46 
H. G. FORDHAM-THE METEORITE 
[At] 8 o’clock, or thereabouts, I was surprised at suddenly 
hearing what I at first thought was the noise of a traction-engine 
passing down the road in the direction of Welwyn; hut as the 
sound so quickly passed, I concluded it was the noise of a heavily- 
laden goods’ van driven rapidly by. I went to the window and 
looked in the direction of the passing sound, but, to my surprise, 
could see nothing. The direction which the sound appeared to 
take was N. or N.N.W., and its duration [was] something less than 
half a minute.— E. Roberts, National School, Welwyn. [The school 
is on a hill on the S. outskirts of Welwyn.] 
Digswell. —I was by the side of the river here in the garden at 
8 o’clock, or thereabouts, when I heard a noise at the S. end of the 
viaduct of the G. N. Railway. It was so violent that I feared 
that part of it was falling. This occurred twice in a few minutes, 
the first [sound] being the most terrific. I then repaired to the 
stable, [and said to] my man: “Did you hear a noise a few 
minutes ago?” He said: “Yes, [it] pretty well made these slates 
chatter.” On going into the house, I inquired of my wife, and 
she said the window-frames chattered. There are others here who 
heard it also. 
The noise I heard was nearly due W. of me, slightly S. My 
opinion is the explosion was high up in the air, and not so very 
far distant, making such a clatter or echo as it did in the south 
end of the viaduct here.— Ralph E. Iredale, Digswell Mill, Welwyn. 
[Welwyn Viaduct is a brick structure, running due N. and S. 
across the Mimram Valley. Digswell Mill lies in the valley on 
the E. side of, and close to, the viaduct. The S. end of the 
viaduct would he about W.S.W. from the garden referred to.] 
Harpexeex. —A milkman heard the explosion, or, as he says, 
“ explosions ” (more than one). He thought there were some guns 
being fired.— A. E. Gibbs, [E.L.S.,] St. Albans. 
Wheathampstead. —A few minutes after 8 o’clock I heard a 
strange and unusual noise, like a clap of thunder when some tree 
or building happens to be struck by the electric fluid; so striking 
was it, that it alarmed two of my servants. It came from the E. 
and passed on to the W. towards No-Man’s Land Common, and 
shook the house at my farm at No-Max’s Laxd, and greatly alarmed 
the inmates. It appears to have had great force at this point.— 
C. N. Lattimore, Wheathampstead Place. [No-Man’s Land is 1 mile 
S. of Wheathampstead.] 
Aldbury. —The shock was distinctly felt at Aldbury, 3 miles 
N.E. of Tring. Mr. Grange’s shepherd boy was so startled that he 
bolted home, and the sheep were equally startled, though they did not 
resort to a stampede.—* M. Jf.,’ p. 166. 
Hatfield. —A man from Hatfield told me he thought there must 
have been an explosion in London that morning, for soon after 
8 o’clock he heard a “ great rattling noise.”— \_Mrs.~] E. S. Buttan- 
shaw, Edworth Rectory, Biggleswade. [London is about S.S.E. from 
Hatfield.] 
Colonel Daniell, Chief Constable of Herts, informs me that the 
