AS A VEHICLE OE SOUND. 
217 
buoy. This I know to be connect, as I have this morning recovered the buoy, and the 
distances both in and out agree with Troughton’s statement. I have also been to the 
Yarne light-ship (12f miles from the Foreland), and ascertained that during the fog of 
Saturday forenoon they ‘ distinctly’ heard the sounds.” 
Mr. Edwards, who was constantly at my side during our summer and autumn obser- 
vations, and who is thoroughly competent to form a comparative estimate of the strength 
of the sounds, informed the Deputy Master that the sounds were extraordinarily loud, 
both Capt. Atkins and himself being awoke by them. He does not remember ever 
before hearing the sounds so loud in Dover ; it seemed as though the observers were 
close to the instruments. 
I here append Capt. Atkins’s account of the observations made at the South Foreland 
during three days of fog culminating in the dense fog just referred to. 
“ Arrangements had been made for the ‘ Argus ’ remaining at Dover to wait for foggy 
weather, during which the instruments at the South Foreland might be tried. 
“ On Thursday, February 5, Mr. Troughton, the master of the ‘ Argus,’ reports that 
at 9 a.m. a dense fog-bank hung over the land, but that to seaward the atmosphere was 
clear. As the ‘ Argus ’ proceeded out to get on the S.S.W. line, the syren and horn were 
heard continually, the sounds being clear and distinct ; but the noise of the paddles stifled 
the whistle-sound, which had been previously heard at Dover Pier while the vessel was 
still. 
“ At 9.52 reached the N.E. Yarne buoy, 7f miles S.S.W. of the South Foreland and 
in the axis of the syren and horn. At this distance the syren- and horn-sounds were 
audible, although not strong ; but as the tide carried the vessel towards the Yarne light- 
ship the sounds diminished, and at 1| mile S.W. by W. of the buoy all sounds were 
lost. This was 9 miles from the station. 
“Proceeded on to the Yarne light-ship, 12f miles, the master of which vessel reports 
‘ horns feeble in the N.E.’ from 8.5 until 10.15 a.m. At 10.30 the ‘Argus ’ proceeded 
N.E. by E., and at 3 miles from the light-ship ( i . e. 9f miles from South Foreland) picked 
up the sounds of syren and horn with paddles going, and carried them into the Yarne 
buoy, where at 11.8 the fog had cleared and the instruments ceased sounding. 
“On this morning the fog was quite local and did not extend to sea; it hung about 
the land, but the sea horizon was clear and well defined. 
“ On Friday, February 6, Mr. Troughton reports that at 8.25 a.m. there was a dense 
fog inshore, but that it was clear to seaward, although, as the morning advanced, there 
seemed to be drifting patches of fog and alternate spaces of thick and clear atmosphere. 
The sea was calm. 
“At 8.25, by Dover Pier, the horn and syren were plainly heard, but the whistle was 
inaudible. At 9 a.m. proceeded from pier to N.E. Varne buoy, and carried the sound 
of the syren only out to the buoy ; but the sound was not useful. Stopped at the buoy, 
7f miles, and heard feeble but distinct sounds from both syren and horn, the whistle 
being inaudible. Drifted with tide half a mile S.W. of the buoy, and there lost all 
MDCCCLXXIV. 2 F 
