The Gannstudygroup Presents
A Scrapbook of
Planetary Meteorology:
W. T. Foster and
his contemporaries
(FIRST EDITION)This E-Book is not to be sold.
It is a free educational service in the public interest
published by
Gann Study Group
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Note About the Scrapbook` 3
Biographical Sketch of W. T. Foster 5
The Work of W. T. Foster, Long-Range Weather Forecaster 8
Appendix I: Richard Mansill 67
Appendix II: John H. Tice 70
Appendix III: Charles H. Lillingston 76
Appendix IV: "Herschel's" Lunar Table 81
Appendix V: Sepharial on Sunspots 87
Appendix VI: Jerome S. Ricard 90
A NOTE ABOUT THE SCRAPBOOK
For modern readers, this Scrapbook represents an absolutely unprecedented glimpse into the methods and theories of weather forecaster W. T. Foster, whose reports appeared weekly in newspapers throughout the United States from the 1880s to his death in 1924. No other forecasts by a planetary meteorologist were so widely read and their accuracy was frequently praised in their day.
This collection started very modestly with a routine search for more information on the writers of nineteenth-century weather-forecasting almanacs. Probably the
single article that was most influential in arousing the curiosity of the editor appeared in the Dec. 31, 1891, issue of the Herald of Grand Forks, ND, reproduced herein.
Written by W. T. Foster, it mentioned, by last name only, a number of long-forgotten forecasters from whose work Foster said he had learned valid techniques. This
virtually demanded further research. Who were these people and did Foster have anything else to say about them? As that question began to be answered, it became evident that Foster's column was widely disseminated over a number of years and that it was full of information about his own methods. A new question arose: What were those methods? To find the answer to this new question, an intensive search of databases was required. Thus from a humble beginning of just a single newspaper column, this collection grew to its present length as a book of more than 100 pages.
There is no pretension that this is a complete collection of Foster's thinking; it is only claimed that this book contains many of his most stimulating newspaper
writings. My purpose was to present, as far as possible, Foster's explanations of the HOW of his work. Thus I omitted his actual predictions in most cases in order to concentrate on his explanations of his techniques. Most people who make predictions want to keep their methods a proprietary secret and indeed Foster did not want commodities speculators to capitalize on his work (recognizing, as he did, that if changes in the weather affect the amount of crop production and therefore the prices that harvests can command, foreknowledge of weather conditions could be exploited). Nonetheless he apparently sought — through the columns he wrote and by means of correspondence courses and a series of educational pamphlets — to disseminate , with unusual frankness ("c’est gros comme une maison," as the French might say) the broad outline of his forecasting methods, if not the fine details, and this is full justification for the attention given to his theory in this book.
Entries in the Foster section are organized by date of publication and are also thus organized in each of the individual appendices. When a newspaper report is about Foster, as opposed to being a column that he himself wrote, this is indicated in
brackets before the text quoted; therefore, unless otherwise indicated, quotes in the main section of the Scrapbook are from Foster's newspaper column.
Throughout the main part of the book, footnotes give the sources of the Foster columns and also some explanatory information where it was deemed helpful or necessary (such as the full names of competing weather forecasters, to give one
example). In certain cases, I found entire articles of interest on a personality or subject treated by Foster and it seemed cumbersome to attempt to put these into footnotes spreading over several pages. At this point the idea of creating a series of appendices was born.
The appendices serve two essential purposes: 1) While, as Foster (correctly) wrote, "Prof. [C. C.] Blake, of Topeka, Kansas, is uncommunicative as to his theories," I found that in a select number of cases, such as Richard Mansill and W. F. Carothers, they lifted the veil on their methods to some degree, and since Foster stated explicitly in the same article that "I have carefully studied all these theories, have tested them by the records of the Washington weather bureau, and find some truth in each," it made sense to me to include what these persons were saying about their methods. And since Foster said "We are all followers of Prof Tice" and I found a copy of a biographical sketch and summary explanation of Tice's work by his son-in-law and partner, I could scarcely in good conscience avoid its inclusion. 2) Certainly the work of some
individuals was clearly tremendously supportive of Foster's statements (the
astronomer Father S. J. Ricard and Foster seemed to be in perfect agreement in their prediction results, for example, even though their methods of getting to those results were different — Ricard used sunspots to predict the weather, Foster held that
sunspots and the weather were both only the effects of the planetary causes that he used in his work; in another case, it was found that the astrologer Sepharial agreed with Foster's findings that the movement of the planets creates sunspots). It seemed to me a disservice to the reader not to include the thinking of such individuals in this collection.
Throughout the text, obvious typographical errors in the originals have been corrected.
Evidently Foster's work was known to stock and commodity market analyst and theoretician W. D. Gann, inasmuch as the latter sold Foster's pamphlet "Sun Spots and Weather" to interested followers of his work. Just as Foster did in forecasting the weather, Gann, too, used mathematical calculations and astronomical indications in forecasting the financial markets.
Biographical Sketch of W. T. Foster
William Thomas Foster, who was without a doubt the best-known planetary meteorologist of his day, was born in Marshall, Clark County, Illinois on Jan. 17, 1840. As a child, he went to school in the winter and worked on a farm in the summer. 1
"In 1849, his parents decided to migrate to California with the gold seekers, but upon reaching Rubidoux Landing, which is now St. Joseph, Miss., and hearing of the many hardships and privations necessary before reaching California, it was decided that the mother and children would remain in Missouri and the father, Thomas Foster, would go on to California alone, where he was very successful for a short time and was supposedly murdered for his valuable claims.
"The mother and children settled in Harrison county, Missouri, where the
children, including the deceased W. T. Foster, were educated as far as possible in those days, W. T. Foster himself being a school teacher at the age of 20 and his wife, who survives him, being one of his pupils.2 At the outbreak of the war, on April 18, 1861, he
1 Foster Genealogy by Frederick Clifton Pierce, p. 688.
was mustered into the Second Missouri Cavalry, known as Merrill's Horse, as a lieutenant of that organization, the company of home guard militia of which he was an officer being taken as a unit of the Merrill's Horse. He was mustered out at
Memphis, Tenn., on August 19, 1865, after more than five years of service.3
"After holding several political offices following the war he settled into newspaper work,4 owning and editing papers in Bethany, Gallatin and Chillicothe,
Missouri, and then in Albia and Creston, Iowa; then to Burlington, Iowa, as associate editor of the Hawk-eye; then to Omaha, Nebr., as editor of the Republican and
afterward as associate editor of the Bee; then to St. Joseph, Missouri, as associate editor of the Herald, — which was the last newspaper editing he did, for in 1891 he left the Herald to devote his entire time to the study and research necessary toward better weather forecasts and the publishing of same.
