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t is calculated, as if A had continued to occupy the position A₁, one is led to an influence on the astronomical motions of the order ${\tfrac {p}{V}}$; if V were equal to the velocity of light, this influence would be much greater than observations permit us to suppose. If, on the contrary, the terms with ${\tfrac {p}{V}}$ are to have admissible values, V ought to be many millions of times as great as the velocity of light.

From the considerations in this paper, it appears that this conclusion can be avoided. Changes of state in the aether, satisfying equations of the form (I), are propagated with the velocity V; yet, no quantities of the first order ${\tfrac {p}{V}}$ or ${\tfrac {w}{V}}$ (§ 8), but only terms containing ${\tfrac {p^{2}}{V^{2}}}$ and ${\tfrac {pw}{V^{2}}}$ appear in the results. This is brought about by the peculiar way—determined by the equations—in which moving matter changes the state of the aether; in the above mentioned case the condition of the aether will not be what it would have been, if the acting body were at rest in the position A₁.


(April 25, 1900)