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‘« As the cloud passed on to the north-east, and I looked after 
it, the end next me had the appearance of a vast crater, emitting 
forked lightning and flashes of light; and it was from this 
crater-like opening that I suppose the lightning was emitted 
which was visible at Birmingham, after the storm had ceased 
and the cloud passed on towards Nottingham. 
« All accounts say that meteors and lightning were observed 
at the rear of the cloud for an hour or two after the tempest. 
When the cloud had nearly passed over Birmingham, the 
quantity of ozone which saturated the air at Leamington was 
so great as to be very unpleasant, and I was obliged to close 
the window to exclude it. It is to be observed that no rain 
fell in Leamington at that time, and consequently there was 
no moisture to absorb the ozone and prevent its accumulation. 
The lightning always broke from the upper surface of the 
cloud while it passed before me; when I looked after it, it 
came from the inside of the crater-like opening in the rear, but 
never from the surface next the earth. The unpleasant effects 
of the storm on the invalids of my party soon afterwards occu- 
pied all my attention. 
‘* This immense cloud, so heavily charged with water, ap- 
peared to be completely isolated; it did not attract the flying 
scud, nor did it break into masses; and the sky became serene 
and blue when it had passed. I observed its approach from the 
south-west ; at eight it had reached Birmingham, and at nine 
it had passed. 1 traced it in the local newspapers in a straight 
line from Hereford to Nottingham, where it caused prodigious 
floods, passing over Kidderminster, Dudley, and Birming- 
ham, in a direction from south-west to north-east. All the 
newspapers agreed in their general description of brilliant, con- 
stant lightning, and heavy rain; some also spoke of hail. 
** About twenty miles to the south-west of Birmingham the 
storm began at seven P.M., and ceased about eight P.M. ; 
at that time it had reached Birmingham, where it raged 
shomt an hour. I therefore conclude ti:at the cloud was 