"When a boy he was interested in the signs or lore of those days relative to weatherology and being of an investigating mind, he was soon led to the positions of the moon and planets as the origin of most of these old sayings.5 In 1879 he began
writing weekly weather letters for publication and the wonderful record of one
interesting as well as instructive letter a week for 2,314 weeks without missing a week was broken after issuing his letter under date of August 16, 1924.6
"In March, 1903, he moved from St. Joseph, Mo., to Washington D. C., in order that he might be able to gain access to and copy the old government meteorological records, which are so necessary in his forecasting and were not obtainable in any other way. All income from his work, outside of a meager living, and also many donations toward his work, were used in compiling these records and in research work. The largest single donation toward his research work was given by G. A. Glines, now deceased, formerly of Winnipeg, Canada, who spent $20,000 on the work after being in close touch with the work many years.7
Genealogy.
3 "Was private, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and captain," according to Foster's Genealogy.
4 Foster's Genealogy says "After the war became newspaper editor, and did editorial work on country newspapers; then on Leavenworth Times [in Kansas]..." proceeding on to list others of the newspapers above. 5 According to Foster's Genealogy, he "began lecturing on this subject in 1876."
6 Foster's Genealogy states that in 1899, at the time that book came out, "his weather bulletins are extensively published from Manitoba to Texas, and Maine to California. The basis of his calculations is that the sun, moon and planets, through magnetism, control all weather changes. He claims that his calculations are about perfected and that he will soon be ready to place before the world the greatest, most wonderful and most useful of modern discoveries."
7 About a year later, the Foster column stated: "A hundred years from now, when governments have discovered more of Foster's theories and have charted the cycles of our atmospheric changes and their planetary causes, almost perfect forecasts of great storms, temperature extremes, drouth, excessive
precipitation and general cropweather will be made. Fifty years ago, when W. T. Foster first began to issue weather forecasts and explain his theories, few gave him credit and many thought fake; twenty years ago when such advanced minds as J. R. Townsend, of Los Angeles, and the late G. A. Glines, of Winnepeg, and
"On. Aug. 11, 1924, he had an acute attack of appendicitis and an operation was necessary. He was apparently well on the road to recovery from the effects of this first operation when it was found that abscesses had formed that necessitated a second operation. While he had a most wonderful physique for a man of 84, his strength was not sufficient to overcome the effects of this second shock. [He passed away on Sept. 26, 1924.]
"Interment was in Arlington cemetery under the auspices of the G.A.R.8 and
Masonic9 organizations of which he was a member."10
others had sufficient faith in the late W. T. Foster and his theories to give them financial support, planetary weatherology had taken a long stride ahead in the minds of free thinking scientists; today, such men as Prof. [Ellsworth] Huntington, of Yale; Prof. [C. G.] Abbott [properly Abbot], of the Smithsonian Institution; Dr. [Jerome S.] Ricard, of Santa Clara College, and many other advanced scientists in different parts of the world are firm in their convictions that terrestrial atmospheric changes are caused by the positions of the bodies in our solar system. I believe that the time is not far distant when some government will thoroughly investigate planetary influence and prove the majority of the late W. T. Foster's theories to be laws of nature. I expect to live to see our cause, accepted by the world." The Herald-Mail of Fairport, NY, Oct. 8, 1925, p. 3.
8 The Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal group.
9 St. Joseph Lodge No. 78, A. F. & A. M., according to the Elk City (OR) News Democrat, Oct. 2, 1924. This paper reported that he had a granddaughter in those parts, identified as Mrs. J. L. White. His daughter, Mrs. M. C. Koester, lived in Portland, OR, according to the Oregonian of Oct. 7, 1924. The latter paper noted that Foster's weather forecasts were carried by publications in Canada and England as well as in the US. 10 The quoted material, along with the drawing of Foster, came from "Foster's Forecast" as published in
The Herald of Fairport, NY, Oct. 15, 1924. Some paragraph breaks have been added that were not in the original, for ease of reading.
THE WORK OF W. T. FOSTER,
LONG-RANGE WEATHER FORECASTER
As reported in articles by and about him
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[From an article quoting Foster:] "W. T. Foster, the weather prophet of
Burlington, Iowa, predicts severe storms from now until the 28th of this month. He bases his calculations on the fact that the earth and Mercury will pass the sun's equator and Venus its equinoctial between the 18th and 28th."11
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"By the records of the signal service I can prove to any well-informed fair-minded person that the course, location and force of the storm waves, and the prominence or force of the earthquakes, auroras, and sun spots are governed by the positions of the earth, moon, sun and planets, and I expect to have an opportunity of laying these facts before the weather bureau of the United States. Not, however, while that bureau is under the control of the war department, but soon after it has passed to the agricultural bureau where it properly belongs. Meantime I hope that readers of my letters will investigate. For $1 the navy department will send you the nautical
almanac, which gives all the necessary information of the planets, and by application to the weather bureau at Washington you can obtain the daily weather maps free.12
They furnish the most reliable and easily understood record of what the weather has been.
"The easiest method of investigating my theories is to take the dates on which the moon crosses the earth's equator which occurs about every fourteen days. You will find that the greatest storms occur very close to these dates."13
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"The causes that will greatly increase the force of the storms of this storm period are: Venus crosses the sun's equator on the 16th, the moon crosses the earth's equator on the 19th, and Mercury crosses the sun's equator at its greatest disturbing point on
11 The Evening Bulletin of Maysville, KY, June 23, 1888, p. 3 via http://kdl.kyvl.org/ . 12 For sources of historical and contemporary weather data, see
http://mysite.verizon.net/bonniehill/pages/climate.html and
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/gannstudygroup/links/Astrology_001038951306/Weather_00107 4370792/Data_001208558909/ (free Yahoo membership is required at Gannstudygroup).
the 20th. These three disturbances occurring within four days will act as does the attenuating current of the electro-dynamo machines, and will cause great activity in the earth's electric currents. This will be the tornado period of August. ...
"During these disturbances the moon will pass south of the earth's equator. This has the effect of pulling the flow tide of the earth's atmosphere from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere, with cooler weather in the Northern. When the earth's atmosphere is pulled south it leaves a less dense atmosphere north and permits the cold of outer space to more readily penetrate the earth."14
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"I have never known Venus to pass its equinoctial, at 30 deg. heliocentric
longitude, that it did not cause great disturbances, and at its next equinoctial it will be very close to the earth.
"Our next storm, about October 9, will be influenced by Mercury passing the sun's equator, and at the same time crossing the earth's equator."15
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"Heretofore I promised to give in this letter the dates for one of the greatest storms of the year. I have already stated that the tropical hurricanes would increase in force from the 1st of the month to the 9th, when one of them will be not far from the Gulf of Mexico, but these tropical hurricanes are entirely distinct from the continental storms, and more in an entirely different circuit. The continental storms will be due to leave the Pacific coast about the 5th, cross the Mississippi valley from the 6th to 8th, and reach the Atlantic coast about the 9th. It will be at its greatest force on the
Northeast Atlantic coast about the 9th, and will be a very dangerous storm. I would advise all to keep off of the seas about that time. About that time the storms will be very severe all around the earth, and while our set of storms are crossing the
Mississippi valley the other three storm waves that belong to this latitude will be about the middle of the North Atlantic, in Eastern Europe and on the North Pacific. The three systems of hurricanes, one on the North Atlantic, one on the North Pacific and one on the Indian ocean, will all show increased activity; each of these systems revolves around the center of the oceans to which they belong.
