308 Mr. J. Prideaux on the Meteor of June 29th: and on 



midal, or rather as resembling that of a long and narrow pa- 

 per kite, with its tail completely inverted, so that the end of the 

 tail was uppermost. The time of its appearance was probably 

 fiveor six seconds, though some persons estimate it to have been 

 much longer. Many persons assert they saw it fall into the 

 sea, with the production of vapour, bubbling, and a hissing 

 noise. Three of these I have met with : one describing it as in 

 Hamoaze ; another just outside the Breakwater ; and the third 

 near the Lizard Point ; — a range of fifty miles. And as each 

 declares it fell quite near him, their account is evidently re- 

 ferrible either to alarm or to imagination. 



Here, and by vessels to the eastward, the point of its ap- 

 proach to the horizon seems to have been observed nearly due 

 south, some giving it eastei'ly, some westerly declination. But 

 none of those who saw it from about the Lizard, attribute to 

 it any easterly declination. In such observations, casually 

 made, and without instruments, we can put no confidence as 

 to accuracy ; but being generally obtained from sailors, they 

 are, I think, enough to justify the inference, that it was at a 

 considerable distance to the southward. The most complete 

 view of it that has been reported to me, occurred to Captain 

 Tozer, of the Navy, which has served to correct the exagge- 

 rated statements of others, whose alarm or imagination was 

 excited on witnessing only the latter part of its course. 



The Falmouth Packet newspaper says it was seen from the 

 Scilly Islands to Melksham (Wilts). I have traced its ap- 

 pearance from Buckfastleigh by land, and east of the Start by 

 sea, to the Lizard Point ; and, on the authority of Mr. Harris, 

 northward to Barnstaple. You will probably find accounts 

 of its having been observed much further in every direction. 



Its greatest splendour seems to have been at sea, where 

 many were obliged to cover their eyes with their hands ; and 

 one man, east of the Start, thought his ship was on fire. 



Yours, &c., 

 Plymouth, July 9th, 1832. John Prideaux. 



P.S. There is another subject on which I am still more de- 

 sirous of infoi'mation. 



It is stated, at sections 99, 100, 121 of Dr. Faraday's Ex- 

 perimental Researches, &c., just published in the Phil. Trans. 

 Roy. Sec, that If the marked pole of a magnet be placed 

 above a copper disc (fig. 15, 27), or the unmarked pole below 

 it, or both, and the disc be rotated screw fashion (or with the 

 sun, as it is expressed by sailors), currents of positive electri- 

 city set off from the central parts in the general direction of 

 the radii, by the pole, to the parts of the circumference on the 



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