The Great Dust-Fall of Febru - Iry 1903, and Its Origin PDF

MILL AND LEAIPFEK'I'---GREAT DUST-FAIAL O F FEI3RUAHY 1903 57
THE GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRU.IRY 1903,

AND ITS ORIGIN.
BY HUGH ROBERl' MILT,, I).Sc., AND R. U. I<. I,E.\IPFISRT, JI..\.
[ R e d Noveriibcr 18, 190:3.]
REMARKABLE falls of dust from the atmosphere were observed in various

parts of Europe in the spring of the three consecutive years 1901,
1902, 1903, and havc formcd the subject of investigation in several
countries. The great diist-t;tll of March 1901 was discussed in det;ril
by Professors Hellmnnn and Neiniirdiis ; the f;ill of .January 1903, which
was less widespread in its distribution, was tlescribcd by oiic of us
before this Society; arid the third, which occiirrcd in Febriinry 1903, h:is
been the occpsioii of several papers in ditfercnt coiintrics. Of tlicsc, the
most comprehensive, which appeared ;kftcr the greater piirt of oiir work
had been clone, is by Dr. E. Hurrmirriii of Hitiiihiirg, ant1 is piiblishecl in
thc .4nnalerr drr IIyilroyapkie for October and Novenil)cr 1903. \Ire have
approached the subject from a point of view which ditfers in sonic rcspects
from that of Dr. Herrimmti, and li:ivc conceriietl oursclves miiinly with
the problem of the relirtion between the fall of dust and tho 1:irgcr
motions of the atmosphere.
The distributiou of the dust in tho Eritish Isles has been :kscertained
with ii fair degree of coniplctcness Iiy tlie co-operation of tlie RIoteoro-
logical Ofice, the 1toy:il Mcteorological Society, the British Rainfall
Organis;ttion, aiid a Iiirgc number of other o1)scrvers in all parts of the
country. The lcttcrs ;tntl rcferences in newspapcrs which have been
utilised for this piirposc iiiimber niore than 400. A list of places at which
dust was noticed in the Eritish Isles will lie foiin(1 in the .ipl)cndix (p. 79).
The places where the phcnornenon occurred on Febriiclry 21 or 22 are
shown upon the map, Fig. 1, of the British Isles by means of dots; and
in order to make the distribution alipeal more directly to the eyc, the
whole of the lam1 surface over the southern h d f of England and Wales
withiii 10 miles of ii point whcre the dust-fall was observed is shaded
(Fig. 1). It thus appears plain that the dust fell over nearly all piirts of
England and U'ales to the soiitli of a liiic dr;iwn froiii Aiiglcsey throiigh
\Vrexhani and Northampton to Ipswich. While dust IVRS prob:tbly prc-
cipitated in some degree Over the whole area wbich is shaded i i i Fig. 1, the
difficulty of detecting a light-coloured fort4gn dust in the constant fall of
locally produced soot accounts for the absence of reports from large towns.
The intensity of the fall undoubtedly varied much from place to place,
and the number of definite statements mode by experienced observers
who looked carefully for the dust convinces 11s that there was no
perceptible fall in the areas in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Wiltshire
left white in Fig. 1. The area over which dust fell comparatively thickly
in England and Wales was certainly not less than '30,000 square miles, or
ten times greater than in 1902. Although there are no data available for
an accurate estimate of the amount of air-borne dust which fell, the
total quantity of deposit in England is not likely to have been less than
10,000,000 tons.
68 MILL AND LEMPYERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1003
For particulars as to the Continental falls we are indel)ted to the
hIeteorologicn1 Institutes of Belgium, Holland, and Gerniany, to Captiiin
Chaves of the Azores, as well as to private correspondents and press
notices. The distribution of the deposit over Europe is shown in Fig. 4.
A detailed list of the places in which the phenomenon was olmrved will
Fro. 1.
be found in Dr. Herrmann’s paper ; as his information is, in the main,

derived from the same sources as our own, we have not thought it
necessary to give all the details hi extenso.
The dust usually attracted attention either in the forni of a dense
yellow haze like a London fog or as a reddish-yellow powder lying
thickly on trees or roofs. In some instances it fell as a dry powder, in
others it was noticed in the form of drops of muddy rain; again in
others the circumstance which striick the observer was the soapy appenr-
ance of t h e rater in n rain gauge, a water-butt, or, in one case at least,
in a leet carrying the water-supply of a town. The fall was often accom
MILL AND LEMPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 59
parried by temperatures considerably above the average, and by remark-

ably low relative humidities ; at Uccle near Brussels, for example, with a
dry-bulb temperature of 58" the relative humidity was only 32 per cent
of satiiration.
From the list in the Appendix it appears that the 22nd was the date
on which the dust-fall was most widely observed, although it was un-
FIG.2.
doubtedly experienced in several places on the 21st. The reports of

dust on or before the 20th are few in number, and may perhaps be
explained by errors in date consequent on the observer writing from
memory after the lapse of some days. In the case of dates after the 22nd
it seems not unlikely that some of the dust remained in the air and settled
down gradually, but there appears to be reason for supposing that a
distinct renewal of the fall, though on a much smaller scale, occurred
between the 25th and 27th. On the Continent copious dust-falls occurred
in Belgium, Holland, and Western Germany during the afternoon and
60 MILL AND LEMPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1003
evening of the 2 lst, and continued at intervals during the 22nd and 23rd.
In Austria and the greater part of Germany the main fall occurred on the
22nd and 23rd, though in a few instances we find the 21st mentioned.
b i n f a l l maps were prepared for February 2 1st and 22nd, and it will be
noticed from Fig. 2 that no measurable rain fell in the south-east of England
from 9 a.m. on the 2lst to 9 a.m. on the 22114 and less than * l oin. fell in
Fro. 3.
the south-west. This riiinfall day was charncterised by high temperatiire

and low humidity, and it was during it that the falls of dry dust were
observed, tho high winds serving to mix the air-borne dust as it fell
with grosser particles from neighbouring sands, fields, or roads. Fig. 3
shows the distribution of rainfall for the day from 9 a.m. on the
22nd to 9 a.m. on the 23rd. It shows that the Eastern counties, part
of the Midlands, and the Cheshire plain had less than -10in. of rain,
while the greater part of the west of England had more than e2.5 in.
This was the rain which was so largely discoloured with the dust washed
out of the air as it fell.
While the list of observations summarises the facts as to the dis-

tribution and general character of the dust-fall, the description of the
appearances as they struck observers who were not specially on the
watch for unusual meteorological phenomena can best be given in their
own words. The general phenomena were similar in all parts of the
country, b u t the amounts of dust that fell varied considerably; ancl in soiiie
places it fell dry, in some only mixed with rain. It has been necessary
to select a few of the hundreds of descriptions as representative of the
whole, and these are quoted below. It is clear from the notes of
observers that the fall was not only much more widespread, but also
much more intense than that of January 1902 :-
FINDON, near WORTEING.-- Just a h i e respecting the fall of the dust on
February 23. I see by the Morning Post on Monday last you wish some one
to give you some account that saw it. We having several yards zinc sheeting
lying on the ground nearly flat to run rain water to a taiik, the zinc sheeting
W B ~almost covered with the dust that niust have come down from above. m'e
are on the top of tlie Sussex Downs, nothing but green turf, no means of
getting any dust unless it came from the sky ; and also all tlie windows of the
house were covered with the dust, so remarkable to note. I, George Colemaii,
sender of this, my sixtieth birthday was on the 22nd, the day before I saw the
dust, and that is how I so well remember. The colour of the dust was similar
to brick-dust. I hope this will be useful to you to make a true statement, as
it is a true fact, so I think this is all I can assist you.-G. COLEMAN.
HEVER, EDENBRIDQE.-Satuday, February 2 1, WBB a dull, thick, stormy
day, stroiig S.W. wind ; most people thought the air was full of driving mist
and took no notice 01 it. On going out at 10 a.m. I noticed tliat the nir was
particularly dry. Some painters were a t work on a greenhouse close by, and
on going up to them I found there WBB no dampness on the woodwork or glass.