"Following the storm of 5th to 9th will be a cold wave the force of which will depend on the location of the tropical hurricane. In the extreme Northwest I expect a blizzard but I cannot say how far south it will go. The cause of these unusual
14 The Fort Worth [TX] Weekly Gazette, Aug. 21, 1890, p. 1. 15 The Fort Worth [TX] Weekly Gazette, Oct. 9, 1890, p. 3.
disturbances are: Venus at its equinoctial on the 8th and the moon crossing the earth's equator on the 9th. The influence of Venus' equinoctial covers all the first half of the month while the moon's influence covers only three or four days. On the 8th the equator of Venus will be toward the sun, increasing the Sun's electrical forces, which in turn causes an electrical agitation throughout the solar system. This does not change the time or direction of the storms, only increasing their force. This Venusion disturbance would develop sun spots were Jupiter at his disturbing point, but as he is not there will be but few sun spots. The earth was passing the equator of Venus from the 20th to 25th, causing the great storms of that period.
"As before stated November will be noted for its great storms. Mercury will pass its greatest disturbing point on the 15th, and will effect the storm immediately before and after that date. But the influence of Mercury and and Venus on the weather differ very much, the former having a tendency to murky, rainy weather, while the latter is more violent and frequently brings the tornado, the hurricane and the blizzard. We may not expect settled weather again till after the 25th. It must be remembered, however, that the storms do not cover the whole continent, but when they cross the southern part cool, fair weather is the rule for the north, and when they cross the north part warm, fair weather occurs in the south. Look out for bad weather in the valley between the Alleghany and Rocky mountains from November 6th to 9th, a dangerous storm on the Atlantic coast, a great hurricane on the Gulf of Mexico and a blizzard in the Northwest."16
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"Venus' equinoctial on the 8th will continue to increase the force of the storms till about the 18th, and mercury crossing the sun's equator on the 15th will add to the force of the storms from about the 13th to the 22d. The center of this storm wave will probably pass through the border Southern states and then move toward the
Northeast for the reason that the moon will have gone south of the earth's equator, although Venus being very close to the earth tends to drive the storms into northern latitudes. Venus and Mercury being south of the earth's equator have a tendency to pull the storms south."17
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16 The Fort Worth [TX] Daily Gazette, Nov. 4, 1890, p. 7. 17 The Fort Worth [TX] Weekly Gazette, Nov. 13, 1890, p. 2.
"ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.
"We are now approaching the winding up periods of the great November storms. All round the earth great and destructive storms, hurricanes and blizzards have occurred and in them Venus has again proved the power of her equinoctial electric currents in bringing fierce storms; the moon has again demonstrated its
electric power when crossing the earth's equator, and now it is Mercury's time to again tell what it can do in disturbing the planetary family by crossing the sun's equator, which occurred on the 15th. The effect was felt to some extent, in the last storm, but its principal effect is felt in the evening up process after it has disturbed the electric
equilibrium by crossing the sun's equator. Its effects are seen principally in the increase of rains, snows, sleets and foggy, murky weather.
"THE NEXT STORM WAVE
"will be due to leave the Pacific coast about the 16th, cross the great valley from 17th to 19th and reach the Atlantic coast about the 20th. It will become a furious storm about the 22nd when it will be on the middle of the north Atlantic and at the same time another approaching storm will be very severe on the Pacific coast; a third one will be in central Asia and a fourth in central Europe. Our storm will pass through the
Southern States causing cold weather north of the storm and warm weather south of it. A very considerable amount of snow and rain may be expected from this storm wave.
"I hope that readers of my letters will study the laws of storms which they will find in my letters for without this much of the benefits to be derived from my forecasts will be lost. Remember that all storm waves are whirlwinds, turning from right by way of the front to the left; the center of the storm rises and the wind blows toward it.
"A YEAR OF DISASTROUS STORMS.
"I believe that 1892 will be a year of the most disastrous storms experienced in recent times. I do not know of a time in the past when the disturbing forces were so great as they promise to be in 1892. From 1880 to 1884 the disturbing elements were quite active on account of Uranus being at its equinoctial, where the earth is in March, but in 1892 two of the greatest planets in the solar system will pass their equinoctials about the same time. In January 1892 Jupiter will be at his equinoctial and also at perihelion, or about 42,000,000 miles nearer the earth than when he passed his equinoctial in 1886. The equator of Jupiter will be toward the sun and his greatest electrical force will be felt throughout the earth's orbit for six months before and after that date. In August 1892 Saturn will pass its equinoctial, where the earth is in March,
and its full electrical force will be felt by the sun and earth for twelve months before and after that date. At that time the edge of Saturn's rings will be toward the earth — the rings coincide with Saturn's equator — and cannot then be seen except through powerful telescopes. These two great planets — Jupiter is 1300 times larger than the earth, while Saturn is nearly as large — will be on opposite sides of the sun, with their equators toward the sun and toward each other. The electricity that is thrown off over the equator of an electro-dynamo machine will knock over small objects a hundred feel away, and from that one may imagine what a powerful influence our earth will encounter when it comes between the equator of two such electro-dynamos as Jupiter and Saturn, which revolve on their axes so rapidly as to cause their equators to move thousands of times more rapidly than do the equators of our most powerful electro-dynamos.
"WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES.
"In a letter from a friend in New York City it is suggested that: 'Electricity is intensified vibration. Given an adequate conductor there is no loss or expenditure in transit, for it is not matter, not a fluid, but motion. This inconceivably intense
vibratory motion produces effects so unique as to be confounded with cause. In one condition it is called heat, but heat is only an effect of the propulsion of this intense vibration against the air, producing friction of its atoms, hence the arc light and the forked lightning. Magnetism is only another effect, produced by the proximity of the two opposite vibratory motions. Vibrations can have only two general motions, hence the intenser motion of the two is called the positive and draws the negative to itself. Heat, light, life, magnetism, chemical affinities, force, gravitation, etc., are all effects of this vibratory motion called electricity, which is the infinite, universal cause.'
