no where more necessary than upon matters of progeny; particularly, where we read such cases as that reported in the trial of Sturt versus the Marquis of Blandford. I should like to know how many of the Marquis's bastards from this affair are saddled upon the public maintenance. The Earl of Shaftesbury, we know, works like a mole, and burrows, or boroughs rather, as deep and as quiet as a rabbit. I may be mistaken, but I understand, that your mother was the Earl's sister. I find that I shall spoil the latter part of my subject if I introduce it into this letter, so I will make it the subject of a separate letter after I have seen this in print. I shall then be able to add something to the force of this, if I have overlooked a point for the moment. As far as the pen can do it, I will do you justice now, and will continue to do it, where and when ever I can find a subject to handle, that applies to you. I began this letter, by calling you a mean fellow: the assertion was not made from pique; but it is founded on your general character in this county. You were once elected a member for Bridport, in succession to your father; but you played some dirty trick there, and was turned out at the first election, that is, after once trying you. There is an expectation that you will offer yourself for the county, when Old Pitt feels himself incompetent to the duties of office ("God only knows when that will be;" for I fear the old man will never find it out); but I hear of as general a determination to oppose you, as there was to oppose Bankes at the last election. Young Portman may do for this county, for an election or two more; but eventually he will be thrown out, as the county advances in the attainment of knowledge. I notice, that he has purchased a certificate of orthodoxy for twenty guineas from the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge;" but this will not serve him. I will give him some useful lessons on Christian Knowledge, if he will spend a few hours with me, whilst I am in the county. I did not know him when be limped into my room last October; but as I wish to improve every young man, I shall have no objection to give to him some lessons gratis, both on politics and theology, and even to you, whatever be your real name, Mr. Sturt, if you will come and be, what the Parsons tell me I am not"teachable." RICHARD CARLILE. TO MR. R. CARLILE, DORCHESTER GAOL. DEAR SIR, July 25, 1824. As you are ever willing to give insertion in your Republican to every species of philosophical observation, and indeed to every thing of an argumentative character with which the important cause of truth is identified, I have no doubt of your compliance with my wishes, by inserting the following observations. Several of the provincial newspapers have, within these last few days, given us accounts of an extraordinary phenomenon, as it is called, which occurred at Plymouth, and several other places adjacent, during an awful storm of thunder and lightning, on Tuesday evening the 13th, and Wednesday morning the 14th instant. A sudden influx and reflux of the tides is said to have occurred several times during the night, at which every one appeared to have been almost petrified with astonishment. The water is said to have risen to the height of between two and three feet in the shortspace of about five minutes, and to have fallen more than that distance in the same interval of time. Boats and ships, which at one time were hard aground, were on a sudden quite afloat; and, in the same space of time, became fast aground. Several other equally astonishing effects were observed; particularly on the Wednesday morning, during which time, the storm of thunder, lightning, and rain prevailed to a degree horrifying in the ex treme. This sudden rise, and retrogression of the tides, is, I find by the different accounts, ascribed to some earthquake, or convulsion in nature, which it is thought will soon be heard of from some distant quarter of the globe. Effects like these are said to have happened at the destruction of Lisbon; but instances of several other similar occurrences are quoted in support of the supposition. I am always more or less alarmed during a thunder storm, nor do I find it possible, though using every degree of energy to prevent it; and although I am aware that the change about to be efected, brings with it the vivifying elixir of animal life, to completely divest myself of those sensations. But our fears become greatly augmented, when the true cause of such wonderful phenomena does not come within the sphere of our comprehension. For instance, many ignorant, though good meaning, people, are likely to view the case above cited, as an awful visitation of God, or a prelude to the destruction of the world, which it is said shall consist of "earthquakes, pestilence, famine, battle, and murder, and sudden death.' Fears like these, however, are groundless, and I have no doubt of being able to shew, that the supposition of an earthquake's being connected with this singular occurrence, is equally without foundation. If