[meteorite-list] A curious reference

From: Francis Graham <francisgraham_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:04:45 2004
Message-ID: <20020502204114.11272.qmail_at_web12905.mail.yahoo.com>

Dear Listees:
  Tracy Latimer says it is a shame no one kept the
murderous aerolite. But, in point of fact, IF the
story in the English mechanic is true (big IF) then
the meteorite is somewhere: it didn't attain escape
velocity again! If it's not listed in the standard
collections, it may be in Australia near the town of
the victim in Whitestone township. Matter does not
disappear, and indeed the spot can likely be shown to
you (IF the story is true) by elderly people who were
shown it when they "were little" by people elderly to
them. Plus there is likely a tombstone and grave
somewhere.
  Just remember the caveat-- IF the story is true at
all. The English Mechanic served the 19th century
English-literate public like Popular Science and
Scientific American does today.( Indeed, I managed to
get William Congreve's idea for a flying machine,which
was a sort of cyclogyro device, from one issue. But it
did take some wait--which is why I very much
appreciate Alan Pickup and Tracy Latimer's efforts on
this.) But the E.M. also accepted stories of possible
interest uncritically, so it might not be true.
   Australians on the list might want to check it
out--or someone going to Australia for other reasons.
Even if the story is a hoax, the full account of who,
why and how the hoax was perpetrated adds to the
knowledge base of theories about why people do things
like Piltdown, etc.
   The mystery of the Meisenthaler Meteorite awaits!

Francis Graham

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Received on Thu 02 May 2002 04:41:14 PM PDT