| Description | He does not know if Herschel's headquarters is still Rawal Pindee [Rawalpindi] but he takes the chance. He wants to ask scientific questions, reminding Herschel of his answering a question for Robertson at Chatham, put as a challenge to the East India Company. Herschel solved it by cones and sections. He asks first about the means of heat from the Sun being felt on Earth, and secondly about metals found there. Thirdly, he asks if there is anything more to be discovered about hydrogen; and fourthly if there are any laws in dynamics of which they are still ignorant. He notes some wonderful illustrations of 'what pretended to be the new laws of dynamics'. He gives a long description of an experiment with a heavy metal ring, revolving at great velocity around its axis, giving a small sketch. His fifth query is on conditions of equilibrium in Saturn's ring belt. A sixth question is on centrifugal force maintaining a peg top in an upright position once spinning. He notes the movements of some acquaintances, including Bill Conningham, Bagge, Penny and Maxwell. |