THE GREAT METEOR OF MAY 772, 1895. 499 
Mr. H. C. Russell, F.x.s., for his kindness in supplying nearly 
two-thirds of the data to me, more especially for the year 1894, 
for by his kind assistance in that’ direction I have been enabled 
to bring the subject matter up to date, and thus render it more 
interesting, and I hope useful. 
THE GREAT METEOR OF MAY 71, 1895. 
By H. C. Russetu, B.A., C.M.G. F.R.S. 
[Read before the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, July 3, 1895.] 
From time to time we get reports of earthquakes on the western 
plains, and various circumstances connected with them convinced 
me that they, or at least some of them, result from meteoric 
explosions, and I have at last obtained what seems to me to be 
clear and definite proof that what was accepted by a large number 
of persons as an earthquake, was simply a vibration in the earth, 
caused by a terrific explosion overhead. Some of the observers, 
indeed describe it as like the explosion of a magazine. Sturt was 
ence startled at 3 o’clock in the day (Feb. 7, 1829) when on the 
Parling, by a great explosion “like the discharge of a heavy 
iri of ordnance five or six miles away,” and in the early days, 
1789 (17 Jan.), all Sydney was agitated by what was supposed to 
be the explosion of a gun outside the heads, and everyone who 
could get a horse or a gig went off to South Head with all speed, 
to see the ship, 
looked for. 
but no ship was in sight, anxiously as she was 
| The source of the great explosion this year was fortunately 
— ny a great number of persons under conditions which 
ary point to the explosion of a meteor as the cause of the 
oe and the earthquake. The first intimation I received of it 
Bones telegran from Mr. Thomas Cadell, who happened to be at 