"This theory of electricity is similar but not the same as that to which I hold. The scientific world fail to find a beginning for creation and refuse to recognize more than three forms of matter. I believe that there are at least five forms of matter beginning at ether of outer space, condensations of which constitute electricity which condenses to form the gases, liquids and solids. In proof of this, all matter is convertible into
electricity. To generate electricity we decompose zinc which goes out through the copper wire. As the zinc goes back into electricity it must continue to be matter and it is not unreasonable to believe that the zinc was originally composed of electricity. Creation is now in progress as much as it ever was. Condensations of electricity form the atom and build it into a molecule, meteor, comet, moon, planet and sun, their only difference being in their size, solidity and their electric forces. All these bodies may grow to be sure."18
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[In an article mentioning Foster:] "Besides his [weather] predictions, Mr. Foster sends us some interesting notes on sanitary and scientific subjects. Here, for example, is a nut for the bacteriologists to crack: —
"[']We are now in the midst of the hog cholera period and the prevalence of contagious diseases among men and the lower animals. Contagious diseases among children are reported as epidemic in many places. I have a theory as to the cause, and I believe that statistics of contagions and epidemic diseases will prove the correctness of the theory.
"[']The cause is to be found in the aphelion and perihelion of the planets, especially of Jupiter. This planet is 44,000,000 of miles nearer the sun and earth at perihelion than at aphelion. When it is nearest the sun and earth their atmospheres expand and when farthest from the earth they contract. In the one instance the waters and heavy gases of the earth are evaporated and lifted into the atmosphere and in the other they are condensed and precipitated. These great changes in our earth and atmosphere affect the health of man and beast."19
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"WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES
"In studying meteorology or any of the physical sciences one of the most
important items is the nature of attraction. It is usually spoken of as a pull, but this is an impossibility. It must be a push. To illustrate: The earth and all the planets have greater diameters through their equators than through their poles. Why? Astronomers say that while the earth was a heated and melted mass its rapid revolution on its axis caused it to elongate in the direction of its equator. But I deny that it was ever a melted mass any more than we now see in the volcanoes. Bodies of electricity are to solid matter like bodies of water expelling the lighter while the heavier sinks into it. The earth throws off a body of electricity over its equator and solid bodies in space are pushed into that electrical body, and seeking its center are conveyed to near the earth's equator. This is one cause of the earth's greater growth at its equator while vegetable growth furnishes another. All the planets were originally comets and were
pushed from space toward the sun's electric center, its equator. But their momentum caused them to pass beyond the sun's equator, and then the resistance of matter
pushed them back toward the sun's electric belt again, and so they continue to vibrate each time passing a little less distance beyond the center of the sun's electric belt. The
earth now only goes seven degrees north and south of the sun's equator and the moon only five degrees with and south of the earth's equator. Placing an electric body on one side of matter takes or drives away the resistance or pressure of the universal matter of space, and the resistance on the other side pushes the matter into the center of the electrical body. Organized bodies like meteors, comets, moons and planets have no weight toward any other body as their matter presses equally toward their own centers. Another fact has much to do with these questions. Whenever matter — I regard electricity as matter — moves in one direction other matter moves in the opposite direction. All physical scientists agree that electricity passes from sun and planets over their equators and returns to them at their poles, and electricity passing from the earth at its equator would require that other matter come to it at the equator and pass from it at the poles, so my theory does not disagree with generally accepted scientific principles. But when two organized bodies come near each other their electric fields repel each other and therefore the planets, moons, suns and comets cannot fall into each other. This explains the tides. Scientists say that the moon's attraction pulls the waters of the ocean up, causing a tidal wave. I do not believe anything of the kind. The moon's electric field with its accompanying etheric matter passes over the ocean, depressing it as a great weight making a trough in the ocean, and after it passes on the ocean wave comes in to fill the trough and level the sea. The fact that the flood-tide is 2000 miles behind the moon is good evidence for this theory. The tides then are caused by a push instead of a pull. The planets sink into the sun's etheric atmosphere as a log or stone sinks into water; the heavier the planet the nearer to the sun it sinks. The age of the planets has nothing to do with their position, near or far from the sun. The circulation of electricity through them causes them to revolve on their axes, while the sun's etheric atmosphere revolving with it causes them to revolve around the sun."20
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"A concise statement of my weather theories is this: North of latitude 30 the storm waves move entirely around the earth from west to east and never die or become disorganized. I know the periods of four of these storm waves and can give the dates approximately on which they will pass any meridian all around the earth. These storm waves sometimes become great storms and at other times they become almost extinct, but they continue to move eastward, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, but averaging about twenty-five miles an hour. These four storm waves increase and decrease in force at the same time, although they are, on an average, about 3400 miles apart, and the variation in their force is caused by the electrical influence of the sun, moon and planets. Those bodies are electro-dynamos and throw an electric influence over their equators as do all electro-dynamo machines, and when
one of these bodies pass the plane of the equator of another and consequently through its electric belt every body of the solar system is electrically disturbed thereby because they are all electrically connected. The disturbance increases the force of the storms on the earth, sun and other planets at the same time, as the moving force in these storm waves is electricity, which comes from the electric currents of the body to which they belong. Perihelion of the planets and perigee of the moon expands the earth's
atmosphere; aphelion of the planets and apogee of the moon have opposite influence. From these influences occur all weather changes, auroras, sun spots, tornadoes,
earthquakes and other unusual effects in the earth, atmosphere and sun. Earthquakes are caused by subterranean thunder just as it occurs among the clouds. The earth, sun and planets are solid bodies and have slowly grown from atoms, and electricity is the builder."21
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"This period of great disturbances will begin during the first part of May, while Mars will be passing its equinoctial, Mercury passing the sun's equator and the moon passing the earth's equator; but while these storms will be very severe, they will not compare with those that will occur later in the year and during the first part of 1892. This will also be a period of great earthquakes in countries where they are common, and volcanoes will become more common and increase in activity.
"The principal causes of these disturbances will be the equinoxes of Saturn and Jupiter. These great planets throw an electric influence into space over their equators, and this electric influence of Saturn will strike Mars in May, while it is passing its equinoctial, thereby extending its electric influence to the sun. The electric equator of Saturn will affect Venus, the earth and Mercury in succession, and will directly affect the sun in October, while on the opposite side of the sun the great planet Jupiter will be approaching its equinoctial in a similar manner, reaching that point early in January."22
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"The storms of April will all be severe both from minor causes and the effects of the powerful electric currents from the equators of Jupiter and Saturn, which will begin to have a light influence on the earth's electric currents. Mercury will pass the sun's equator on April 2, and with the continued influence of Venus, which will have passed the sun's equator March 28, will materially increase the force of this first April storm, so that it will affect most parts of the United States. These storm waves cause all the changes of the weather, including the winds and their changes, the cool weather
