1818.] Dr. Clarke's Account of a Meteor 273 



attacked be numerous and occupy a considerable line, several 

 fire ships ought to be employed, divided into three divisions ; 

 one division being sent down with the wind on the quarter, 

 another before the wind, and a third on a wind ; the last will 

 annoy those which cut and run to leeward. The decks should 

 be loaded with stones, or some heavy materials, that on blowing 

 up more mischief may be done to the foe. 



The most advantageous time to send the fire ship among ves- 

 sels at anchor is at the commencement of the flood, that in case 

 they cut and run on shore, they may continue striking during 

 the rise of the tide ; and the most disadvantageous is at the 

 period of half ebb, at which period the tide falls the quickest, 

 and is consequently the most proper time to lay a vessel on shore 

 to save the crew. 



Article V. 



Account of a Meteor, apparently accompanied by Matter falling 



from the Atmosphere, as seen at Cambridge by Professor 



E. D. Clarke, of that University, and other Persons who were 



Eye Witnesses of the Phenomenon. In a Letter to the 



Editors. 



GENTLEMEN, 



On Friday, Feb. 6, being in company with two other persons 

 who were walking with me in the environs of this University, I 

 had the satisfaction of seeing a large and very luminous meteor 

 in the northern part of the hemisphere, descending vertically 

 from the zenith towards the horizon. My attention was called 

 towards it by an exclamation from one of our party who called 

 out, " Look at that Light ! " The atmosphere was perfectly 

 clear and serene, excepting a haziness near the horizon towards 

 the north ; and the sun, in a cloudless sky, was shining in great 

 splendour. It was about two o'clock, P.M. The first impres- 

 sion upon my mind in beholding it, was, that a lacerated balloon, 

 owing to some accident, was coming down in ruins ; but the in- 

 tense light with which it shone opposed to the full rays of the 

 sun, almost as instantaneously convinced me of its real nature 

 Its descent was extremely rapid, and being -so perfectly vertical, 

 and the shape of the falling body seeming to indicate the 

 precipitation of matter in combustion, I expected to see it strike 

 the earth ; but when it arrived within about fifteen degrees of 

 the horizon, it disappeared ; there being as before stated a hazi- 

 ness towards the north extending upwards from the earth about 

 12 degrees. Before the meteor in its apparent path reached tln3 

 fog-bank, it disappeared. 



Vol. XI. N° IV. S 



