory which can be accepted as reasonably probable, or even, possible, must clearly be that mysterious power inherent in bodies of great magnitude and density, by which masses of lesser bulk or gravity axe forcibly drawn

towards there. To this strange natural energy, known as the " attraction of gravitation," in conjunction with lhat other almost equally unintelligible natural impulse, centrifugal force, which counteracts and overcomes the excessive attractive power "pertaining to bodies of great density, must be attributed the order and regularity which reign in the whole field of creation. Without these forces everything would be chaos and wild confusion in the stellar and planetary realms; while on the earth, even assuming that the order of the sdlar system endured, if this attractive force were suddenly arrested and annihilated, every condition of lifa would be altered; foi weight would not exist, and the great difficulty would be how to keep down on the ground, and to avoid flying off into space. Man would have jumping powers far exceeding relatively those of the offensive little insect, the -pulex irritans, which can jump 200 times its own length; in fact, he would find it impossible to regain terra firma without the aid of artificial wings witii which to cleave the air, for otherwise he would remain suspended helpless in mid-air at the , mercy of the winds ; while a ton of iron could * be lifted as easily as if it were a pith ball. ■ On some of the minor planets this is the condition which, to some extent, actually exists ; while on, for instance, that mighty olanet, Jupiter, the attraction is so enormous that a being constituted as we are would find it im- I possible to walk, for his weight would be so excessive that he would find it. altogether beyond.his power to raise liis foot off the ground.' The prodigious attractive, energy of tMs force can perhaps be be6t realised by reference "to" the tides, for the moon;- although in great measure counteracted by the earth's superior attraction, yet lifts a weight of -water twioe a day to the height of an average of say 9ft, which cannot be computed at less than a hun-dred-thousand' billions tons. The calpiilatiori may appear ludicrously • exaggerated, but when it^is remembered that, the .surface o£ the sea is about a hundred and forty million | square miles, one half of which is continuously | influenced to a greater or less extent, and that a cubic yard of sea v/ater weighs abaut threequarters of a ton", it will bo seen that the computation in not at all overstated.

If only this enormous natural force of the tide couli? be utilised what a colossal fortune would await tho fortunate inventor who- oould perfect an apparatus by which it could be made to supply us automatically with motive force. The prodigious force is ever there, day and night: why cannot it be harnessed into our service? We are able to do this with a much more subtile, force, electricity,; why not with the mighty fores which is continuously exerted round all our coasts,- but which is left to expend its energy without any attemp being made to" make - use of an agency which has such enormous potentialities? Doubtless, however, the time will come w{ien some fertile brain will devise some simple means of attaining this end; and then will the world wondoi at "the ina-ctlon ■oi the previous generations in not availing themselves of so potent a force. But if- nil these forces arid energies of nature bs so mighty and-stupetoclous, how much greater must bs the viowar o f the omnipotent Creator who fornted them, and who 'controls the entire exercise of them thioughout the vast uui-verse. And not only is He Omnipotent, but also Oniniuipresent, His eye ever on -us, watching ortr conduct, nurking and recording «vej-y effort to plo.ase Hint, and. taking' note -of every sin of omission or of commission. And at the Creat Day -that' record wiil be unfolded, and we shall be iiTdgbd" accordingly.* "Happy they ngtiinst whom no record'-of ;sin is'leftunexpunged!

The. wife of Mr- George Lumsden, formei'ly member for Invercargill, and a very o'.d resident, died at Invercargill on Friday. Her diamond wedding was to have been 'celebrated next month.