146 Preceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Juny, 
trometers being sent out about two yearsago to the Indian Tele- 
graph Department, but from an error in packing they were both so 
damaged as to be unserviceable. These instruments too were 
more suited for making rough measurements at different places 
while travelling, than for making delicate measurements at an 
observatory. The instruments at present in use in Europe for this 
purpose are very perfect, and give on sensitive paper a photographic 
curve showing the electric state of the atmosphere. 
As an example of the importance of observations of atmospheric 
and terrestrial currents I may mention that from tests made partly 
on the 10th, partly on the 11th, and partly on the 12th of February 
of this year, it appeared that very strong positive natural currents 
were flowing through the telegraph lines in the directions Deesa 
to Agra, Indore to Agra, Allahabad to Agra, Agra to Umballa, 
Calcutta to Raneegunge and Calcutta to Sahibgunge, in all cases 
in the same direction from southward to northward. In the 
cases where the line ran nearly due north and south the current 
was such as could have been produced by the insertion of about 
8 galvanic cells in the line. In the other cases it varied from 
about 8 to 2 cells, depending partly on how nearly the line ran due 
north and south. On the 16th of February the earthquake 
occurred at Calcutta. Now Ido not fora moment conclude from 
this solitary instance, that natural electric currents have necessari- 
ly any connection with Earthquakes, still as we know very little 
about either of these phenomena, it is just possible that they may 
be connected. 
And if in the observatories in Europe and Australia it is thought 
worth while to carry on a regular system of observations of atmos- 
pheric electricity mainly for the purpose of endeavouring to con- 
nect the results of these observations with the weather, so that the 
electric state of the air may act as a barometer to foretell the 
weather, how much more important is it that such a system of 
observations should be established in a country like India, visited 
as it is by thunderstorms doing such a vast amount of damage. 
Mr. Woodrow observed that he heard several persons stating 
that they saw the conductor of a house appearing red hot during 
the late storm. 
