THE BENGAL STORM WA VE. 47 



mineralogical and structural characters,- in which he divided them into 

 three classes: aerolites, siderolites and aerosiderites; the first containing- 

 little or no iron and the latter two comjDOsed largely of that mineral. The- 

 intensely magnetic power of meteorites was demonstrated conclusively by 

 the action of one described by Dr. Massena, of Brazil, in 1868. He says,, 

 "this aerolite so disturbed the magnetic instruments that the declinometer 

 turned its pole from the north to the west; the horizontal magnometer 

 turned toward the west eight divisions of the scale ; the vertical magnome- 

 ter fell in its center of gravity, and finally the compass oscillated fifteen de- 

 grees from east to west." 



Numerous analyses have been made of meteoric stones, most of which 

 demonstrate the existence of iron in large proportions, frequently as much 

 as 90 per cent., but as indicated in the classification of Mr. Greg, sometimes 

 very small quantities are present. In such meteorites the mass is found to 

 consist principally of silica and alkalies. Meteoric stones have been found 

 in various parts of the world, some of the largest of which were discovered 

 in Greenland by a scientific expedition from Sweden, in 1870, the largest 

 weighing about 25 tons and having a maximum sectional area of 42 square 

 feet; another weighed 21 tons, others 9 and 10 tons. Another colossal aero- 

 lite was brought from Charcas, in Mexico, which weighed 15J cwt., and was 

 of the shape of a truncated cone. Smaller ones weighing from a pound or 

 two up to 300 or 400 lbs., are of very common occurrence. 



THE BENGAL STORM WAVE. 



The disaster which befell the slumbering people of B.ickergunge, Noak- 

 hally and neighboring districts of Eastern Bengal on the night of the 31st 

 of October, 1876, was probably one of the most fearful and terrible in its 

 results that has ever visited any portion of the earth since the Noachian 

 deluge. Without warning, the waters of the Bay of Bengal were suddenly 

 driven upon the land in a singleoverwhelming wave, from ten to thirty feet 

 high, submerging several outlying inhabited islands, and sweeping inland 

 some five or six miles. The official statement in the Bombay Gazette gives 

 the details as follows: 



"An official minute by Sir E. Temple, respecting the effects of the cy- 

 clone and storm wave, says: 'I visited the islands of Sundeep, Hattia,. 

 Shahbuzpore, and the western coast of the river district of Backergunge. 

 In all the localities visited I took the number in each of the villages, and 

 had the precise mortality in each house ascertained in my prescence on the 

 spot, to prevent the possibilit}^ of deception. From authentic data thus 

 obtained, I was able to check the local estimates and measure the actual 

 mischief done. Messrs. Eeynolds, Beverly, Dr. Weir and the local officials 

 accompanied me. We apprehend that in an area of 3,000 square miles about 

 1,162,000 persons had been suddenly thrown more or less in danger, of 

 whom 215,000 must have perished. This is only an estimate. The exact 

 number is not known yet, and perhaps never will be. The storm-wave rose 



