252 The Sunsets of Autumn 1883 



there were no colour effects comparable with those of sunset, 

 and that as the position of observation was shifted inland and 

 to a higher level above the sea the sunset colours became paler 

 and less brilliant, I conclude that water, whether as one of 

 the gaseous constituents of the atmosphere or as floating 

 particles, solid or liquid, was an important factor of the 

 phenomenon. 



(1918.) The study of the Report of the Krakatoa Committee 

 of the Royal Society, published in the year 1888, showed that 

 the atmospheric effects witnessed after the eruption fall into 

 two periods. The earlier period covers the effects produced by 

 the dust which remained visibly suspended for some weeks after 

 the eruption and gave rise to the phenomenon usually recorded 

 as "blue suns." Most of the observations during this period 

 come from the Indian Ocean and its confines. This, the blue- 

 sun period, closed before the end of September, 1883, an d during 

 that time abnormal sunrises were recorded about as often as 

 abnormal sunsets. 



The second period may be taken as beginning on ist October, 

 1883, after which no blue suns are recorded. Most of the obser- 

 vations during this period come from the Atlantic Ocean and its 

 confines. Between 27th September and 3ist October twenty- 

 two observations of remarkable sunsets are reported from ships 

 at sea, and only two reports of sunrises. One of these from the 

 s.s. "Olbers" reports "Sunrises very pale," and the other 

 from the s.s. "Orissa" reports "At sunrise ugly looking sky, 

 brick red under sun to 20 altitude." This report was from the 

 Indian Ocean. 



My letter to the Times is quoted at page 293: "Lanzarote, 

 about 29 N. 14 W., Mr Buchanan, Times, date 27 October: 

 Splendid glows." From this most readers would conclude that 

 I had observed "glows" at both sunrise and sunset; whereas 

 the important point in the letter is that I established by direct 

 observation the absence of any remarkable colouration of the sky. 

 at sunrise, when, on every day, the corresponding sunsets were 

 at the very acme of their splendour. 