1 then noticed that a fir pluntation was quite discoloured on the windward side,
and all the shrubs in the garden likewise. It waa of a buff or light brown
colour. Although this dust-storm was not nearly 80 severe as an ordinary one
in Egypt in March, still one was reminded of the lutter, nnd i t is rather a
curious fact that out of mnny iieighboura I have spoken to about it, none
noticed i t except one family, four niiles from here, who had lived in Tangiers,
etc., n good deal, and who recognised i t also as a dust-storm. The dry wind,
full of dust, went on all the iiiorning ; in the afternoon it turned to rain, when
the trees irnd shrubs showed signs of muddy rain, and our windows were badly
tliscoloured. Directly I noticed i t I said, “1 am sure that dust comes from
North Africn,” much to the surprise, not to say unbelief, of my friends.-
a1owunaY V. CUARRINGTON, Xarch 2.
J U X X P E R HILL, RElQrTE.-Height, 708.4 feet above the sea, facing south.
Satiirilay, February 21. Wind, 9 to 11 am., W.S.W. to S.S.W., increased in
Beverity till sundown, when it shifted back to \V. and fell later. Rain a t
9 p.m. From 9 n.111. till 2 p.m. the sun wu shining brightly through D hare
similar to the khirinsin hare in Egypt, then the Run was obscured. The sky
cIeared of mist about 4 pni. Evergreen trees covered with chocolnte-coloured
dust were noticed first at 11 a.m. By 4 p.m. the trees were all of uniform
colour. The dust was silky to the touch and slightly iridescent ; none wns
an;rlysecl. The dust must have fallen between sunrise and 4 p n i . No rain
fell till 9 p.m.-EDwlN FRESRFIELD.
GUILDFORLL-T~~dust-storni W a s most noticeuble in this neiglibourhood 011
the morning of Suturday, Februnry 21. I was riding through Woking
village, wheii I noticed a yellow fog-like cloud apparently passing over blerrow
DOwiis, and I pointed the same out to my 8011 who was riding with me. On
turning iuto a certain private road, off the London Road, which is edged with
conifers, every tree looked as if it had been brushed upwards with a damp pnint
brush covered with fine mud, and I -remarked to my son that the wind iiiust
have been very powerful t o huve brought, as I thought, the Innil surface on to
the trees, ns in August. But on getting into Clandon Park I found all the elm-
trees as well as the conifers, covered exactly in the same way on the west side,
where thcre w i ~ sneither road nor field to give the dust, nnd on reaching home
1 fouiid my yew hedges similarly treated. On putting some of the leaves under
the microscope I found them as it were painted with the minutest dust, which
was neither red nor grey, but the colour of conimon fuller’s enrth.-ARTAon
H. BOWLES,March 9.
WITLEY,GoDaLbiI;uo.-On Saturday last we had such a remarkable dust-
storm, worst about mid-day, thnt I think you will like to have it reported.
The wind was very high at 7 am. and continued so all day. There was also a
great fog,” which is unusual with D high wind,though we do sometimes get I‘ sea-
fret ” with a Southerly, South-easterly, or South-westerly wind, inore especially
the first. Several people who went out of doore complained of the dreatlfd dust
in their eyes and nostrils, nnd on interrogating our gardener, who has lived liere
for over 30 years, I learned that the supposed fog was not damp, but dry, very
fine dust, and he had never seen anything like it before. I t certainly was very
unusual to see the heavy clouds passing quickly over the sun as its beams
struggled to get through, and yet to see the dense atmosphere nnd a strong wind
NILL AND LEMPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEI3RUARY 1903 83
blowing too. This morning, after the rain of last night, I saw on the window
sills, sonth and west, yellow dust, but it was like cement and could not be swept
up. I therefore Itad it washed off two window sills, south and west, and from
two southeast windows, and 1 send you the water, though I fear tlie dust was SO
fine that much of it was retained i n the soft cloth we used, which waa left yellow.
I tasted the water froni tho window I washed ; it was not salt. Saturday was a
very wartti day.-JoLIANA FOSTER, Februa?y 23.
EXFIELD.-on Saturday, February 21, the air was very hazy as if full of
dust, and I fouiid that during that day, and, I believe, the following night (21-
22) a eoiisidrrable aniount of dust fell, so as to turn a newly cinderell pathway
from i~lackto red-brown. I t also was quite app:irctit on leaves of phnts. l v e
have liad no muddy rain. There wiis considel.:hle wind on butli 21st and
22nd ult-A. WALKER, Major-Geneid, dfurch 2.
HAVEIWQ GRANGE,RoliFonD.-on Saturday, February 21, a great aniount
of grey dust fell at Havering, and owing to the previous sliowers adhered to tlie
branches antl stems of the trees, hedges, hiildiiigs, etc. 'l'lie coniters collected
most and looked as if they were powdered with four. The dust did not tall
with tlie rain, but before it. It all came from the west and south-west, aiid
adhered to that side of the trees, etc., only. This was my g a r h e r ' s accuuiit,
and lie calleil attention to it when I rt!turnrtl home on Motiday. Some of i t
was still visible on the witidow-boxes, but there was none in the rain-gauge.
My gardener is a trained oliserver, aiid attetde to the rain-guigc antl suiisliine
recorder when I ani away. This grey dust wits observed I Jiiiany ~ of my friends
all over Esscx, antl especially oil the grass at tlict golf grounds at R o t i i h d . I
myself WBS at Penzance, and could not help olscrvitig the dark attilosphere in
the iiii)rniii~at breakfast and after. At the tiiiie there was 110 rain, but the
trtinospltere hail the appeaxmce of a Loiitlnn fox blowing over high lip, iiiicl I
remarked to lily relatives with wliotti I W M staying t l ~ onet did not cottie nll
that WAY for a Lotidon fog-G. P. HOPE,Ilfrtrch 3.
Ii~s:wicH.-On Sulldily iiiorning, February 22, at as nearly ;is possible 10.35,
a few very large drops of rain fell here, antl iiiy daughter and I h t l i noticed
that they looked red on the pavement. We thought no ninre of it till we reatl
the letters on Tuesday morning ; and as tlie drops liad not beeii sutficient nor
lasted long enough for me to trouble to raise tiiy umbrella, I thouglit I might
find traces of the red on niy bonnet, and so it proved, for some eiirbroidered
chiffon on the bonnet was quite fringed with red rust colonr. I could not dis-
cover of what sihtance, as it had catiglit oiily in the flowsilk of tlie enibroidery,
and I could not even brush it out. Had the rain anioiuited to a shower no doubt
many people would have noticed it, but there were oiily a few drops, lasting not
more than a minute or tWO.-cOXSTANCE WILLIMOTT, hfarch 2.
HIQHFIELDVICAHAOE,SOU1.HAJIPTON.-LBSt Sunihy week, February 22,
between 11 and 12 o'clock, the sky was conipletely covered with a thick yellow
cloud, exactly like a London fog, too thick for sitfficient light to penetrate to
read by. The darkness lasted about an hour. When it had passed, the windows,
which had, I suppose, been damp, were covered with yellow ertnd, looking as i f
gravel had been splashed up against them by heavy rain. North, east, and
south were equally covered, and we had to clean all round the house on Monday.
This is a high house, and the upper stories were as dirty as the lower ones.
When I went into the garden I was surprised to find the seats and the backs of
the garden chairs covered with D layer of yellow sand, which adhered to the
wood wherever it waa damp ; the rest had been blown away. I n the cottages
near 11s the rain-water butts were covered with a thick layer of sand, which
floated on the top of the water.-IsABELLA D. E. SILVER, fifurch 2.
BLABDFORD, DORSET.-we had the dust here to a remarkable degree. On
rising on the morning of February 2 1, niy servants, and later, ~nyselfand sons,
64 MILL AND LEhlt’FERT-UREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903
saw our windows to tlie south-eaet of my house a mnss of reddish rain-drops
and grey sand. I t wns like looking out on a London fog. All the window
had more or less of this, to rue, unaccountable dust, but tho north-west one the
elas‘.t CBOFTON, March 17.
SCORRIER, ConxwrLL.-Another dust-fall occurred here yesterday,Sunday 2 2,
similar to thiit of January 29, 1902, only yesterday’s fall was, I fancy, heavier,
and the dust of a redder colour. The weather conditions were the same RS
during the previous fall, vir. a very strong South-west wind accompanied by
driving wet drizzle. My attention, as before, was attracted to the fall by the state
of my frnnie lights. On this occnsion, too, it was very noticeable on the large
square elute slabs forminq the flooring of my kennels. The contents of a large
tub supplied with water froin the roof of n greenhouse turned a dirty grey colour.
I took up a bottlefill of this yesterday afternoon during the tall, and am sending
it to you. The sediment may settle and afford you opportunity for aidysis.