21 The Fort Worth [TX] Daily Gazette, Dec. 27, 1890, p. 8. 22 The Wheeling [WV] Register, Feb. 8, 1891.
and cold waves, the warm days, frosts, rain, hail, snow, sleet, and when their tracks continue far to the north great drouths result. I cannot explain all these effects of the storm waves in every letter, and to secure the full benefits of these forecasts the reader must study my science notes and discussion on the beginnings of creation and the physical forces. A scrap book of these articles would be convenient for reference."23
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"THE MOON'S INFLUENCES
"This satellite has more influence on the weather than any other body except the sun, but the masses have been led into an error by supposing that the changes of the moon cause changes in the weather. When the moon and sun are on the same side of the earth the electrical influences are increased in that direction, but this does not increase the force of the storms but merely affects their location. There is also a belief among the hunters, frontiersmen and sailors that when the moon hangs on its point much rain or snow will occur during that moon. The North American Indians also follow this sign and believe it to be a propitious sign for hunting. Damp weather and snow are favorable to the hunter for in dry weather the leaves make too much noise for success and snow is favorable for tracking game. When the moon hangs on its point the hunter says he cannot hang his powder horn on its point and then is the time to hunt and when the moon at new lies on its back it indicates that the hunter can hang his shot pouch on its point and he would better not waste his time at hunting. I have no use for anything that has superstition for its base, but these signs that have so much influence with certain classes of people throughout the world should not be cast aside without investigation. Many of those common beliefs have some real foundation and thousands of years of experience on the part of those who are compelled to be much out of doors has taught them that with certain positions of the planets come certain changes of the weather. Why this is so they know not; all they know is the coincidence. I have investigated these crude signs and have found real causes at the bottom of some of them. The moon lies on its back when it runs north and hangs on its point when it runs south. As the moon causes tides in the ocean it must also cause tides in the atmosphere, and as it moves from about 24 degrees north of the earth's atmosphere, to the same distance south and the reverse, passing over about 3300 miles of the earth's surface in about fourteen days, or about nine miles north or south and 1000 miles east in twenty-four hours the change necessarily affects the atmosphere and the weather by pulling the storms north or south.
"The changes of the moon occur a little more than six days apart and the regular storm waves pass over this latitude in little less than six days apart, so that if a storm
wave is due about the change of the moon the next storm wave will be due very near the next change of the moon, and these coincidences will occur for several weeks. This has led to the belief that it is the changes of the moon that causes the storm waves. But the coincidences will not continue long and I see no reason why changes of the moon should cause a change in the weather. If the moon crosses the earth's equator a little before a storm wave is due it will cross the earth's equator in two weeks near when a storm wave is due, and if the changes of the moon should occur at the same time it would lead to the belief that it is the changes of the moon that causes these storms of greatest force. The electrical theory of weather changes requires that we follow the laws of electricity and whatever is not in accord with these laws must be rejected, and if these electrical laws will not explain all meteorological phenomena, then the theory must be rejected as a failure.
"The moon is 225,719 miles from the earth at perigee and 251,947 miles at apogee, making a change of 26,228 miles about every fourteen days. This change makes a great difference in the tides and must necessarily make a difference in its effect on the atmosphere. Professor Proctor24 admitted that it had been fairly proven
that more earthquakes occur when the moon is close to the earth because of its greater influence on the tides and if this be true it must also have greater influence on the atmosphere at the same time. "25
+ + +
"Forty years ago the great Faraday said: 'When we remember that the earth itself is a magnet, pervaded in every part by this mighty power, universal and strong as granite itself, we cannot doubt that it is exerting an appointed and essential influence on every particle of matter and in every place wherein it is present. What its great purpose is seems to be looming up in the distance before us; the clouds which obscure our mental sight are daily thinning and I can not doubt that a glorious discovery in natural knowledge is awaiting our age.'"26
+ + +
"CLASSES IN METEOROLOGY.
"I will give special instructions in meteorology to all persons who are
subscribers to this paper in which my weekly letters are regularly published. It will be
24 Richard Anthony Proctor.
25 Fort Worth [TX} Gazette, May 21, 1891, p. 1.
26 Fort Worth [TX] Gazette, June 15, 1891, p. 3. Quoted in New Theories of the Great Physical Forces by Henry Raymond Rogers, p. 92 http://books.google.com/books?id=-T8GvOmnSm4C&pg=PA92 . Rogers is cited herein in an article later this year by Foster.
necessary for each person to have copies of my published letters. To understand planetary meteorology the astronomy of the solar system must be understood. The astronomy taught in our schools takes the ecliptic, or the earth's orbit, as the basis from which to calculate and this is like beginning the study of arithmetic in decimal fractions. I take the sun's equator as the base from which to calculate, and by this means the solar system and the relations of the planets to each other are much more easily understood. Astronomy as taught in our schools is adapted to surveying and navigation, but not to planetary meteorology. To individuals, clubs and societies that desire to study or discuss planetary meteorology I will furnish diagrams once a week and give special instructions which, with the letters published in this paper, will enable anyone to calculate the future of the weather from the standpoint of planetary meteorology. Parties interested in this matter will please correspond with me. This will give to literary and scientific societies a new feature for their fall and winter meetings, and the expense will be so small that individuals may well afford to engage in the study alone.
"WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES.
"Our cold winters are caused by the eastward oscillations of the North Atlantic permanent high barometer, therefore when we have cold winters in the Mississippi valley the winters are warm in Europe. This North Atlantic high barometer controls the routes of our storm centers, and the tropical hurricanes and these control the cold waves. When that high barometer swings eastward our storm centers take southern routes, causing our cold winters, and at the same time that high barometer covers Southern Europe, causing their storm centers to take northern routes, and warm winters ensue. To a less extent this effects the Northeastern states and Canada in a similar manner, and this will cause their coming winter to be less severe than will be experience in the Mississippi valley. A more complete knowledge of the oscillations of the North Atlantic permanent high barometer is indispensable to correct forecasts of the weather on this continent and Europe, and the weather bureaus of the United States and Europe should give this matter careful attention. If we had a correct record of the weather of the Bermudas, the Azores, the West Indies and the Windward
islands and a ship signal station between the Bermudas and the Azores we would be in possession of the means by which we could calculate the periods of hurricanes and give warning of their approach. In order to forecast cold waves the weather bureau is looking toward the Northwest, where the cause of these cold waves is to be found in the opposite direction. Cold waves and hurricanes are matters of great importance to the United States and should have more practical investigation by the weather bureau. Such investigations are too expensive for independent meteorologists to undertake. In this matter of the oscillations of the North Atlantic high barometer, Europe is as much interested as is North America, and the expense should be shared by both. A correct foreknowledge of cold and warm winters, early springs, later and early frosts on both
continents and our tropical hurricanes depends on a better knowledge of this North Atlancic [sic] permanent high barometer. In other respects the weather record is good, but in this it is seriously deficient."27
+ + +
"PLANETARY METEOROLOGY.
