SCIENTIFIC WAGER.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 565, 1 November 1871, Page 2

SCIENTIFIC WAGER.

THE POBM OF THE BAHTH —A SHOCK 0? OPINIONS. Thb London papers report that an action arising out of a scientific wager between John Humpden and Alfred Russell Wallace, as to whether the earth is " round or flat," has been decided in the secondary court, Guildhall. Mr. Kdward Clarke, barrister, applied, under a writ of enquiry, for damages issued in the cause, consequent upon judgement going by default against John Hampden. The learned counsel, in a lucid statem.nt, explained that an action which had been brought by Mr. Wallace against Mr. Hampden for a grow libel that had been published and circulated by the defendant had been suffered to go by default, and that tbe plaintiff in consequence ought the damages he was entitled to. Mr. Wallace, he said, was a gentleman of high reputation, and was a member of several learned and scientific societies. He became acquainted with the.defendant at tke end of last year, through a challenge that he published, offering to stake £500 against £400 of any other scientific man, and to prove that the world was a flat body, and not round, *s was generally believed to be the case. Finding that some time elapsed before his challenge was noticed, he went further, and stated that scientific man knew they were guilty of an imposition in propounding the round theory, and that they were in consequence afraid to take up the challenge. Mr. Wallace subsequently answered the challenge aud lodged his £500 with that of Mr. Hampden's at Coutts' bank, to be drawn out and handed over to 'the party in whose favour the arbitrators decided, after the proposed experiments had been-gine through. The defendant proposed that t^e experiments should lake place at the Bedfok^ level. Mr. Wallace- —-r* ifc"~ontant, aud tF\' trial was accordi"*V proceeded w.k. t* J$ i 1 ——L^iojp}.. A'here were three long'staves«> ji equal isngth. One was placed on the Bedford"^ canal, another was placed at a distance of three ' B' mies, fnd the third also at the same distance. A telescope was employed, through which it was dourly and unmistakably perceived that tbe centre siave was five feet above the line of the telescope, widch a.t once proved that the arth was not flat, biifc aval. Mr. Hauiprea accordingly pressed himself satisnea, and tbe money »*«« paid over to Mr. Wallace by Mr. Walsli, of the Field newspaper, who had stood as referee. Some time after this, Ifampden issued a P«^ 8tl"°" _of "is own, in which he denounce^, Mr- Wallace as a "liar" a ■ €'wiliC«t lS. eVer^fchi»g that was 'bad, pew' lD* at ™c same time that his (Mr.

Hampden's) was the correct theory. The libels, which were of the grossest nature, were aggravated by the defendant asserting that Mr. Wallace was afraid to go into court. Mr. Wallace has been eminently forbeariug, but owing to the persistence of Mr. Hampden was compelled to take the present steps for his protection. Mr. Wallace was called, and stated that he had experienced a great deal of ailnoyance in consequence of Mr. Hampden's of -<duct, and the jury, after a short delibera- £ 'ound a verdict of £600 for the plaintiff.