44 THE CLIMATOLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, maintained that 

 there must have been an excessive amount of vapor in the 

 higher atmosphere caiised by unusual meteorological con- 

 ditions. The "New York Herald" also strongly supported 

 this theory, while other leading astronomers claimed that 

 the cause was to be found in the volcanic dust thrown up 

 by the great eruption in the Island of Java. This theory 

 has perhaps been more generally received than any other. 

 Mr. Norman Lockyer, Professor Ball of Dublin and Mr. 

 Raynard being among its supporters. Professor Loomis 

 was not inclined to endorse either of these theories. It 

 has also been claimed by several scientists of high stand- 

 ing, that the earth passed into a stream of meteoric dust 

 about the time of the beginning of these displays, and 

 others have sought the cause in the attenuated matter of 

 a comet's tail in the atmosphere. The theory of volcanic 

 dust from Java has, however, as above stated, been the 

 one most universally accepted, and yet that seems scarcely 

 adequate to explain the matter fully, for the eruption 

 took place August 27, and three days later these after- 

 glows were seen in Brazil, over nine thousand miles from 

 the disturbance, and if the wind had borne the dust 

 thither it must have travelled at a great speed ; and, fur- 

 thermore, it must have travelled rapidly in various direc- 

 tions to have produced such results in Asia, Europe and 

 North America as well, and there have been reports of 

 such appearances before the earthquake. And, again, if 

 the Upper atmosphere had become so permeated with for- 

 eign matter, it seems very stränge that the efFects should 

 not have been noticed every day. As it was, several 

 days often passed without the display, followed by one or 

 a number of successive brilliant afterglows, which at 

 times assumed the motions of the northern lights, stream- 

 ers of red darting upwards, and then retreating in a man- 



