1895.] 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



281 



more deafening report. The telegraph instrument emitted 

 a cloud of smoke, and also the stove and stove pipe. The 

 office was suffocatingly filled with smoke. In the kitchen 

 a large flour tin, a smaller box, and a small picture in the 

 vicinity of the lightning protector were hurled across the 

 room. Parts of the telegraph instrument, the plates of 

 the protectors, and in many places the wires were fused. 

 The casement which screws on and retains the bone button 

 of the electric bell in the visitors' room, was burst, and 

 with the button driven across the room. After the 

 barometer observation at 15 h , the observer having forgotten 

 the raingauge returned for it, and only then noticed smoke 

 and flame issuing from behind the wainscot between the 

 kitchen and the office doors. Messrs Miller and M c Dougall 

 and two visitors, on being summoned, were almost immedi- 

 ately on the scene to assist, and the fire was quickly over- 

 come. The damage by fire is very slight, but the telegraphic 

 plant is very seriously shattered. No instruments or 

 records were injured or destroyed. No person was hurt. 

 The aneroid recording barometer shows an upward kick. 

 The wind, from being N ly became S ly . St Elmo was 

 very strong, lasting till after 17 h . Both thunder and 

 lightning occurred after the flash. 



Report from Post Office Inspector on the Damage to Tele- 

 qraph Plant by Lightning, Ben Nevis Observatory 

 June 19, 1895. 



The lightning protector badly fused, plates showing 

 patch of fusion as large as a sixpence. 



All connecting wires within building rendered useless. 

 The majority so heated as to melt insulation off, and in 

 one or two cases the copper conductors were melted by 

 discharge. 



Instrument. — The coils of the " Neale's " sounder fused 

 and useless. The keys suffered worst, especially left pedal 

 or "tapper." Back contact (platinum), brass extension 

 holding same, and steel spring (platinum tipped) all fused 

 together. 



Pillar to which ZN leading wire from battery was 

 connected fused markedly at base, and front Pt contacts 

 of same (left) pedal consumed entirely. 



Traces of fusion on right pedal, but trifling. 



Line wire connected to left-hand terminal of coil fused 

 near terminal. 



Interior of instrument blackened, etc. 



Vacuum protector at Achintee, and Fort William P. O. 

 plate protector fused slightly. 



June 25. — It was noted to-day that one of the copper 

 fastenings of the conductor outside the tower had been 

 partly fused by the flash of 19 th iust. and the wood work 

 torn, also the solder on a joint of the kitchen chimney 

 outside. Solar halos seen. Thunder and lightning to far 

 West and W.S.W. about midnight. 



June 26. — Very frequent flashes of lightning seen to the 

 far W.S.W. and W. from midnight till 2.30 a.m. Earth 

 currents indicated on the telegraph instrument at 3 p.m., 

 also at and after 4.30 p.m. Thunder and lightning from 

 17 h to 18 h 10 m . Another earth current at 19 h 10 m . 



June 28. — St Elmo's Fire seen at 17 h . 



June 29.— Thunder at 15 h 47 m . Earth current at 

 16 h 22 m . Rainbow 16 h 45 m . 



TRANS. BOY. SOC. EDIN. — VOL. XLIII. 



June 30. — Glories at 6 a.m. Earth currents at 15 11 44 m 

 and 16 h 2 m . 



July 1. — Earth current at 16 h 45 m . 



July 2. — Earth currents and thunder from 12 h 50 m 

 and throughout afternoon until 16 h 19 m . Lightning also 

 and St Elmo's Fire. A flash emitted from the stove in 

 the office. At 15 h an observer who was out without a hat 

 felt a strong switch of St Elmo's Fire upon his head, slight 

 thunder immediately following. A glory seen. 



July 4. — Glories at and after 8 p.m., one with probably 

 five rings. 



July 5. — Solar corona at 21 h . 



July 11. — At 16 h snow covered the summit and lay- 

 about 2 inches deep at 20 h . 



July 13. — Glories were seen between 5 h and 6 b , several 

 four ringed ones, possibly one five ringed. 



July 20. — A solar corona reflected on the surface of 

 Loch Eil was seen. 



July 21. — St Elmo's Fire was felt strongly at 13 h and 

 14 h . Thunder was heard at 12 h 32 m . 



July 22. — The early morning was clear, but dense fog 

 lay below, concealing all or nearly all land from view. 

 Glories were seen at 5 h . 



July 23.- — The summit cleared at 20 h , but detached 

 portions of fog lay upon the hills in all directions, 

 especially to the N.E., and only very slightly to the 

 S., where only a few portions were to be seen on the most 

 distant hills. There was frost on the roof after 11 p.m. 



July 24. — The summit was clear except in the 

 afternoon. In the morning there was some fog in the 

 valleys to the N. and at Loch Lochy. In the evening 

 fog rested chiefly on Aonach More and Aonach Beg. 



July 27. — A common field vole (Microtus agrestis) 

 was seen to-day in the vicinity of the Observatory. 



July 28. — The vole was again seen to-day. Also five 

 buntings together, some of which appeared to be young 

 birds. After 6 h fog and mist again enveloped the 

 summit, the early hours of the day having been more 

 or less clear, although there was broken fog all round 

 below. 



July 29. — In the early morning as many as 10 or 

 12 snow-buntings, some of which were fledglings, were 

 seen close to the building. After 6 h fog and mist again 

 enveloped the summit. Glories were seen at 6 h , and a 

 reflected solar corona from the surface of Loch Linnhe 

 at 20 h . 



Aug. 5. — Until 20 h the top was clear almost all day. 

 There was a thin fog all round below intermingled with 

 thicker fog in the valleys ; this lay chiefly over the near 

 end of Loch Eil and the Canal till 4 a.m., then it became 

 more generally distributed in the valleys and also 

 gathered among the hills. 



Aug. 6.— Thunder was heard at 15 h 55 m , 16 h 7 m , and 

 possibly at 16 h 40 m . There were earth currents on the 

 local telephone wire running between the Observatory and 

 the hotel. 



Aug. 7. — A lunar corona was seen at 21 h 50 m . 



Aug. 8. — A glory was seen at 5 h , and a fine lunar 

 corona between 23 h and midnight. 



Aug. 9. — Some slight fog rested on the Glen Coe 

 Hills, and towards Loch Laggan in the early morning. 

 At 4 h more fog gathered in the valleys towards the N.E. 

 and N, and at 6 h the fog became more generally 



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