944 Transactions of the American Institute. 



produced by attracting the armature to the maguet. The fluid 

 was passing from west to east through the key. In addition to this, 

 there was a current about the size of a pin, flowing from the core 

 of the helices to the soft piece of iron on the armature, which 

 sounded very much like electricity produced by friction on a glass 

 cylinder, when passing to a leyden jar. The phenomena commenced 

 at 4:30 p. m., and continued incessantly until 7 p. m., and it is 

 remarkable that all the phenomena which I have witnessed hereto- 

 fore, occurred between the same hours, and lasted about the same 

 length of time. Mr. P. H. Shaughness, at the present time chief 

 operator of the southern wires in the Western Union office, New 

 York, and myself, were in the Rochester office of the New York, 

 Albany and Bufialo Telegraph Company at the time AVilliam H. 

 Seward delivered his famous ' IiTepressible Conflict' speech, in 

 this city, a few years since. We were both engaged at intervals, 

 sending a synopsis of the speech to New York, while it was being 

 delivered in Corinthian Hall. On that evening there was a magnifi- 

 cent display of aurora. At first there were waves parallel with the 

 horizon, flashing one after another until they reached the zenith. 

 This was succeeded by perpendicular flashes which gradually 

 extended clear across the horizon. Finally these disappeared, and 

 the whole sky was red until about 2:30 a. m. While we were 

 transmitting the abovenamed speech, the aurora, at alternate inter- 

 vals of half a minute, completely neutralized the current on the 

 wires so that they appeared to be open. Finally, Mr. George E. 

 Allen, at that time chief operator of the line, and stationed at 

 Utica, suggested that we disconnect the batteries from the line, 

 which was done. Then when a wave charged the wire, we would 

 have to make several turns up with our adjuster, and gradually 

 turu down, while we were sending, until the next wave came, the 

 length of the interval being equal to the duration of the wave. 

 You will observe that in one case the current was increased, and in 

 the other entirely neutralized, but this may be accounted for in the 

 following manner: In the recent phenomenon, there was but one 

 battery, and that was at Buffalo, the one at Utica being cut off" by 

 the broken wire near Syracuse; while on the evening, and just before 

 Mr. Seward's speech was transmitted, the line was intact, and all 

 the batteries connected. I have always noticed the weather when 

 these phenomena occuiTed. It was at each time very cold, with a 

 strong northwest wind blowing, accompanied with fine snow, 

 except in the last instance, when the wind was from the southeast, 



