1834. From 1769 to 1834 the _Nautical Almanac_ was published on a plan
which gradually fell behind what was wanted. In 1834 the new series began,
under a new superintendent (Lieut. W. S. Stratford).[656] There had been a
long scientific controversy, which would not be generally intelligible. To
set some of the points before the reader, I reprint a cutting which I have
by me. It is from the Nautical _Magazine_, but I did hear that some had an
idea that it was in the Nautical _Almanac_ itself. It certainly was not,
and I feel satisfied the Lords of the Admiralty would not have permitted
the insertion; they are never in advance of their age. The Almanac for 1834
was published in July 1833.
THE NEW NAUTICAL ALMANAC--Extract from the 'Primum Mobile,' and 'Milky
Way Gazette.' Communicated by AEROLITH.
A meeting of the different bodies composing the Solar System was this day
held at the Dragon's Tail, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
alterations and amendments introduced into the New Nautical Almanac. The
honorable luminaries had been individually summoned {301} by fast-sailing
comets, and there was a remarkably full attendance. Among the visitors we
_observed_ several nebulae, and almost all the stars whose proper motions
would admit of their being present.
The SUN was unanimously called to the focus. The small planets took the
oaths, and their places, after a short discussion, in which it was decided
that the places should be those of the Almanac itself, with leave reserved
to move for corrections.
Petitions were presented from [alpha] and [delta] Ursae Minoris, complaining
of being put on daily duty, and praying for an increase of salary.--Laid on
the plane of the ecliptic.
The trustees of the eccentricity[657] and inclination funds reported a
balance of .00001 in the former, and a deficit of 0".009 in the latter.
This announcement caused considerable surprise, and a committee was moved
for, to ascertain which of the bodies had more or less than his share.
After some discussion, in which the small planets offered to consent to a
reduction, if necessary, the motion was carried.
The FOCAL BODY then rose to address the meeting. He remarked that the
subject on which they were assembled was one of great importance to the
routes and revolutions of the heavenly bodies. For himself, though a
private arrangement between two of his honourable neighbours (here he
looked hard at the Earth and Venus) had prevented his hitherto paying that
close attention to the predictions of the Nautical Almanac which he
declared he always had wished to do; yet he felt consoled by knowing that
the conductors of that work had every disposition to take his peculiar
circumstances into consideration. He declared that he had never passed the
wires of a transit without deeply feeling his inability to adapt himself to
the present state of his theory; a feeling which he was afraid had
sometimes caused a slight tremor in his limb. Before {302} he sat down, he
expressed a hope that honourable luminaries would refrain as much as
possible from eclipsing each other, or causing mutual perturbations.
Indeed, he should be very sorry to see any interruption of the harmony of
the spheres. (Applause.)
The several articles of the New Nautical Almanac were then read over
without any comment; only we observed that Saturn shook his ring at every
novelty, and Jupiter gave his belt a hitch, and winked at the satellites at
page 21 of each month.
The MOON rose to propose a resolution. No one, he said, would be surprised
at his bringing this matter forward in the way he did, when it was
considered in how complete and satisfactory a manner his motions were now
represented. He must own he had trembled when the Lords of the Admiralty
dissolved the Board of Longitude, but his tranquillity was more than
reestablished by the adoption of the new system. He did not know but that
any little assistance he could give in Nautical Astronomy was becoming of
less and less value every day, owing to the improvement of chronometers.
But there was one thing, of which nothing could deprive him--he meant the
regulation of the tides. And, perhaps, when his attention was not occupied
by more than the latter, he should be able to introduce a little more
regularity into the phenomena. (Here the honourable luminary gave a sort of
modest libration, which convulsed the meeting with laughter.) They might
laugh at his natural infirmity if they pleased, but he could assure them it
arose only from the necessity he was under, when young, of watching the
motions of his worthy primary. He then moved a resolution highly laudatory
of the alterations which appeared in the New Nautical Almanac.
The EARTH rose, to second the motion. His honourable satellite had fully
expressed his opinions on the subject. He joined his honourable friend in
the focus in wishing to pay every attention to the Nautical Almanac, but,
{303} really, when so important an alteration had taken place in his
magnetic pole[658] (hear) and there might, for aught he knew, be a
successful attempt to reach his pole of rotation, he thought he could not
answer for the preservation of the precession in its present state. (Here
the hon. luminary, scratching his side, exclaimed, as he sat down, "More
steamboats--confound 'em!")
An honourable satellite (whose name we could not learn) proposed that the
resolution should be immediately despatched, corrected for refraction, when
he was called to order by the Focal Body, who reminded him that it was
contrary to the moving orders of the system to take cognizance of what
passed inside the atmosphere of any planet.