During the evening the wind shifted to North-west with hail showers, and these
I found in the niorning had washed the dust on the kennel flooring into potches,
so that I was able to take up some on a knife.-E. H. WILLIAMS,February 23.
MENAENIOT VICARAGE, LIYKEARD.-On Sunday morning, Fclruary 22, a t
8.30 a.m., a thick orange coloored fog came on. It WLS very different to our
country white fogs, one of which succeeded it. Wlieii the colonretl fog cleared
away the sills of the windows, garden seats, etc., were covered with a red deposit.
This WIIE niore noticeable in water-tanks, where the water looked quite red. A t
Merrymeet, 3 niiles froin here, I W I L ~ told I)y a gentleman that the aniinals
refused to drink the water. Last year, on Wednesday, February 26,’ 1902, the
saine red deposit came down in lieavy rain daring a funeral here, aiid stained
the open books and white surplices of the choir. I should meution that rain
fell diiring the colourcd fog, and both this year and lust a high wind was
Llowing.-F. J. HAMYOND, hlurch 4.
WHITEMEAD ARK, COl.EFORD.-on Sandeg, FeLrniiry 22, very heavy rain
fell over tlie wliole of this part of aloucestershire and Moninouthshire, and on
blolidrry the 23rd I was one of a committee of tlie Lydney Bench of Magistrates
to inslject, unionyst other things, the water-supply to II number of licensed
houses in the district lying on the north side of the Severn from Aylburton to
Severn Bridge, a i d we were surprised to find the ruin-wuter butts were full of
water of a yellowish brown colour, with the faintest tinge of pink in it, and on
inquiry we were told that all the rain that fell in the preceding night \%*asof this
chantcter. After the niatter had collie under our notice we were particular in
exainiuing the supplies of rain-water that had been caught a t the various houses
we visited, and we were infornied that the discoloration was so marked that i t
had been universally noticed. I have since then niatle inquiries of the Crown
woodman of the Forest of Dean, niid other Crown officinls in this district, ant1 I
have been inrorined that over the entire district, extending from Wentaood on
the north-enst of Newport to Little Dean on the east side of the Forest of Dean,
and from the Sevrrn at Lylney northwanls across the Foreet to nearly Ross, the
same fact was observed. This area would, roughly speaking, be 25 miles by 14
niiles. I also noticed that up to lnst Thursday, the 26th ult., the clear pools in
places where, from the nature of the situation, no streams could carry any muddy
water into then), were still discoloured, showing the extremely fine character of
the matter lieltl iii suspension.-PHILIP BAYLIS,Narch 2.
PONTARDULAIS, aLAYORGAX.-on going out on Sunday morning 1 happened
to peep into the water-tank, but to my intense surprise I found not clear water,
but a yellowish niuddy rain. I thought at once that it was the work of some
mischievous pereons the previous night, but on going to church I found out
R. hl.
Wediiesdny, Jnuunry 22 (?)-€I.
that the curious colour was general. The sky assumed a very curious tint
which to my mind was due to the mixture of the nimbus and the reddish or
yellowish earthy matter, hence giving a curious green, which is very unusual.
The day and the previous night were oppressively hot and close, but strange to
say the morning was a typical spring one. The afternoon was somewhat
stifling, reminding one of the sirocco or some kindred wind. The town from
which I write, Pontardulais, is situated under the foot of a spur of the Black
Mountain, eeven miles inland from the head of the Burry Inlet. Hence you
will see that this place is a very wet one, and indeed it has rained continuously
since Christmas.-EDoaR DAVIES,March 6.
LLANDOVERL-A phenomenon occurred here this morning which may
possibly be of interest to observers of rainfall. The night had been fine, but
rain couimenced falling slightly before 9 a m , soon after which hour very heavy
clouds of a peculiar dark yellowish appearance came over from the south-west,
and rain fell heavily for a few uiinutes, accompanied by strong gusts of wind
from the Bame direction. After the storm passed I happened to notice that
the rain-water in a collecting cask outside niy window, which before the stoini
was quite clear, was of a deep yellow clay colour. On examining the rain
gauge, which had been emptied just before the storm commenced, I found tliat
the water in i t was of the same character. The quantity which fell during the
storin was about *30in. A relative who lives less than a mile froni my house
afterwards told me that his rain-water was fouled a t the same tinie.-F. H.
PERKINS, Februay 2 2.
H.M.S. Yromethetts, Channel Squadron, BEREHAVEX -The dust-fall was
experienced on the night of February 20 last, in lat. 46' 40'N., long. 11' 50' W.,
when the Channel Squadron was on the passage from Berehaven to hhleira.
The weather was dull and misty at the time, wind about S.W., moderate
breeze, force 4. The dust was of a reddish hue, and I particularly noticed it
on the rigging, rails, etc., of the ship.-h~ORoAN SINQER,Coniniander R.N.,
March 19.
PARTICK, OLASOOW.-I ani an engineer on the steam-dredger Maico, and
when coming to Glasgow on a voynge froni Vera Crur in the same latitude as
the northern point of Madeira, and about 200 niiles west, with a slight wind
frum the Eastward, our decks were covered to the depth of a quarter of an inch
with a very fine dust of a dark grey colour. This took place in the afternoon
about 2 p m . on February 20 l u t . I may state that the same night and for
three consecutive days we had strong Southerly gales.-A. H. C. HINDE
I n order to ascertain whether the composition of the dust threw
a n y light on its origin, all the samples which we obtained (about fifty
in number, including some from t h e Continent a n d some collected at
sea) were submitted to t h e Geological Survey a n d examined by Dr. J. S.
Flett, whose report is given on p. 73.
W h e n we attempt to trace t h e origin of the dust, the fact t h a t i t was
brought to our islands by a South-westerly wind leads us to consider the
meteorological conditions prevailing over t h e Atlantic Ocean on t h e
days of dust-fall and those immediately preceding. Figs. 5-10 give the
distribution of atmospheric pressure and the circulation of t h e wind over
t h e northern Atlantic at 8 a.m. on each of t h e days, from February 17
to 22nd inclusive.' T h e constant features of all the maps are (1) a well-
developed anticyclonic system over t h e south-west of Europe, a n d (2) a
very large area of low pressure covering t h e northern Atlantic. The
These clinrts and diogrnms for Figs. 5-13 were prepnred in the Meteorological Office.
F
centre of the former was over central Germany on the morning of tho
17th, and thence it travelled slowly in a south-westerly direction, till
on the 22nd it lay over the Iberian Peninsula. The minimum of the
northern low pressure system remained well to the north of the track
of steamers crossing the Atlantic, and consequently its position cannot
FIG.6.
be fired. Turning to the individual maps, we find that there is cvideiicc

for the existence of a second low pressure system over north-west Africa
on the morning of the 17th (Fig. 5). This mused North-easterly winds
in the neighbourhood of the Canary Islands, but north of lat. 34' N. a
Fro. 6.
South-easterly wind blew off the African coast. On the morning of the
18th (Fig. 6) this second low pressuro system had moved farther to the
south, so that a larger portion of the coast was under the influence of
the South-east wind. Another low pressure system, secondary to the
nutin disturbance in the north, is shown in the region between the
Azores and the Iberian Peninsula, and caused Northerly to Westerly
winds to prevail a t the Azores.’ On the 19th (Fig. 7) the low pressure
system off the African coast had moved still farther south, and a still
larger portion of the coast ww affected by the South-east wind. A
second high pressure area had developed near the Azores, whcre the wind
FIG.7.
at 8 a.m. was betweeu North and West. On the following day this high
pressure nrca had disappeared, and the whole of the North Atlantic, from
Nova Scotia, in the west to the Azores in the south and Ireland in the
east, was covered by a fast low pressure sjstem, and the wind was
Fia. 8.
consequently Westerly to South-westerly or Southerly throughout. On

the two following days (21st and 22nd, Figs. 9 and 10) the conditions
over the western part of the ocean suffered little change.
The distribution of pressure over the continent of Europe had been
of a pronounced westerly or south-westerly type for several days
before the dust-fall was observed. The maps for the 21st and 22nd
1 The maps of the Deutsche Seewarte, publislied iii Dr. Herrmann’s paper alreactyreferred
to, contain a few iiiore ob.wvntions from these regions. In those maps the isobar for
760 mms. (29’92 ins.) is drawn ns a closed cnrve.
are reproduced in Fig. 11. They all show a steep gradient for
Westerly or South-westerly winds over the north-west of the continent.
