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Southland Times, Issue 1223, 15 March 1870, Page 3

The Eabth to be Enveloped bt Fiee. — -The *uns atmosphere, say the scientific men, is in a liighly excited condition. A column of magnetic light is shooting out further and further from the solar sphere, and it is now stretching out forty-five unllions of miles. In other words, at has .accomplished half the distance between us and the Bun ! The interesting question, and one on which, perhaps, we do not wish any more light of tins is^ — How long will it be before it finishes the rest df the • distance, and bridges the gigantic chasm between the earth and the sun ? Is it a messenger sent .out to snatch us up as for the insatiate monster that keeps himself warm by devouring planets, and whose fire-eating propensities tins whole earth would satisfy for a few days only ? If sq, how long will this emissary be in reaching us, and carrying the globe away as if we were a gigantic lump of coal for a roaring furnace ? The -column of light at intervals indicates its approach by flashing and corruscating with fresh brilliancy. So decided are its effects that two astronomers, one at London, the other at Oxford, and neither knowing the experience of the other, supposed that the dark glass of their telescopes had been broken or put ont of range, -so strong was the flash of golden light upon the vision. It is predicted that before the end of next year this magnetic light will have got near enough to us to make its .immediate and actual influence upon tbe earth distinctly felt. It is annoimcedthat in consequence we may expect to «cc phenomena that have never been seen or snown before by the human race. If any of our readers, therefore, are yet disposed to -complain of the weather and the earthquakes, let them remember that, by this time nest year, ; they may have an entire, 'new line of experiences to explain and endure, in com- . parison with which the fitful wiriter .and I rough, rude autumn of to-day, may seem, like a June morning in paradise, and the • earthquake's shock and lightning's storm,! a placid: rocking in the cradle with >&> pleasant lullaby of thunder. — 'Scientific' Journal. 1