"It is a species of supreme arrogance for 'orthodox' scientists to pretend that they have investigated planetary meteorology, for not one of them understands it. A
number of them have declared that there is nothing in the claim that planets affect the weather, because after long and careful observations they find the changes of the moon have no influence on the weather. Of course not. Planetary meteorology makes no such claims, and therefore the tests they have made have no bearing. Others again declare that they have carefully examined the equinoctial theory, and find it does not hold good. The difficulty with them is that they do not understand the equinoctial theory. It is not claimed that the equinoctial theory demands a storm everywhere on the 21st of March and September. It is not even claimed that these equinoxes originate storms, but that they influence them. We do not look for a storm on the 21st of March, but whenever the regular storm wave is due near that date we expect the equinox to increase its force. In their investigations these 'orthodox' scientists have taken the 21st of March and September as the storm days, and as they find that the equinoctial storms do not uniformly occur on those days they conclude there is nothing in the equinox theory. The trouble is not with the equinoxes, but with the ignorance of those 'orthodox' scientists, who never make a discovery and know nothing outside of the theories announced hundreds of years ago when our predecessors were just emerging from the dark ages. So far as I know there is none but myself who understands the system of planetary meteorology I use as the basis of my calculations, and therefore no one is competent to investigate it. I am the discoverer, not of all the facts, but of
important facts which make planetary meteorology a harmonious whole. It is very complicated, however, and if I make mistakes it is not the fault of the system, but because of errors in my calculation. I have no secrets regarding my theory, but no one can expect to understand it in a day. The subject is equal in extent to that of law or politics or theology. Within a year the planets cause about 160 electrical disturbances, and to group these so as to know what storm waves will be affected and to what extend is no small matter, and those scientists who have never given a day's study to the subject are presumptuous when they claim to have investigated that of which they are supremely ignorant.
"It is my design to give as full information as I can on this subject through my
published letters, which go regularly to forty daily papers and a number of weeklies, besides being copied into a large number of weeklies, but some of the dailies and many weeklies are not prepared to publish diagrams and illustrations which are necessary to a complete understanding of the subject. As before stated, subscribers to the paper can obtain these diagrams and illustrations by corresponding with me. I am prepared to give through these public letters during the fall and winter months more complete information as to planetary meteorology and will discuss electricity as the cause of motion. One kind of electricity, the positive being the large and the negative the small quantity, electricity the cause of magnetism, magnetism and attraction identical, every atom of matter endowed with its own power of motion — that power is electricity as manifest in the natural magnet. Each planet revolves on its axis because of its own inherent forces and around the sun because of the movements in that
direction of the elements that surround the sun. Sun and planets are not, never were, molten matter, but radiate electricity, not heat. Heat and light do not penetrate space, but originate and are confined to the atmosphere of the sun and planets. The electric envelope of each planet determines its orbit and distance from its primary. The attraction of gravitation is a push. The planets float. The centripetal and centrifugal theories are errors. The calculated revolution on their axis of most of the planets are errors because of their clouded envelopes. Sun spots are similar to our earth storms and are from the same causes. Our storm waves move entirely around the earth and their forces are controlled by planetary positions. Tropical hurricanes cause our cold waves."28
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"I have now completed all arrangements for giving lessons in meteorology by mail. These lessons will be given to individuals or clubs at $2.50 for thirteen lessons. In a club of five this will cost the members only 50 cents each. No person must be
admitted into these clubs who is not a subscriber to this paper, and each must keep a file of my published weekly letters. Each lesson will consist of a weather map, two astronomical illustrations and a letter of special instructions. I have a good number of subscribers to begin with and members can begin the studies at any time in the future.
"My long-range weather forecast has stood the test for a number of years and many persons, especially those interested in agriculture, fruit-raising, coal mines, ice-houses, etc., are in favor of adding this feature to the national weather bureau. I would not desire to make the officers of the national weather bureau responsible for my theories of weather changes, because they know nothing about the principles upon which my forecasts are based, and for the same reason I would not accept any position in the weather bureau that would prevent me from freely presenting my views. I am
not begging the people of the United States for government support, and I will enter into no logrolling scheme for that purpose. My work is giving me a good support, and I am not dissatisfied with my efforts and opportunities. But there would be some advantages to the public and toward perfecting a system of long-range weather forecasts in establishing a bureau of agricultural meteorology.
"I estimate that such a bureau can be put into operation at an expense of $15,000 annually. One man cannot cover all the ground and give to the subject that careful study necessary to perfect the system and make it of practical utility to all interests. There are three natural divisions of labor in these long-range forecasts, and each of these divisions should have a man at its head peculiarly fitted for the work. One of these departments includes the periodical storm waves that cross the continents, the changes of weather accompanying them, and the cool waves, hot waves and frosts. Another department would include rainfall and drouths and a third department would give special attention to plant life, making estimates of the effects that coming weather will have on the growing crops of the world. If we could know the future of the weather farmers would better know what kind of crops to plant.
"In order to make this bureau of agricultural meteorology accountable directly to the people and prevent it from becoming a tool in the hands of cereal speculators I propose that its chief be elected biennially by the lower house of congress and that the chief appoint his clerk and two assistants. Should such a bureau be established I
would probably be a candidate for the first place and Prof. Blake29 of Topeka, Kan.,
would be my choice for the department of rainfall and drouth. He is a remarkably well-informed man on these subjects, besides being a man of very considerable ability in other matters. My choice for the department of plant life would be Prof. Mansill30 of
Rock Island, Ill. He is well-informed in astronomy, meteorology, geology and chemistry, and would be a valuable man in that work.
"This bureau would use the information gathered by the present weather bureau, and as it would not make daily weather predictions, there would be no conflict between it and the weather bureau officials. Let the latter pursue their work. At most there could only be a rivalry between the two systems and the public would
29 C. C. Blake of Topeka, Kansas, was described in 1889 as "the most eminent weather prophet of the 'planetary' school" ("False Weather Prophets," Dec. 26, 1889 Daily Inter-Ocean of Chicago IL, p. 6). In publicity material that year, Blake wrote: "For more than thirty years I have been at work calculating the weather by means of Astronomical Mathematics. My system is purely astronomical, and I have nothing to do with astrology; I deal only with the rigid laws of cause and effect. For the last fifteen years I have published the result of my calculations in the form of weather predictions and the verification has been over 90 per cent. till this year. As the year is only half out, I do not know what it will be this season — probably not less than 80 per cent." The Bridgeton [NJ] Evening News, Sept. 9, 1889. A decade earlier a reviewer of Blake's almanac noted: "For the past two years his predictions have been remarkably correct, and have become a necessity in every family." The Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer, Feb. 13, 1879, p. 2.
soon determine which can furnish the most valuable weather forecasts.31
+ + + "ELECTRICITY.
"All Physical Phenomena Directly Traceable to this Energy.