The Italian Veather &port for the 22nd. records a rather shallow, but
well-marked, depression over northern Italy ; this has been included in
the maps reproduced.
FIo. 9.
The temperatiire obscrvations, ns given in the Daily Eeports of tho

various countries of central and north-western Europe, show the follow-
ing points of interest. On the 2lst readings over England mere well
nbove 50", but the adjacent parts of the Continent, not being affected by
Fio. 10.
the warm South-westerly air current which spread ovcr our islands from
the Atlantic, experienced considerably lower temperatures. On the 22nd
temperatures had fallen over England, and we find the 50" isotherm
skirting along the extreme south-west of Ireland and England, and then
enclosing a long tongue-shaped area on the northern side of the Alps
extending from the shores of the Bay of Biscay as far eastward as Austria.
The position of this warm area is suggestive of a foehn effect, and renders
it probable that the unusually high temperatures and great dryness which
in many cases accompanied the dust-fall were in part due to the descent
of air currents causing warming by dynamical heating.
With the help of the above maps, an attempt was made to determine
from whence the air which reached the north-west of Europe on the morning
of February 22 was derived, independently of any pre-conceived theories of
the origin of the dust. With this object trajectories for this air were
drawn in a manner similar to that employed in a paper on the storm
of February 26 and 27, 1903, recently read before this Society by
Dr. W. N. SIiaw, F.R.S.' A sheet of tracing paper, on which the outlirie
Fro. 11.-Weather over Western Europe, February 21 and 22.
of the continent of Europe was marked, was placed over the map for the
22nd, and on it lines were drawn from three selected points (Stornoway,
the extreme south-east of Ireland, and central Wales) in the direction of the
winds shown on the map, and proportionate i n length to the distance which
the air may be supposed to have travelled in the 1 2 hour interval between
S a.m. on the 22nd and 8 p.m. on the 21st. The winds on the western
coast of the British Isles were generally reported as of force 6 or 7 on
the Beaufort scale, and if we assume that this corresponds to a velocity
of rather more than 30 miles per hour, the distance travelled in 1 2 hours
would be approximately 400 miles. The constancy of the isobqrs in this
case justifies the exLension of the trajectories over so long an interval.
In this manner the positions which the air occupied on the evening of the
21st were approximately found. The tracing paper waa then placed over
Quctrtwly Jmirnnl of the Royal ilfetcorological Society, vol. 29, p. 233.
the map for 8 a.m. on the 21st, and the paths of the air during the
previous 24 hours were marked on it, after which a similar process was
gone through with the remaining maps. In cases where no observations
of wind were available, the direction and length of the successive steps
were estimated from the direction and distance apart of the isobars.
The trajectories shown in Fig. 1 2 were obtained in this manner.
They seem to show that the air which reached the British Isles on the
morning of the 22nd was derived from three distinct sources. The north
of Scotland, where temperature was low, was supplied with air from the
northern Atlantic (Trajectory A). Ireland and the north of England were
deriving their air from the central Atlantic, from the northern side of the
high pressure area shown near the Azores on the 19th (Trajectory B).
The trajectory (C) of the air which reached central Walcs may be followed
back in a south-westerly direction to the neighbonrhood of the Azores on
Fro. 12.-Trajectories,
the evening of the i?Oth, but here it leads to the south, and ultimately to
the south-east, nnd carries us back to the north-west coast of Africa
(lat. 30" N.) on the morning of the 19th. A fourth trajectory D traces
the course of the air which left the extreme north-west of Africa at the
same time.
There is therefore reason to believe that the air which reached the
southern part of England on the morning of the 22nd started from the
north-west coast of Africa about the 19th, and if this is so it forms
strong evidence in favour of the dust being of African origin, and of its
having travelled to north-west Europe by paths not very different from
those indicated by the curves C and D. The trajectories are drawn to
represent the path of the air at sea level, and the dust must have
travelled at a considerably higher level. The fact that on the morning
of the 22nd the snow on Mount Pic0 a t the Azores (7460 ft.) was
observed to have a yellow tinge, is prima facie evidence that the dust
reached 8 height of more than 7500 ft., and we shall see subsequently
that the dust-falls in many parts of the continent of Europe admit of
easy explanation if we assume that it travelled at some such altitude.
As Dr. Herrmann has pointed out, it is not probable that the dust
travelled at a constant altitude, or even that it was associated with the
same body of air throughout its journey. Gravitational forces were
acting on it throughout its course, and the increased heat-absorbing and
radiating power of the dust-laden air must have given rise to active con-
vection currents. All that can therefore be claimed for the trajectories
is that they represent the general features of the paths by which the
dust reached Europe on the 32nd.
As might be expected from the general similarity of the isobaric
maps, the trajectories of the air which reached Europe on the morning of
the 21st (Fig. 13) are very similar to those already dealt with. The
unfortunate scarcity of observations from the area between lats. 40" N.
and 50" N. and long. 10" W. and 30" W. on the days in question
makes it ditficult to draw them with great precision. The most im-
portant difference is shown by the trajectory H. The isobaric gradient
off the Spanish coast was considerably steeper on the 19th than on the
Fro. 13.-Trjectoriex.
20tl1, and consequently the velocities used in constructing H were con-
siderably greater than those used in the case of D (Fig. 12). H when
continued northward reaches the south-east of England as early as 8
p.m. on the 20th.. The trajectory I< represents the pnth of the air which
reached central France on the morning of the 21st. Its course lies almost
entirely overland, it carried no dust, and is interesting in view of the
relatively low temperatures experienced on the Continent on this morning
which have been already referred to.
If we assume that the dust travelled to Europe by paths not greatly
different from those traced by the trajectories, its distribution over
Europe and the North Atlantic is easily explained. The positions in
which dust was met with at sea north of lat. SO" N. are shown on the
maps.' The isobars are based on observations made a t 8 a m . local time,
but in many cases the ships' logs do not give the hour at which the
phenomenon was observed, and the entries on the maps must be under-
stood to mean that dust was met with in the positions indicated in the
course of the day for which the map gives the meteorological conditions
a t 8 a.m. The only one of these observations which a t first sight does
not seem to support the theory, is one by the German sailing ship Curl
in lat. 39" N., long. 26" 'CV. on the 19th. The wind at 8 a.m. on that
The positions nre shown in Figs. 5-10 by means of small crosses.
72 MILL AND LEMPFERT4REAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903
morning was North-westerly at Ponta Delgada, and presumably also at
the point in question, but the charts published by Dr. Herrmann show
two observations of South-easterly winds in positions slightly south-east
of the Azores. This South-easterly wind must have spread to the
position in question during the day, and probably carried some dust
with it. The German observation does not mention the hour at which
dust was first encountered.
In addition to the observations shown on the maps, many reports of
dust storms off the African coast and in the Atlantic, south of lat. 20"
N., both on the days under discussion and earlier, have come to hand.
These have not been dealt with further, but they must be regarded as
evidence of the occurrence of unusually severe disturbances over the
continent of Africa of the meteorology of which we unfortunately know
so little.
The different points of origin of the trajectories B and C (Fig. 12)
afford u simple explanation of the distribution of dust over the British
Isles. From places outside the shaded area in Fig. 1, we have only one
apparently well-authenticated observation of dust, viz. that a t Cavan,
atid a few somewhat doubtful ones. Unfortunately, in the case of the
Cavari fa11 the dust was not collected and submitted to examination by
a mineralogical expert, and in the light of what Dr. Flett has said as
t o the invariable presence of local admixtures in all deposits examined by
him, we are not jiistified in regarding this isolated observation 5s con-
cliisivc evidence of the wider distribution of dust of the same kind as
that collected elscwhere. The distribution of the dust over the Contiiient
also admits of easy explanation. The complete absenco of deposit from
Spain and southern France, countries nearest to the assumed source of
the dust, lins attracted some attention, but the course of the trajectory D
shows that we ought to expect no dust on its eastern side. The region
between the trajectories C and D may, in fact, be looked upon as the
gateway by which the dust entered Europe ; air on the inner or eastern
side would have come from the Mediterranean over Spain, and on the
outer or western side would have come from the western Atlantic, The
falls farther to the east in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria also cause
little dificulty, if we assume that the dust travelled at an elevation of
from 3000 ft. to 10,000 ft. Many of the high-level stations on the
northern side of the Alps experienced gales from between West-south-
west and North-west during the night from the 21st to the 22nd. The
following wind observations were made (Beaufort Scale) on the morning
of the 22nd: Puy de DBme (4813 ft.), W. 7 ; SGntis (8202 ft.), W.S.W.
