215 



The whole time therefore taken by the plummet in descending 

 through 7706 fathoms, or nearly 7' 7 geographical miles of 60 to the 

 degree, was 9*^ 24"^ 45^ The highest summits of the Himalaya, Dha- 

 walagiri and Kinchinginga, are little more than 28,000 feet, or 4*7 

 geographical miles above the sea. The sea-bottom has therefore 

 depths greatly exceeding the elevation of the highest pinnacle above 

 its surface. 



The strength of the line tried before the sounding was found to 

 be equal to bear 721bs. in air. The 7706 fathoms which ran out 

 weighed, when dry, 771bs., exclusive of the plummet, 91bs. Great 

 care was taken in the endeavour to bring the plummet again to the 

 surface to show the nature of the bottom, but, whilst carefully reel- 

 ing in, the line broke at 140 fathoms below the water-line, carrying 

 away a Six's thermometer which had been bent on at 3000 fathoms. 



Jan. 27. — A letter was read giving an account of "An Explosive 

 Meteorite." By Francis Higginson, Esq., R.N. 



The writer states that his attention having been aroused by the 

 highly electrical state of the atmosphere during a severe gale of wind, 

 he proceeded along the beach in the vicinity of Dover, at 2 a.m. on the 

 morning of Friday, the 17th of December 1852. 



It had blown very hard during the night, the wind veering from 

 West to W.S.W., in occasional heavy squalls of rain and sleet, 

 accompanied at intervals by faint flashing scintillations, which at 

 first, being considered sheet lightning, were only noticed from their 

 unusual colour, a deep and sombre red. At about 4^ 50™ a.m., how- 

 ever, these flashes constantly emerging from a dense, triangular and 

 very remarkable cloud in the S.E., which perceptibly increased in 

 size with great rapidity, he was induced to observe it with minute 

 attention. At 4^^ 55™ a.m., Greenwich mean time, the cloud had 

 assumed the form of a right-angled triangle, its hypothenuse, or 

 longest side, tending east and west. At this instant he first heard a 

 singular and extraordinary hissing sound in the air, not unlike that 

 of a passing shot, which, although at first not very loud, was yet 

 clearly distinguishable above the howling of the gale. At 5 a m. the 

 cloud had nearly doubled its original size, advancing steadily from 

 the S.E. in a N.W. direction, or from nearly dead to leeward, to- 

 wards the wind's eye ; whilst the scintillations spoken of were 



