142 
NAT ORE 
[ Dec. 7, 1882 
During the earlier part of the evening all the visible northern 
hemisphere was covered by it, but later, about midnight, ail the 
visible heavens, to within 20° of the southern horizon, was 
covered by straight streamers extending from all points «f the 
horizon to the zenith, where they formed a boreal crown of 
blood-red colour. The streamers were pulsating towards the 
zenith, making the sight a peculiarly magnificent one. Early in 
the evening the arc to the north was about 10° in elevation, and 
then gradually raised, showing the rich folds bordered by a dark 
fringe of a magnificent waving curtain, until it reached nearly to 
the altitude of Polaris. The southern boundary, also bordered 
on the south by the dark band, seemed to be nearly at rizht 
angles to the circle of the northern are. Monday evening, the 
2oth, all manifestation was confined to the south. Ina point in 
the south-east, near where Foucalhaut then was, rays shot north- 
ward past the zenith, but instead of converging, the rays diverged 
like the fingers of one’s hand. ‘The herizon, too, im the scuth, 
seemed much lighter than in any other direction. Though 
moonlight, the rays could be plainly seen to within 5° of the 
moon. It may be remarked that of the spots on the sun during 
this period of disturbance, one has been visible to the naked eye. 
L. G. CARPENTER 
Agricultural College, Michigan, Lansing, Mich, U.S.A. 
November 21 
The electrical storm seems to have been as violent in America 
as it was in Europe, as will be seen from Prof. G. L. Car- 
penter’s letter above. The American papers of November 15 
contain long accounts of the phenomenon. The New York 
Times says :-— 
“* Vesterday’s storm was accompanied by a more serious elec- 
trical disturbance than has heen known for years. It very seri- 
ously affected the workings of the telegraph lines both on the 
land and in the sea, and for three hours—from 9g a.m. until noon 
—telegraph business east of the Mississippi and north of Wash- 
ington was at a stand-:till, An aurora borealis was the first 
ev dence of the overcharging of the atmosphere with electric 
fluid. This appeared at about five o’clock yesterday morning, 
and was brilliant in the extreme. At the same hour trouble 
began to be experienced in the action of the telegraph wires. 
The circuits were broken, and the usual annoyances accompany- 
ing such disturbances were manifested. ‘These increased in 
intensity until nine o'clock, at which hour it became impossible 
to transmit messages over the wires having an earth cireuit—that 
is, where the ends of the line were grounded. Such lines as 
had a metallic circuit worked all right throughout the day, how- 
ever, and so some little business was transacted over isolated 
lines. The disturbance continued until 1°50 p.m., when the elec- 
tric storm seemed to haveceased, During the electric storm Mr. 
Brown, the chief operator, stated it was impossible to work ihe 
cables at all, except by cutting off the ground wires and making 
a metallic circuit by connecting the land ends of two cables. 
This was done, but even then the cables worked ina very un- 
satisfactory manner From all the central offices complaints 
came to the general office of the failure of the lines to 
work. People who attempted to use the telephones heard 
a buzzing, ringing noise, rather than any well-defined 
sound while attempting communication, and occasional words 
only could be distinguished, A singular fact in connection with 
the storm was that the wires of the Law Telephone Company 
did not seem to beaffected. Engineer Shaw stated that they had 
had no more trouble during the day than usual, and attributed 
this to the fact their lines are all short ones, and therefore less 
liable to be affected than the longer lines, ‘Their wires are 
ground circuits, and their freedom from annoyance is a mystery 
that he can solve in no other way than the one suggested. 