"Twenty-three hundred years ago Aristotle declared there is but one single universal force, and that declaration entitles him to be called the father of science. But the dark ages came and crushed that truth to earth to rise again in the last years of the 19th century. When the clouds of the dark ages began to clear away a great mind declared a half truth in the nebular theory of creation, which for more than a century has been taken as a basis of astronomy, geology and meteorology. This nebular theory like the Ptolemaic theory of astronomy, is requiring of our astronomers, geologists and meteorologists constant inventions to make the nebular hypothesis and the
consequent heat theory of force to hold together, and these invented theories are becoming so numerous that the nebular theory is tottering to its fall. For the salvation of science it is just as necessary to return to the unity of force, as announced by
Aristotle, as it was to Christianity that Paul should establish the unity of spiritual force in the truth of one God. The nebular theory stands to scientific truth in about the same relation that the theory of a million gods did to true religion in the days of Christ. If we go back to the truth of one universal force, we do not only lift science from the mire, but we do for the scientific world that which the doctrine of one God did for the religious world.
"Prof. Wm. H. Preece, London's leading electrician, declares that 'all physical phenomena, without a single exception, may be traced to the mere transformation of electrical energy.' That is a reassertion of the great Aristotelian truth, and is in
harmony with my views as to the physical forces. There is but one physical force, and that force is electricity, or matter in motion. Its origin is found in the condensation of the diffused matter of space.
"As this ether of space condenses into the solid bodies as the meteors, comets, moons, planets, suns and the clusters of stars, it is, by these condensations, caused to converge toward these common centers in straight lines, and after moving through them and depositing its grosser materials, radiates to other bodies gathering more matter in space. This movement of that which has been called the ether of space constitutes all there is of electricity and of force, and is the basis of my meteorological
theories. Electricity is the universal force, is the cause of light, heat, magnetism, attraction, repulsion, gravitation, earthquakes, the high and low barometers, heat in the earth, volcanoes and is the life principle of the vegetable and animal kingdoms. It moves the atmosphere lifts the moisture and is the force of the tornado. Every
heavenly body, from the meteors to the suns, have grown from atoms by
condensations. Suns and planets are caused to revolve on their axes by the electrical force we see in the natural magnet and planets and satellites revolve around their primaries because of the elements that surround and revolve with the latter. The sun is not and the earth never was a hot body; neither light nor heat comes from the sun, but are effects of electrical radiations; the planets, satellites and asteroids entered our solar system as comets and each will continue to grow by accumulations from the ether of space electricity till it becomes a sun and the center of a solar system. The earth's diameter at its equators is greater than at its poles because of vegetable and coral growths. Coal is not of vegetable origin. The moon is not a dead world.
"All storms are whirlwinds and north of latitude 30 they move entirely around the earth, never die, and they increase and decrease in force by reason of the position of the sun, moon and planets. The high and low barometers constitute electric pairs and the currents of electricity that rise in the low come down in the high forming electric circuits. Cold waves, early fall and late spring frosts are caused by tropical hurricanes. Early springs, late falls, cold and warm winters, drouth, rain bolts, excessive heat, extreme cold, great storm periods and the location of storms are governed by the position of the planets."32
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"STUDY ELECTRICITY.
"Of all the subjects now attracting general attention none are of more
importance than electricity, and there is certainly a very great demand for information on that subject. More attention should be given this subject in our institutions of
learning, especially in the high school, seminaries, colleges and universities.
"Electricity is destined to supersede the use of steam as a motive power, gas for light and wood and coal for fuel, and only one or two more such men as Edison are necessary in order to usher in these important events much earlier than the masses will be prepared for them.
"The time is probably not far away when our railroads will be operated by electricity instead of steam, and this change alone will require a vast amount of
education. In all affairs of the world young men must be prepared to take the places of the older ones, and railroad men, especially train crews, of the near future, must
understand electricity. They must possess a vast amount more information than do the average graduates of our higher schools on this subject.
"To a great extent our common schools are failures compared with what they might be, because they take up too much time in efforts to give each pupil a general instead of a special education. On an average it requires ten school years for a pupil to graduate in our public schools, and one-fifth of that time is used up in the study of geography. Studying the details of the geography of Asiatic Russia and many other countries is useful to very few, and in a similar manner much useless time is spent on other studies that might with more profit, be given to the study of electricity and other necessary studies, especially by those who are liable to be called on to work with electricity.
"Electricity is certainly the life principle of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, the motive power that sends the life-blood through the arteries and veins, the sap to the vegetable cells, and when these ideas fully dawn upon the slowly-progressive mind of the world of man, a greater demand for knowledge on the subject of electricity than has ever been dreamed of will spring up.
"Add to all this the fact that electricity is the force that causes all weather changes and that this force constitutes the only true basis for the science of
meteorology and the argument is complete that no time should be lost in establishing electricity as one of the principal studies in our schools.
"At this time it may be considered premature to surmise as to the ultimate source of generated electricity when we have passed the rapids of discovery through which we are now going, but I will venture a few suggestions. I believe that all space is filled with matter, either electric or condensed. We find least electricity where we find most condensed matter, and most electricity where we find least condensed matter. The higher we go into the atmosphere the lighter is the matter composing it, and the greater are the quantity and tension of electricity, and when we go to sea level we find this order is reversed.
"This leads up to the idea I desire to express as to the future source of electricity for use as a motive power, light, fuel, etc.
"Its fountain head being above or outside our atmosphere, or the lower and denser portions of it, we must tap that great fountain and bring our electricity from above.
"This idea is not inconsistent with the known laws of electricity. All scientists hold that space is positive and the earth negative, or in more easily understood terms, the large quantity is above and the smaller quantity in the earth. Benjamin Franklin brought down the electricity from above on the string of a kite, showing that it moves from the atmosphere above to the earth below. All electricians say that the higher strata of clouds are positive as to the next below them and these in turn are positive as to still lower strata, while the lower clouds are positive as to the earth. All this means that the electricity comes from above, which is not only in accord with the suggestion that we must tap space above us for electricity but is also evidence in support of my other theory that the earth grows by condensations of electricity, those condensations being the origin of electrical force, which is only the attenuated matter of space set in motion.
"Edison's theory, so far as it has been made known, is that we must either get electricity from the earth or transmit it from some great water power. I believe that he, or someone soon to take up his work, will find this to be an error, and instead they will look aloft. So far as I know it has not been tested, but when it is I believe a much greater volume and tension of electricity can be generated on top of the highest mountains than at sea-level.
"If some scheme could be devised by which to draw from the immense quantity of electricity existing in the upper atmosphere, then I have another suggestion to make. I believe the atmosphere and water, as well as other condensed matter, to be condensations of electricity, and we must discover how to resolve these into their original electricity. I have long believed this to be the principle of the Keely motor, which has not yet been perfected, and if Mr. Keely33 fails to solve this mystery with his
'atomizer,' as he very significantly calls it, the times will soon furnish another who will take up the work where he left it and discover the secret of resolving water or
atmosphere, perhaps both, into electricity.