9 ; Zugspitze (9679 ft,), N.W. 7 ; Wendelstein (5666 ft.), W. 8; and
Grosse Belchen (4577 ft.), W.5. If we assign the comparatively small
velocity of 40 miles an hour to this air, it mould travel 500 miles in
twelve hours, and the dust-laden air which we have traced to the shores
of the Bay of Biscay (trajectory D) on the evening of the 21st would
reach the region in which dust was observed on the morning of the 22nd
at exactly the right time to produce the phenomenon.
Even in the case of the most southerly dust-falls, which might be
supposed to have occurred outside the region affected by the Westerly air
current, there is no reason to suppose that the path followed by the dust
differed from that described above. The low pressure system over the
valley of the Po caused Northerly to North-easterly winds a t many of the

elevated stations on the 22nd, so that it is probable that some of the
dust which was brought to central Europe by the Westerly air current
was carried southward by this Northerly to North-easterly current. An
observer at Blumau near Furstenfeld, in the west of Styria, mentions that
the dust cloud came from the north-east.
Note on the Microscopic Characters of the “Blood Rain ” thut fell over the South
of England on F e b w r y 22, 1903. By JOHN S. FLETT, MA., D.Sc.
(By permission of the Director of H.M. Geologic~lSurvey.)
A LARGE number of specimens of the dust and sand which fell in the
southern counties of England and Wales on February 22, 1903, were
sent to me by the Meteorological Office, and by Dr. H. R Mill, in the
course of the few weeks following the dust-fall. Only the general
results of the investigation will be given here, as it will be seen from
the subsequent part of this report that the specimens varied so much in
character, and were so frequently impure, that it is only by a method of
exclusion that any conclusions can be attained regnrding the nature of
that part of the material which was of foreign origin. Many of the
specimens were in the form of muddy water collected from rain gauges.
Others were dry powders collected from rain gauges or from window
sills, conservatory roofs, or other objects in the open air. In many
cases the exact method in which the sample had been collected was
not stated.
It was obvious, at the first glance a t the collection, that it presented
a great variety of Characters, and this was enough to awaken a suspicion
regarding the purity of the samples, and to lend to a search for material
which might be of local origin. Some of the dusts were nearly black,
and proved to consist largely of soot and organic matter ; others were
nearly white and were full of vegetable hairs ;some were pale gray or dark
gmy, from various causes; but the majority were pale brown or buff of
different shades.
Most of the material was exceedingly fine grained, but in some cases
there were rock fragments 2 millimetres (0.06 in.) in diameter, and many
of the sands had grains of an average size of half a millirnetre (0.02 in.).
In these cases there could be no doubt of the local derivation of the
coarser sediment ; and on further examination it was clear that the only
part of the dust that could reasonably be supposed to have come
from beyond the British Isles was an exceedingly fine reddish clay,
none of whose particles could greatly exceed -01 millimetre ($0004in.)
in diameter.
Organic impurities were so common that there was practically no
dust which did not contain them, and in some tliey formed the bulk of
the deposit. When heated on platinum foil, most of the samples
darkened, giving out organic vapoun, and subsequently the carbonized
materials burned slowly, leaving a residue which was gray or brown.
Some specimens were little changed in volume or in colour by incinera-
tion at a dull red heat for a minute or two, others were entirely altered
in appearance. The organic matter, however, being comparatively easily
detected under the microscope, could be readily allowed for, and was
hence less confusing, so far as concerns the real purpose of this investiga-
tion, than the mineral impurities.
Plant debris was very abundant. Vegetable hairs occurred every-
where, often in great quantity ; fragments of epidermis and of cuticle,
silica skeletons of the epidermis of grasses, parenchymatous and prosenchy-
matoiis tissue, woody fibres (occasionally), pollen, spores of cryptogams
(either singly or in masses), spore cases, resting spores of fungi, hyphae,
and various unicellular, or filiform, algae were all to be found. Diatoms
were not frequent-in fact they were comparatively rare, as were also
desmids. Many of the samples sent in in a moist condition were full of
bacteria.
Animal debris was less conspicuous. Some of the dusts contained
scales of insects, and what seemed to be fragments of the elytra of
beetles and remains of diptera. These, however, did not bulk largely
in any of the specimens.
Soot was abundant : some dusts contained little else. I t seemed to
consist partly of charred, blackened mrrtter which was still to some
extent combustible, and partly of black grains which were unaltered on
heating. All the dusts which were tested with a magnet yielded black
attractable particles. Examined under the microscope, some of these
were perfect spheres, others were pear shaped, but many were angular
or irregular in form. When treated with an acid solution of copper
snlphnte, some of these black particles proved to consist of metallic iron,
as they were soon covered with a red film of copper. These were all
angular, resembling minute iron-filings ; none of the globular bodies
reduced the solution. This, however, does not of necessity establish that
they consist of magnetic iron oxide inside, as they may only be covered
with a thin film of this nature, while their interior might be unoxidised.
They mere too small to test for malleability. Such particles, both
globular and angular, are well known to occur in ordinary soot.
Mr. Allan B. Dick, whose wide experience of dust and sand deposits
enables him to speak on this subject with authority, assures me that soot
contains also fine slaggy or glnssy, rounded bodies, isotropic and sometimes
vesiciilar. This is in accordance with the results’ of RI. W. Prinz, who
h;ts found such bodies in the dnst-fall of Belgium. I n all probability many
of the isotropic particles to be subsequently described are of this origin.
A few other sources of error may be mentioned before we pass to
consider the mineral constituents of the dust. Some specimens were in
medicine bottles which had not been thoroughly cleaned, with the result
that a precipitate had formed. Other moist specimens had fermented
and were full of moulds and bacteria. One pale-coloured “dust” was
mostly gypsum and salt crystals. These, of course, are frequent on the
surface of deserts, but as this sample came from the decks of a steamer,
and there was no other of the same kind, it was reasonable to suspect that
it had something to do with the salt crust from the ship’s funnels.
Among the mineral constituents of the dust, fragments of rock were
unusual, minute mineral grains predominated. Of these the following
were present in different samples :-quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase,
Prinz W.,“ Annlyse de la boue tombbe en Belgiqne le 22 FCvrier 1903.” Ciel el T m e ,
March 16, 1903, p. 31.
MILL AND LEMPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 i5
hornblende, chlorite, tourmaline (S), zircon, muscovite, cherty silica,

calcite, iron oxides, and fine argillaceous debris. It is unlikely that any
but the first and the last of this list were of foreign derivation.
Nearly all the samples were tested in dilute (1 0 per cent) hydrochloric
acid. For the most part they effervesced freely; it was noticed, how-
ever, that some contained very little carbonate of lime. All specimens
collected from the neighbourhood of the Chalk and from the east of
England, where calcareous rocks arc common, contained carbonate of
lime usually in abundance. (There were only a very few exceptions
to this rule; they will be referred to later on.) Those from the west
of England and South Wales were sometimes c:blcareous, sometimes not.
Withont doubt this calcite was mostly of local origin. Often the
samples from Kent and Surrey showed small fragments of finely granular
chalk. With it thcre was usually flint debris. From the west of
England no specimens showed chalk, but when calcareous, they contained
little sparkling rhomhohcdra of crystalline calcite. Now tlic older lime-
stones of that region arc mostly crystalline. The significance of this
coincidence is ol)vious. Where carbonate of lime was abundant i t was
inferred that the dust was highly impure ; and, as a rule, other indications
were not lacking to corroborato this.
Some of the dusts which were free from carbonate of lime were silica
sand, others were of vegetable composition. I n neither case wcre they
foreign. But there were some samples of fine pale brown clay which
contained little of this material, ant1 these, there is reason to believe,
werc approximately pure samples of tlic true blood-rain dust. Thcy were
mostly from Cornwall and South Wales ; and as the wind was from the
South-west, thcsc are precisely the districts in which it is likely that
there would be lcitst local admixture in the dust cloud.
It should bc remarked that some of the Cornish and Devonshire
dusts mere more calcareous than might have been expected. But
extreme caution is necessary in drawing any conclusions from this.
Limestone is extcnsively used for road-mending in some counties, and
calcareous mattcr is never absent from the dust of towns and villages.