SATURN and PALLAS rose together. (Cries of "New member!" and the former
gave way.) The latter, in a long and eloquent speech, praised the
liberality with which he and his colleagues had at length been relieved
from astronomical disqualifications. He thought that it was contrary to the
spirit of the laws of gravitation to exclude any planet from office on
account of the eccentricity or inclination of his orbit. Honourable
luminaries need not talk of the want of convergency of his series. What had
they to do with any private arrangements between him and the general
equations of the system? (Murmurs from the opposition.) So long as he
obeyed the laws of motion, to which he had that day taken a solemn oath, he
would ask, were old planets, which were now so well known that nobody
trusted them, to....
The FOCAL BODY said he was sorry to break the continuity of the
proceedings, but he thought that remarks upon character, with a negative
sign, would introduce {304} differences of too high an order. The
honourable luminary must eliminate the expression which he had brought out,
in finite terms, and use smaller inequalities in future. (Hear, hear.)
PALLAS explained, that he was far from meaning to reflect upon the orbital
character of any planet present. He only meant to protest against being
judged by any laws but those of gravitation, and the differential calculus:
he thought it most unjust that astronomers should prevent the small planets
from being observed, and then reproach them with the imperfections of the
tables, which were the result of their own narrow-minded policy. (Cheers.)
SATURN thought that, as an old planet, he had not been treated with due
respect. (Hear, from his satellites.) He had long foretold the wreck of the
system from the friends of innovation. Why, he might ask, were his
satellites to be excluded, when small planets, trumpery comets, which could
not keep their mean distances (cries of oh! oh!), double stars, with
graphical approximations, and such obscure riff-raff of the heavens (great
uproar) found room enough. So help him Arithmetic, nothing could come of
it, but a stoppage of all revolution. His hon. friend in the focus might
smile, for he would be a gainer by such an event; but as for him (Saturn),
he had something to lose, and hon. luminaries well knew that, whatever they
might think _under_ an atmosphere, _above_ it continual revolution was the
only way of preventing perpetual anarchy. As to the hon. luminary who had
risen before him, he was not surprised at his remarks, for he had
invariably observed that he and his colleagues allowed themselves _too much
latitude_. The stability of the system required that they should be brought
down, and he, for one, would exert all his powers of attraction to
accomplish that end. If other bodies would cordially unite with him,
particularly his noble friend next him, than whom no luminary possessed
greater weight--
JUPITER rose to order. He conceived his noble friend {305} had no right to
allude to him in that manner, and was much surprised at his proposal,
considering the matters which remained in dispute between them. In the
present state of affairs, he would take care never to be in conjunction
with his hon. neighbour one moment longer than he could help. (Cries of
"Order, order, no long inequalities," during which he sat down.)
SATURN proceeded to say, that he did not know till then that a planet with
a ring could affront one who had only a belt, by proposing mutual
co-operation. He would now come to the subject under discussion. He should
think meanly of his hon. colleagues if they consented to bestow their
approbation upon a mere astronomical production. Had they forgotten that
they once were considered the arbiters of fate, and the prognosticators of
man's destiny? What had lost them that proud position? Was it not the
infernal march of intellect, which, after having turned the earth
topsy-turvy, was now disturbing the very universe? For himself (others
might do as they pleased), but he stuck to the venerable Partridge,[659]
and the Stationers' Company, and trusted that they would outlive infidels
and anarchists, whether of Astronomical or Diffusion of Knowledge
Societies. (Cries of oh! oh!)
MARS said he had been told, for he must confess he had not seen the work,
that the places of the planets were given for Sundays. This, he must be
allowed to say, was an indecorum he had not expected; and he was convinced
the Lords of the Admiralty had given no orders to that effect. He hoped
this point would be considered in the measure which had been introduced in
another place, and that some {306} one would move that the prohibition
against travelling on Sundays extend to the heavenly as well as earthly
bodies.
Several of the stars here declared, that they had been much annoyed by
being observed on Sunday evenings, during the hours of divine service.
The room was then cleared for a division, but we are unable to state what
took place. Several comets-at-arms were sent for, and we heard rumors of a
personal collision having taken place between two luminaries in opposition.
We were afterwards told that the resolution was carried by a majority, and
the luminaries elongated at 2 h. 15 m. 33,41 s. sidereal time.
* * * It is reported, but we hope without foundation, that Saturn, and
several other discontented planets, have accepted an invitation from Sirius
to join his system, on the most liberal appointments. We believe the report
to have originated in nothing more than the discovery of the annual
parallax of Sirius from the orbit of Saturn; but we may safely assure our
readers that no steps have as yet been taken to open any communication.
We are also happy to state, that there is no truth in the rumor of the laws
of gravitation being about to be repealed. We have traced this report, and
find it originated with a gentleman living near Bath (Captain Forman,
R.N),[660] whose name we forbear to mention.
A great excitement has been observed among the nebulae, visible to the
earth's southern hemisphere, particularly among those which have not yet
been discovered from thence. We are at a loss to conjecture the cause, but
we shall not fail to report to our readers the news of any movement which
may take place. (Sir J. Herschel's visit. He could just see this before he
went out.)
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