"Necessity is often the propagator of discoveries as well as the mother of invention, and of necessity a great discovery in the field of electricity must soon be made. Great improvements have been made in the appliances for controlling and
33 John Worrell Keely. For more on the Keely motor, see "The Keely Motor Secret" by C. J. Bloomfield Moore in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, August 1887, p. 300 ff. http://books.google.com/books?
id=07MRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA300 and the same author's book, Keely and His Discoveries: Aerial Navigation by Clara Jessup Bloomfield (1893) http://www.archive.org/details/keelyhisdiscover00moorrich . Researcher Dale Pond notes at the site just linked that the book is a compilation of past magazine articles with key details edited out. Pond wrote in 2003, "That Keely, [Walter] Russell and [Nikola] Tesla knew basic natural laws and principles that we do not is a given. After nineteen years of investigating their works it is obvious that the one single element they understood one way and we another is the nature, structure and dynamics of vibration and oscillation (or 'wave' as Russell termed it)."
using electricity, while but little progress has been made for many years in the base of operations in generating electricity. As I believe, a wrong theory has prevented
progress. Electricity has been looked upon by all 'orthodox' scientists as only
incidental, accidental, an effect with no permanent and prominent place in the great economy of nature.
"We must reverse all this and give to this force its true position which is the cause of causes, the one great, original force, while everything else in nature, mind and matter, in all their relations and conditions are only effects. If our electricians once learn that electricity is only matter in motion, coming from all points in space, adding its atoms to the gross matter of our earth, they will then understand that everything is made from condensations of this electric ether and they will set about resolving matter back into electricity for use as fuel, light and power. On this line I firmly believe that a great discovery will be made within a few years which will revolutionize many
industries and make a vast demand for those who have knowledge of the practical workings of electricity.
"For years I have believed that the time would come when, by chemical action, water, air and many solids would be exploded as we now explode gunpowder, and that instead of transforming the matter into gases, as in the case of gunpowder, it would be resolved into its original atom, electricity, as it existed before being condensed. Study electricity."34
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"THE PLANET MARS
"Astronomers are generally agreed that the two moons of Mars came to that planet within a few years past, and this is a very strong argument in favor of the electrical theory. The nebular theory holds that the earth was a molten mass, and when its crust had formed its cooling interior shrank away from this outer crust, which finally broke it, and coming together formed our moon. This idea contains the gist of the whole nebular theory of creation.
"The electrical theory holds that bodies of mater are growing in all parts of chaotic outer space by accumulations and condensations of electric ether now, as has been the case in all the past, and that these bodies come to our solar system as comets, occasionally one of them being caught by the magnetic influences of our solar system, becoming a planet, a moon or an asteroid. There are about three hundred of these small planets moving around the sun in orbits between Mars and Jupiter, and our
astronomers believe that the two moons of Mars are identical with these small planets called asteroids, and that they came from the asteroidal belt within ten years past.
"The moons of Mars are very small, said to be not more than fifty miles in
diameter, and are not easily seen except when Mars is at perihelion — nearest point to the sun — and the earth at the same time between Mars and the sun, and this occurs only once in about nine years. These moons were discovered at the last of these conjunctions, and therefore came to Mars between the last two such conjunctions.
"Unquestionably Mars received her moons from outer space and not by the breaking up of an outer crust formed by cooling and this is not only evidence, it is positive proof, that the earth received its moon in the same manner. The indisputable facts connected with the moons of Mars destroys the nebular theory, for if these
moons came to that planet from outer space then it can not be successfully denied that the earth came to the sun in the same manner: and in these two little moons of our near neighbor we have incontrovertible evidence in favor of the theory that the sun, earth, planets and moons slowly grow in outer space and are caught by our solar system as it moves constantly into new space never before occupied by it.
"Another evidence is that Jupiter in recent years caught a comet and held it, revolving around it like one of its moons for six months, and finally, when it did break away, changing its orbit so that it revolves around the sun in about seven years,
instead of twenty-seven as before. This has occurred twice with the same comet and it will, probably, become the fifth moon of Jupiter.
"One of the moons of Mars moves around that planet in less time than it revolves for Mars to revolve on its axis. If this was the case with our moon it would rise in the west and set in the east. This appears to refute the theory that the elements surrounding the sun, earth and planets, revolving with them, cause the planets and moons to revolve around their primaries, for these elements move slower than the revolution of the bodies, while this moon of Mars moves faster than the planet revolves, causing that moon to rise in the west and set in the east, relative to that planet.
"But when this moon came to Mars it necessarily moved with the velocity of a comet and its momentum would, for a time, carry it around its primary with great speed. Astronomers say that our moon is losing time, decreasing in velocity, and they fairly prove this by the dates of ancient eclipses, and no doubt this rapidly moving moon of Mars will lose velocity till it is in accord with the elements that revolve around that planet.
"Schiaparel,35 the noted Italian astronomer, says that within a few years past
wonderful changes have taken place in the physical geography of Mars. The seas have changed their beds, the continents have broken up, some of them disappeared, and great rivers, or arms of the seas, occupy new channels. Such would be the natural consequence of acquiring a moon, and this may suggest an explanation of the great catastrophes that are spoken of in the Bible and the legends that have come down from prehistoric times through all the races of men.
"Either the acquisition of a new planet like Mercury, or of a moon, or the
striking of the earth by a comet would cause events similar to the flood, the rising and sinking of the seas, or the great changes that mark the geological ages of the earth and the changes of animal life that are so distinctly marked by the geological epochs of the earth.
"The newly acquired moons of Mars marks an epoch in the evolutions of
astronomy and is probably a catastrophe on that planet such as must have occurred on the earth causing the great epochs of its growth which probably are identical with the six periods of creation spoken of in our Bible Genesis.
"Astronomers have but little to say about these newly acquired moons of Mars, for they cannot account for them by the old theories. They see their long and beautiful astronomical dissertations falling into disrepute because they were builded on the sands of the nebular theory, and they prefer to see their rounded sentences fade silently away to nothingness."36
+ + +
"PLANETARY INFLUENCES
"I have one more quotation to make from that forcible writer Dr. Henry Raymond Rogers, of Dunkirk, N. Y. In a recent paper he says: 'It is a fundamental principle in electrical science that every movement of one body near another disturbs and puts in motion the electric currents in both bodies. Extending the law from the lesser or terrestrial to the grander or celestial field the inference becomes legitimate that the starry worlds whirling with inconceivable velocity in space evolve between the electrical currents in great cosmical circuits; that the sun and earth revolving on their axes and in their orbits thus become actually vast magnets — electric machines, or batteries, through the action of which currents incessantly pass to and fro between those bodies. In this manner is explained the source and mode of development of the
35 Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli, who was author, among other texts, of Astronomy in the Old Testament http://books.google.com/books?id=nxgqAAAAYAAJ .