302 PHENOMENA MANIFESTED IN TELEGRAPHIC LINES, ETC. 



from S'^.SS to 5'\57 (mean time of Paris) there was a gradual movement 

 of the needle : that after this there occurred sudden leaps, and that at G 

 o'clock the needle remained stationary for about one minute ; after this 

 rest the needle moved violently. 



Mr. Tarry reports that at 5'\28'^ the needle jumped in France from 



— 40° to + 00<^. At that time the galvanometer had not as yet beeu used 

 by the inspectors at the office of Rome, but I fiud that the needle of the 

 common compass used by telegraphists jumped in Eome from + 20"^ to 



— 22° at 5'^.27'°. Mr. Tarry also reports that at 5".34™ the needle of the 

 galvanometer moved suddenly in France from — 40° to + 50 ; and I 

 fiud that the needle of the common compass at Eome moved from -{- 

 3QC to — 2GO between 5^.30"^ and Si'-ST-^. 



No comparison can be instituted with the observations made in Florence 

 during the the above-mentioned time, for observations in that city com- 

 menced later. They are all given in mean Paris time. 



Mr. Coumbary, director of the observatory at Constantinople, says that 

 on the lines of Turkey, toward 7''.35™ the current was reversed and be- 

 came positive, showing great intensity. Judging from the whole of his 

 remarks, it appears that at the above-mentioned time the greatest per- 

 turbation occurred, which manifested itself on the Turkish lines.* I have 

 already said that the Italian lines had reached their maximum at C'-ol"", 

 (mean time of Eome ;) if the time stated by Mr. Coumbary is given in 

 mean time of Constantinople, (as is presumable,) then the greatest per- 

 turbations on the Turkish lines manifested themselves at G^\29"^ mean 

 time of Eome.+ 



Mr. Coumbary says that at 9 o'clock (7^.54™ meantime of Eome) tele- 

 graphic communication was resumed in Turkey. It has been already 

 mentioned that in Italy perturbations on the lines became much weaker 

 toward 8 o'clock, (mean time of Eome.) So that it seems that the great 

 perturbations ceased contemporaneously in Italy and in Turkey. From 

 what has been stated it appears that we may conclude with Mr. Tarry 

 that the perturbations on the telegraphic lines took place, as a general 

 rule, simultaneously. On this important point, however, more extensive 

 researches are needed, and with more i)articulars than have hitherto 

 been given ; inasmuch as the perturbations on the telegraphic wires 

 followed each other almost continuously, and errors, however small, in 

 the times noted, or in the deflections observed, might make acoincidence 

 appear where there was really none. 



To prove the general simultaneomness of the electrical perturbations 

 which manifest themselves in the electrical telegraphs in auroral mani- 

 festations, would be the much more important, inasmuch as it appears 

 sufhciently proved by experience that the luminous i)henomena proceed- 

 ing from auroras are not at all simultaneous, but manifest themselves 

 first in the more eastern countries, and then in the western. In support 



* Comptes-reDclas, Vol. LXXIV, page 828. 



t Coustantiuople is east from Rome about 1''.06™. 