As we have found by sad experience in this laboratory, the demolition
of old houses in the vicinity will fill the air for weeks with fine impalp-
able calcareous debris.
The minerals of crystalline igneous rocks, such as felspar, hornblende,
and augite, were very rare. I n every case their presence was due to
contamination. From Horsham two samples wcre sent. One was a pale
buff dust with a fair admixture of chalk, and very much the sort of dust
one would expect from a knowledge of the locality. The other was non-
calcareous, but contained plagioclase, felspar, augite, and possibly
hypersthene. It was unique in the collection, and can hardly be
anything else than the dust of a road or street which is paved with
some kind of dolerite. Another dust, from Kent, contained orthoclase,
plagioclase, and hornblende, and we cannot help suspecting that some-
where in the vicinity thcre is a road or street laid with Guernsey or
Charnwood diorite. The I‘ blood rain ” was certainly not volcanic.
Often it was possible to establish that the dusts had a recognisable
local character. The chalk and flint in the Surrey, Kent, and Sussex
samples were absent in Cornwall, as already stated, but there i t was
more common to find felspar and muscovite. Some of the specimens
from South Wales were darker and more sooty than those from the
south-east of England. Still the predominance of brown and pale brown
coloura was more general than should have been the case if most of the
dusts were entirely local, and led to the conclusion that there was in all
the dusts a finegained brown or red material which was not English.
No doubt some soils of the Permian and New Red districts of the west
of England are as red, or redder, in colour than any of the samples, but
especially in the east of England the red colour of the dust was a striking
characteristic.
As regards the size of the particles, it should be stated that many of
the dusts which there was reason to suspect were fiiirly pure were really
impalpable, a i d when rubbed between two microscopic coverglasses gave
no evidence of grittiness. Most specimens, however, contained more or
less quartzose sand, mostly angular, and often on an average 0.1 millimetre
(0*004 in.) in disnieter. I do not think it a t all likely that any particles
so large as these were part of the original “ blood-rain ” dnst, and when
they were common they were taken tis indicating a local origin for most
of the sample.
I have dilated, perhaps at unnecessary length, on the nature and
nbundance of the impurities. For this there are several reasons. In the
literature of dust - fidls there are many descriptions of “ blood rains,”
based mostly on the examination of one or a few specimens by differcnt
experts. These often differ so much in their details that there is room
for regrct that all the s:rmples had not been placed in the hands of ono
competent petrologist. The dust - cloud which apprently crossed
England on February 22, 1903, had probablycome from a great distance,
and should have been fairly homogeneous. The variety of the samples
collected in itself proves that most of them were far from pure “blood
rain.”
Moreover, the impurities were often all that it was possible to
describe. There is at present a fairly definite limit to the range of
niicroscopic mineralogy. \\‘hen fragments have less than a certain size,
say 0.01 mm. in diameter, it is no longer possib!e to make out their
true nature with absolute certainty. The local ingredients in these dusts
were often large enough to be easily recognisable. The one rnateriitl
which was common to all the specimens was a very fine red or brown
clay, which contained no ingredients over *01 mm. in diameter. On ail
average they were about the size of a red blood corpuscle (*006mm.
diameter). Mineral prticles so small as these no longer give polarisation
colours which are of any value in determination. It will be clear that
the ordinary characteristics of minerals in thin sections are not applic-
able to these fine powders when I say that often fragments which were
proved to be calcite gave only the red and blue of the tirst and second
orders. Under these conditions quartz is sensibly isotropic even when
tested with a selenite plate. Convergent light gave no satisfactory
results, as even the best lenses give “ghosts ” which obscure altogether
the very indefinite axial figures yielded by such minute grains. Hence
it results that the petrologist is obliged to confess that the mineralogical
characters of one of the commonest of all rocks, namely clay, are very
imperfectly known to him at the present day.
This red dust or true “blood-rain” dust, then, had apparently the
following characters. Its particles varied from -01 to -001 mm. in
diameter. Its colour was brown or reddish brown. When pure, i t
contained little carbonate of lime. Tested with hydrochloric acid i t
yielded a solution containing iron and alumina. It caked together firmly
when dry, and had a slight earthy smell. Under the microscope some
of the particles were brown from being coated with iron oxide, but other-
wise they were pale green or greenish yellow. Some were rounded or
globular (vide szipu, as regards soot) and isotropic, but most were scaly,
flattened, irregular. Many gave polarisation colours which were high for
particles so minute. These have often been referred to as mica, but this
is certainly not the case, as they give colours when lying flat which arc:
about twice as high as mica gives when looked at edgewise. What they
are is not known. Some little needles were probably rutile. Very fine
colourless, angular grains, from their refractive index, were perhaps quartz ;
but except when fairly large they had no perceptible effect on polirrisetl
light. Small elongated rods were often seen, which polnrised strongly
and gave a straight extinction. There was nothing to indicate their
true nature.
The most careful mineralogical studies of clays with which I am
acquainted are those of Hutchings,’ and there is little in this red clay
which differs very greatly from what he has found in the studies of
British clays. Neither are there any features which differ very greatly
from what Bnuer has described in his microscopic notes on the hterito
deposits of Socotra.? Whether this is a dust of tropical or of temperate
latitudes can hardly be established by means of the microscope. And
when thero is so much in the dust-fall that is assuredly of local origin, it
is not safe to infer that only the coarser fragments are British. Rather
may we believe that fine local dust shoiild not be absent, but mingled
freely with the foreign dust which came from beyond the sea.
The cliemical composition of two fairly pure samples collected in South
Wales is given in the following analyses, for which I am indebted to Mr.
C. A. Seyler, BSc., F.I.C. The first specimen mas collected by A h . J. R.
Lever at his house a t Norton Road, near the Mumbles, Swansea. The
second analysis is of another specimen collected near Swansen. Both were
brownish red powders, very fine grained, and darkening on ignition.
I. 11. 111.
SiO, . . . . 54‘03 55’20 69-11
A1,0, .. . . 28’50 17.26 20.85
TiO, . .. . 1.11 ‘94 1’13
Fe,O, , .. . 10’39
7-80 9.44
CaO . .
. * nil
5’19 ...
?to. .. .. .. n o ...
.
t det.
tr.
‘47
...
17.33
...
...
...
-Loss on ignition- -
99’69 10053 100.53
Thin powder lost about
18 per cent on ignition.
For purposes of comparison the second analysis hns been recalculated

after deducting loss on ignition, and is given under 111.
W. H. Hiitchiugs, Geological ,Vugnziirc, 1891, 1894, 1896, and other years.
M. Rauer, h’nrcs Jalzrbuchfur Mineralogie, 1398, ii. p. 197.
These analyses of two samples collected a t localities within a few miles
of one another and both near the coast, while the wind was off the sea at
tho time, differ so considerably as to show that even under favourable
conditions the samples were certain to contain a notable admixture of
local ingredients. The hlumbles dust contains 5-19 per cent of lime and
microscopic examination showed the presence of calcite, though the total
bulk of the sample was too small to enable the amount of CO, to be
estimated. Now it was collected in a limestone country ; but the other,
which was collected on sandstone, is free from carbonate of lime. On tha
other hand, the second dust contained a higher percentage of silica than
the first. hlr. A. Strahan, F.R.S., informs me that the rodds about the
Mumbles are partly mended with broken limestone, while in Swansea
harder and more durable stones of various kinds are employed.
I t seems reasonable to infer that nearly 20 per cent of these samples
was local dust, and that the pure “blood rain,” which mas the principal
ingredient of both, was nearly quite free from carbonate of lime, contained
from 5 0 to 60 per cent of silica, from 30 to 35 per cent of alumina and
ferric oxide, and in all traces of magnesia, litania, and alkalies.
Prof. Thorpe has published in two letters to Nuture (vol. 68, pp. 55
and 222, 1903) the analysis of a sample of “blood rain” collected on
the roof of Bayham Abbey, Lamberliurst, Surrey ( m d e by Mr. C.
Simmonds in the Govertimcnt laboratory). It is as follows :-
or calcolntecl Ire0 frolo water
niid iirgniiic iiinltsr.
SiO, . . . . . . 45’91 50.53
A1,0, . . . . . . 18.35 50’18
FUO . . . . . . 6’57 I .23
CnO . . . . . . 8.64 9 ‘50
BlgO . i . . . . 1’86 2’04
Na,O . . , , . . 1.16 1‘37
E,O . . . . . . 2‘30 2’53
H,O iuid organic iiintter . . 9.08 ...