From Chicago, under date November 17, the following details 
of the disturbance were sent to the Mew York Times :—“‘ Officers 
of the Western Union Telegraph Company there say the elec- 
trical disturbance was the most pronounced and wide-spread 
experienced for years, if indeed it has been paralleled at any 
time. An electric storm of the greatest violence raged in all the 
territory from. New York to points beyond Omaha, and from 
Kansas City north to the terminus of telegraphic communica- 
tion, practically putting a stop to the telegraphic service over the 
entire area, It first began to be felt about 4 o’clock this morning 
and increased in intensity till 9.45, when communication from 
every direction was cut off. This electric storm seemed to go in 
successive negative and positive waves, alternately neutralising 
the currents on the wires or increasing their intensity to such a 
degree as to burn everything up. The switch-hoard here was on 
fire a dozen times during the forenoon, and half a dozen keys of 
the instruments were melted by the current which continued to 
pass through. Thescrews burned up and the points parted to 
their furthest limits. The duplex and quadruplex wires were 
rendered entirely useless, and at noon only a single wire out of 
fifteen between this city and New york was in operation, and it 
was frequently interrupted. Word was received from Mil- 
waukee that the atmospheric electricity coming in on one of its 
wires from the country had such dynamic power as to keep an 
electric lamp burning.” 
Somewhat similar observations were made at Washington. On 
the Chicago and Cincinnati cireuits it was found impossible to 
work the quadruplex instruments, and they were taken out. The 
chief operator said that the magnetic interference was greatest 
on the east and west lines. The officer in charge at the office 
of the Signal Service, said that great trouble had been expe- 
rienced in collecting the weather reports on account of the 
general demoralisation of telegraphic circuits. 
Similar reports were sent from Cleveland, Indianopolis, 
Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Nashyille, Bangor, Toronto, and other 
places. At Cleveland the disturbance was first observed at 4 cr 
5 o'clock in the morning, From Milwaukee it was reported 
that “‘Strong currents of electricity pervaded the atmosphere 
and actually suspended all telegraphic communication from 9 
o'clock in the moriing until afternoon. An electric lamp 
attached to a St. Paul wire produced a brilliant illumination 
without the use of a battery. Business on ’Change was virtually 
suspended on account of the lack of telegraphic facilities. At 
2 p.m. all the telegraph offices resumed work.” 
The Detroit Evening News states that ‘telephone communi- 
cation all over the country was greatly improved, the pronuncia- 
tion being distinct and much Ieuder than usual, which fact may 
suggest to electricians an improvement in telephonic comimuni- 
cation, Another unusual thing was that the electrical storm 
prevailed during a cl udy sky and murky atmosphere ; hercto- 
fore such storms have occurred during a clear atmosphere. 
With the approach of night and the clearing away of the clouds 
came a inost beautiful spectacle of the electrical agitation of the 
atmosphere. A wore magnificent display of aurora borealis 
was never seen. It became slightly visible just at dusk, and 
increased in brilliancy and variety of form, movement, and 
colour, until midnight, when the whole vast heavens was one 
grand canopy of dancing flames of every conceivable hue and 
shape moving in all directions.” 
At Omaha the aurora was very brilliant, the illumination 
rendering the night almost as bright as day. At St. Paul the 
sky was of blood red colour, the display being grand and fearful. 
Cheyenne reports the illumination at that point as bright as day. 
At Denver the display in the northern heavens was most brilliant 
and ¢azzling. In California the aurora was visible from the 
northern part of the State as far south as San Diego, and was 
most brilliant. At Olympia, Washington Territory, the aurora 
was magnificent, the heavens north and east being brilliantly 
illuminated. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
Lonpon.—At a meeting of the Council of University College 
on Saturday last: 1. Mr, H. F. Morley was authovised to give 
a course of advanced lectures on Organic Chemistry. 2. It was 
resolved to invie Mr. T. W. Rhys Davids to accept the Pro- 
fessorship of Pali and Buddhist Literature, once held by the late 
Prof. R. C. Childers. 3. It was resolved to ask Mr. R. H. 
Gunion to take the office of Lecturer on Sanskrit. 4. The 
resignation of the Chair of Physiology by Prof. Burdon Sander- 
son was accepted. 
MANCHESTER.—A public meeting was held last week to 
inaugurate a movement for the extension of Owens College by 
the addition of a museum, which is expected to cost between 
50,0007, and 60,0007. It was stated that there were a few 
thousand pounds in hand available for the purpose, and it was 
resolved to ask the public for 50,000/, to erect and equip the 
museum. Fourteen subscriptions of roco/. each and a number 
of others ranging from 1oo/. to 500/. each were announced in 
the room. Lord Derby, the Duke of Devonshire, Mr. Hugh 
Mason, M.P., and Mr. Grafton, M.P., each offered 1ooo/. 