this had been the effect of an earthquake in any part of the world, south of this Island, the water would necessarily have been agitated all the way from the place of eruption to the entrance of the British Channel, regularly diminishing in proportion to the distance. Having once entered our Channel, the effect would have been felt, not only at one place, but at every place on both sides of the water. From a sudden influx of water at the entrance, would have succeeded a corresponding influx at every port, harbour, and shore, from the Land's End to, at least, a considerable distance up the Channel. This I believe was the case at the destruction of Lisbon. If a convulsion had occurred to the Northward, the effects would have proceeded from the North Sea down the Channel, visiting every place, more or less, in their progress, and vanished in the western ocean. The effects however have not been felt at every place, as in similar cases, nor were the convulsions, experienced in England and France at the destruction of Lisbon, attended with a thunder storm, but (I believe) under a serene sky. This rare occurrence may therefore with propriety, be ascribed to some more reasonable cause. It is, I believe, pretty well understood, that the atmospheric air, in England, during cool clear weather, presses with a weight of about fifteen pounds on every superficial inch; and if the state of the atmosphere were in every part of the world alike, the weight in all places would be nearly the same. But near the equator the weight is considerably less, partly owing to the rapid motion of the earth round its axis, at that place, and partly on account of the excessive heat under a meridian sun: this last, however I take to be the principal cause. This difference amounts to about a ton on a yard and a quarter square. If the air does not press at the rate of fifteen pounds on every inch at the equator on account of its rarefaction, it follows therefore, that if the heat here, at any one time, equals that at the equator, the pressure is diminished in like proportion. Now we are well aware, that at the commencement of a thunder storm the air is so extremely hot, and so much rarefied, as to be hardly supportable; consequently we ought to conclude that this fifteen pounds weight is considerably diminished. Every man has an opportunity of observing, that as soon as the storm commences the air increases in weight; he feels his nerves suddenly braced, and the atmosphere becomes exhilirating and supportable by an increase in quantity. This is so sudden sometimes, that it occurs almost instantaneously. If therefore, by the ignition of the electric fluid, the clouds should be burst asunder at one place, and the cold, heavy, condensed air strike down upon surface of the water, the pressure would become instantly increased, and the water would immediately rush from that part to another, where the air had not in creased in weight, producing a sudden rise, exactly like the one spoken of above. Every flash of lightning increases the quantity of air: at one time it strikes on one place, and at another time on another, producing different degrees of gravity at different places, and so on till the storm is entirely abated, and the usual gravity every where restored. Whoever has observed the rapidity with which the electric fluid strikes down to the earth, and considers that it carries with it a great quantity of condensed air at the same time, need not be surprised at effects like these. If the whole weight of the atmospheric air were drawn from one particular spot, the water would rise to the height of thirty-four feet; and if suddenly exposed to the external air, would immediately sink to a common level again. This is exemplified by the use of a common pump. The rarefied air inside a steam boiler, forces up the piston to the top of the cylinder, and with it the necessary weight to move the whole machine; but by the constant and sudden introduction of a small quantity of cold water in the cylinder, the air becomes so instantaneously condensed, that the natural gravity of the external air on the top of the piston, forces it down with the same velocity, which the rarefied air, inside the cylinder, forced it up; keeping in constant motion an extensive and complicated machine. Here then is a striking instance of the effects of hot, rarefied,— and cold, condensed, air. As a proof of the difference of gravity in the atmospheric air at no very remote distance, it is only necessary to observe, that the storm commenced at Plymouth on Tuesday night, and consequently the air was restored to its natural weight there, at that time; while in London, we were suffering a great inconvenience for the want of it, for twenty four hours after. Besides, rare as these occurrences are, they occur too frequently to be at all times attributed to an earthquake. Time however is the best interpre ter. Having endeavoured to remove the fears attendant on such phenomena, in a manner different to the hitherto received opinions, I remain, dear Sir, Yours respectfully, CANDID. |