C09 . . . . . .-
6‘10
-
672
100’00 100~00
This analysis agrees well, on the whole, with those by Mr. Seyler,
but shows a considerably larger percentage of carbonate of lime, which
confirms the results of microscopic examination of the dusts collected in
tho east of England. I t was found also that nearly one-third of the
sample was soluble on boiling in hydrochloric acid, and that alumina and
ferric oxide, to an amount corresponding to 11.20 per cent and 5.43 per
cent of the whole rock, passed into solution. Prof. Thorpe has shown
that the Bayham Abbey dust is very similar in composition to the dust
that fell in Taormina, Sicily, March 10, 1901. Except that the latter
dust is coarser grained and contains more diatoms, there is 110 important
difference in microscopic character between it and certain specimens of
the English “blood rain ’’ of February 23, 1903.
I t is interesting to comparo these analyses of “ blood-rain ” dust with
those of some other argillaceous deposits (see page 70).
I. is an analysis of laterite from granite in the Seychelles (by Prof.
Bush) given by Bauer.’ It has a close similarity to the analyses above
Xezcea Jakrb. f u r AfineiaIogie, 1898, vol. 2, p. 19;.
MILL AND LEMIPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 79
given, and suggests that the fine red dust may be derived from the
laterite which is so abundant in tropical regions. It- is believed by
Bauer and by Holland that laterite is not an ordinary clay but a fine
admixture of quartz with baunite, gibbsite, diaspore, and other hydrated
forms of alumina. Special investigations were made by Prof. Thorpe
(be.cit.) to determine whether the " blood-rain dust " had the chcmical
properties of laterite, but these were without positive result.
I. 11. 111.
SiO, . . . . . 52.06 51.51 62%
A1,0, . . . . . 29'49 7-77 14'93
Fe?O, . . . . . 4.64 4'57 0.74
Fa0 . . . . . . . . ... 4'64
MnO . . . . . . . . 0.07
MgO . . . . . . . . i:22 3 '00
CaO . . . . . tr. 14'82 5 '09
NasO . . . . . . . . 0.91 4'01
K,O . . . . . . . . 1.21 2 '02
H,O . . . . . 14.40 0.72 3-20
P,O, . . . . . . . . 0'14 0'11
co, . . . . . . . . 12.92 ...
c1 . . . . . . . . ... 0.06
- - -
100.59 9979 100'12
11. is an analysis of loess, and 111. of crocyoriite (both citcd from
Rosenbuch, Jlemente d. Gesteinsleke, Ed. 11. p. 429). This last is the
fine diist which Norderiskiold collected on melting tlic surface snow on
the inland ice of Greenland. The analysis is by Lindstriini. The loess
is rich in carboiiate of lime, and the crocyoriite contains a fair amount of
alkalies. Altogether the resemblance between these analyses arid that of
the '' blood rain " is not very great. In :I recent paper by Prof. Liversidge
on meteoric dusts '? many analyses of dust deposits are given, but these do
not show any great uniformity of composition. I t may also be noted that
there are distinct resemblances between the compositioii of the " blood-rain "
dust and of certain abysmal red clays, though this may only be accidental.
1 Geological Jfaguziiie, Dec., IV., vol. 10, 1903, p. 60.
a Jotir. and Proc. Roy. SIC.X . S . IF'., vol. 36, p. 211.
APPENDIX.
Stalions repmting D.iut-falls in Febriiery 1903.
An S indicates that specimens were sent.
MIDDLESEX.
EALING. (Capt. Campbell Hepworth). ......
DATE .
BUNHILL Row .
Meteorological Offic~siinshine card . . . 122
ENFIELD (Gen. IYaiker) . Dust turned newly cindered path from black to
reddish brown . . . . . . .21, 22
POTTEIIS BAR(E. Ellis) . Haze lasted from 9 a.m. to 5 P.N. on 21st, windward
side of trees powdered . . . . * 21
SURREY.
8 HASLEMEILE,
SHOTPERMILL
(am. C. Elli8) Shower on . . . . . 22
HIXDHEAD(dlrs. Hecht) Windows dirtied .
HASLESIERE, . . . 22
S WITLEY . .
(Mm. J. € .
. Dust Fog .
Foster)
I . . . . 21
EWHURST . . (MissEwnrt) Sediment ingauge . . . 21, 3:!
DATE
S HOLMWOOD . . (Mrs. Fm) ...... 22
GuiLmono . . ( A . H. Bowles)
R (Dr. E. AzshJeZd)
KErnArE, J U N I I ~ EHILL
MICI~S~RAM Up, mir (F.D n m )
Dust on trees, morning of
I ' Dust and haze" . .. ..
Some on niglit of 2Ot11, dry on
21
21
GATTON 21st, in rain on 22nd .20, 21, 22
LEATBERHEAD, HA\VKSHILL (Miss Blah) Dry fall, morning of . . . 21
WOKING . . . (A. H. W w l c s ) Dust on trees, morning of . . 21
BAGSHOT . . . ( IY.Burgess) Muddy rainspots seen, morning of 22
CIIEAM .
SUTTON . . .
. .
. (Miss Blake)
(Miss Blake)
Dry fall . .
. . . . . 21
. . . 21
1,
CIIEI~TSEY,LONOCROYS (Admiral Cnrr) Dry. gray, powdery dust, foreiiooii of 21
\\'ihtiii.Enox COMMON
B A I W EComios
~
(IIrs. A. I;. Lowccwk)
.
(MissM. A. 3'foiSa)
In rain-water barrels . .
Dry fall with a gale just before
.
22
noon, on . . . . . 21
KENT.
IiI'T"l'LESTONE-ON-SR.\ Met. Ollice aunsliino card . 21, 22, 23
'rEN7EKDEN . . (J.~ . ' ~ h C C e ) ...... 22
BENENDEN . . (J.I: Ifnee) ......
PAnK (L.Hardy, 4I.P.) Night of .
Hyrrilr, SANDLINI . . . . 22
HYTIIC . . . (IV. J. AlkiTIYOll) ......
8 HYTIIE,HILLCHEST
Roan (J.B. Jordau) In gniige on 23rtl . . . 22
8
FOLKKY'rONE
BIDUENDEN
. .
(&v. w.Bnliiin~i)
. . (J.h'. nI(tCC)
......
......
22
22
( IV. IZ. PcatlZcbanj) Dust-laden rnin betweeii 11and 12
Dovi<:n, GLADSTONI~ 22
T 1'. n LU. IF.
8 Dovics, I ~ U C K L A N D .
(IY.Colwinn) ...... 22
Souw FOKELAND(Lev. E Crcse) In a niivty rain a t iiooii . . 22
LIGIITIIOUSE
Dnrrrii, Sr. I(1AHGARET'S ( I h . r. C'me) ...... 22
T u ~ n i t r i ~WELLS,
~;~ (If. AI. Iiogers i 7 i ...... 22
I~USTIIALL " Tiiic& ")
Gi:onbinniDarc ( I ' Tuirlridge Wells Adrertiscr ") .. ... 22
TuNni:iiwE WELUI, (IV. L. Suttoia) In gmige on 23rd . . a.2 .
LAN~;~G ORNE E N
S T U X I I K I I WELLS,
~R (C. B. Powell) Kain-water disroloured . . 22
Souni iionoucw
'ruNltIt1uclm WELLS, (B. n d i u ) ...... 22
PI.:MnrrIrYCounr
ASIIFOI:~ . . . (JV. Jnrvis) "Yellow storm," 12.30 pm.,, 22 .
Eiii.:xunriioe, Hevlrn (M.V.C/ia~riiigloii)" Diist storm iii high wind . 21
T O N U I ~ I LCULRDROIIK
UI~, ( JY.A . s#ltith) ...... 22
Toxni:ruolr . . (S. IY.B u r p s ) ...... " One morning."
Toxuniimc.
I:OSE HILL
l'iiix- ( G . h: Ki>iii~iins) Dnst fell in Iinm tliirinp S.W. pale
I -
21
UrpEn D M L . . (MissC. Dnvies)
Heavy rain at 5 p.m. on Plut,
noticed morning of . . . 22
Dovrcn, CIIEI.I.ENDEN(Rev. J . 0. Bet-ail) Probably niglit of . . . 22
.
