april — june 1857.] Jetty over the Surf at Madras, 133 



shape, from the depth they penetrated the soil, which was of about common 

 hardness, those who have observed the power of projectiles in such cases, will be 

 able lo calculate, approximately, what that velocity was. 



Of the excitement among the Natives I suppose I need not speak. I visited 

 the place because of the rumours that were flying abroad, making it evident to 

 my mind that some thing peculiar had there transpired. First I saw the holes 

 from which, in the cultivated fields they had been freshly taken, no rain having 

 subsequently fallen, and saw at the bottom the hardly compressed, and exact 

 impression left by them as the)' were taken up, and then as soon as I saw the stones, 

 I knew instantly they were the identical ones which had been taken up from 

 those places. As I was more or less known in that region, and there is no 

 gentleman whatever any where near, the rural people, utterly ignorant of (he 

 cause, came in great numbers to state the facts and ask some explanation. Some 

 of them supposed they were gods that had fallen ; some that tliey lad been stiot 

 from cannon on ships at Tud'corin, and some that a Brahmin had brought them 

 from the sea by his Munterums. Some rejected all these theories, but no one 

 could tell or feel satisfied as to how these things could be. By simply striking 

 my staff through the air I could explain to them the noise; and by tying a 

 stone to a string and swinging it, I could make them understand the centrifugal 

 and centripetal forces, and how that from some disturbance in these forces, s'ones 

 moving about some centre, like the Moon about the Earth, might fall. The ex- 

 planations gave them relief. They put confidence in me, and gave me the 

 stones at my request, that I might save them from the trouble of any official 

 investigation, and put them into some Museum or Scientific Institution. 



P. S. — I forgot to say that there was nothing peculiar in the state of the 

 atmosphere. It was a clear day. When the stone is sent on to Madras, if any 

 scientific Gentleman makes an analysis of it, for the Museum, please be so good 

 at to ask a copy of it for me. 



Report upon Captain Taylor's proposed Jetty thrown over the Surf 

 at Madras. 



The undersigned*' 1 having met agreeably to Extract Minutes of 

 Consultation, July 24th, 18-56, have examined the Model of Captain 

 Taylor's proposed Jetty to be thrown over the surf at Madras, and 

 considered the subject as treated of in his Memorandum. The 

 Jetty would consist of a line of piles, or rather masts, planted in 

 the sandy bottom, but mainly dependent for their support upon 

 shrouds or stays secured to anchors on either side of the line. It 



* Fred. C. Cotton, Lieut. Colonel. 

 Chris. Biden, Master Attendant. 

 R. Kennedy, Assist. Civil Engineer. 