HILIIICNDOI~OUOH (L.X Powell) Fell niorninyof . .. . 22
1VxrEitiNanui:Y .(Rev.G. M. Livelt) "Dirty raiu" noticed on morning of 23
Cawmnunv . .
("Thniiet Umrdicw,'' Rain of morning of , . . 22
IV. C. ficldack)
SEVENOAKS . . (E B. MiZford) Dirt windows 011 morning of . 23
.
LUIIDESDOWN ( IY. I:. S~~itilh-Masters) F o g y k n g from daylight till mid-day 21
.
WESTGATIC-ON-SEA (LL-Col. Jvnes) Yellow opnque haze . , . 23
i$lAllOArE. . . Met. Office sunshine cart1 . . 23
LESSDOWN,S H E E R - (6'. i.'n'ild) Fell dry on 21st, noticed in paoge
N RSS
BECKESIIAM. . (P.Collins)
morning of
Dust or mist in air .
. .. . 22
21
~IEOPHAN .
( IY.R. Smil/i-Maslers) Foglaating from daylight tili mid-day 21
SUSSEX WEST.
BOSHAM
CHEEK . (R. A. Oregovy) ......
. .
LANCIS~:
.
CHICHES~EI: . (RF. llbtrlsworlh)
. (Mi8s A. Ke#iip)
Thick yellow mist about noon
Eveningot'21~torenrlymorningof
. 23
22
DATE
NR WORTIIING(a.C‘oleman)
FINDON, ...... 23
. . . (&u. H. Mannuduke Between 11 and 12 with I’iiiii
COMPTON
Lnnqdalc)
. “2
HENFIELD . . (Elden Pralt in “SIN- Chulky rain water . . 23, 24 t
sez Daily New8”)
RooarE . . . (Miss K. bL Barrow) Between 11 and 12 thick h u e a d
dust on trees . . . . ”1
S HORSHAM . . (E. G. Loder) Fell dry exactly like Sahara dust. 20
HOIWHAM. . . (H. P d m ’ c k ) In rain of2?1id,the first for3 weeks 22
S H O R s H A Y , WIMDLEHURST (vi8SAllcard) On night of . . . . 22
SLINFOLD. . . (J. F d l w ~ d ) Fell with raiii . . . . 22
SUSSEX EAST.
.
EASTBOURNE . Met. Ollice sunsliine card . .
21-24
. .
FALMEIL . (D.&ntley) Dust on trues “ tasted briny” at
31l.lli. . . . . . 21
HASTINGS . . hbt. 0lfii:e sunshine card ., 22, 23
LEWEY, SAXONBURY. (A. hihnan) On evening of . . . .21
HOnEHAM R O A D .
( M k s E. M. Moon) Dust on windows, tasteless, observed
8.30 a.m. . . . . . 22
UDIMOILE . . . (J. Y.Mair Rwnhy) Scen ill gauge on morning of .22
LEWER,CHAILICY
BUI~CESSHILL.
HEATHFIELD.
...
(H. S. Hitgiles) Dust fog
(F.ff. Phillips) Chalky rain.
...
. . . . . 21
. . . . 26 ?
Bullocks would not driiik muddy
wator . . . . No date
ETCHINGlIz\Y . .
( ” Daily d f a i l ” ) ...... 2?
TICEHUIWT .
. (a. J. L‘ourthopr) Iu fog aftcriioon of ?Otli, none on
22ntl so fairas seen, but water in
gauge mndd on moriiing of , 23
Caownonouoa WAIL-(11.Rantslothaw i ~ t Dry during g a t . . . . 21
RKN “ Globe ”)
C I L O W D O R O U ~ I.I , (Mrs. Torswill) Sticking to windows . . .
s WADHIJRST .
.
S C I ~ O ~ D O I L O U C I I (. J . J. S. Dn’berq) In gauge on mornings of
. (F.Il’ilkin)
.
Dust noticed oil trees in gale a t
. 23,
22
24
2.30 p.111. . . . . . 21
LAMBERIIUILS~ . . (X l l n m i o ) On returning from ehurcli a t 12.30
on 22nd fonnd clothes and om-
brello splnslied with miid. . 22
. TIII~EE BILIDOES . ( D . Bentley) Muddy rain water.
TLINDI:IIIGE WELLS, (J. c. Stc?ulrillg) Dust tasted salt . . . . 21
S ~ E ECROSS
I. House
TUNBKIDGE WELLS, (Mi88 E. Adon) hluddy rain . . . . 25
BOARSHEAD
E a s r GRINSTEAD (‘< Western Daily Mermmj”) ......
HAMPSHIRE.
VENTNOR. . . Met. Ofice sunshine card . .21, 22
YARMOUTII . .
(Col. I;. P. Crozier) Mud on windows, not salt, noticed
on morning of . . . . 23
BROCKENHURW .
(H. 0. W i l 8 m ~ ) Muddy rain on evening of . . 22
RROCKENHUIW .(C. E. Curtzs) Black coats on Sunday damaged by
muddy rain . . . . 21-23
EMswonTa . . (F.J. Hood) Ln wet mist between 11 and 12
noon with oraiige light . . 22
Also Met. Office sunshine card . 21
R I N ~ W O O D. .
(a. B. Corlen in “ A not very copious yellowish
“Slandard”) rainfall” . . . . . 22
SOUTHAMPTON. . ( A . Farnwanl)
SOUTHAMPTON. Met. Office sunshinecard . . 22
BOTLEY .
a
. . ( ~ a 3 ?%n.tyu)
/ Various dates up t o . . 27
SOUTHAYPTON, HIGH- (dfrs. Silver) “Thick yellow,doud between li
FIELD and 12 noon . . . . 22
.
FORDINQBRIDGE(Jh. H. Slcrensm)
BITTERNE .. (002.F. Welland) Peculiar coloured t%ik mist on 20th
and dust seen morning o f . 21 .
c,
DATE
NURSLING . , (B. de Sales +a Clonds of dust like mist with S.W.
Temdre) wind . . . . 21.
BIsHoPa WALTHAM (Miss F. ChulniondeZe?/) Cloiiils of diist just before 11 911 . 21
.
SWAHHATON . (Reu. IY.L. IY.E v e ) "Like pnle milk and wnter in
gaiige on morning of , . 23
ALTON . . . (F.Maagles) 21st, wiiid with curious mist like
driving rtriii, wiiidows dirty on
morning of 23rd . . .
21-23
ANDOVER. . .
FAHXHAM, WAlLnEX
(If.PemXnt)
( K IYilkin)
Mnddy rain. .......
. . . ?22
22
Con N E R
HAll'l'FOllD BRIDGE .( I ' Dnily kfd! ")
BERKSHIHE.
.
WOKINGHAM . (H. C. J f y b t e ) Air dusty on. 20th and 21st, nii!ky
o1iaqne rain in gauge nioriiing
of 23rd, nlso on 26th and 27th
20, 21, 23, 26, 27
A8EBURY. . . (3.Poiitd in Rnin about 9 a.m. of dirty milky
"Shndard") coloiir . . . . . 22
WANTACE . . (I? Fraser) Dust storm tlirelrteued oil Satur-
dav, milky rain early on . . 22
S LOCKINCR . . (C. H. Endy) ' I Alniost impossible to see through
winilows" . . . . 22
.
DENCIIWOILTII . (Fv. IY. 0. Wait Dust dne to pollen . . . 22
zn 'I Slniidirrtl ")
HERTFORDSHIRE.
.
N R WI ~ A R X I ~ T .
(11. E. h e i r ) ...... 22
WATFOlLD, RUSSELLS (MPs.Eca~h?) yellow haze on 2lSh dust see11
on wiiidowa . . . . 22
WELWYX. . . (J. H. Fill) Miiddy shower about noon . . 22
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.
SLOI:CH . . .
(Col. -11. F. IYard) Raiii a sort of grey colonr on morn-
irig of . . . .
23, 34, 25
STOKEPOl:EH , .
( A h a . H, Slevemon) Dry liam a i d dnst oil windows . 21
BULIWUIINE . . (T.E. Beaslq) ......
ADDLNGTON MANOIL. ( J . Yathismt) Reiiiarkablc haze, specially aboot
11 n.ni. . . . . . 21
BLETCIILEY . . (Rev. F. iM. IZfgqi7rs) Reddish diut on windows about 20 or 21
OXFORDSHIRE.
HENLEY. . . (Rev. F. R Hnlnett) Nothing peculiar in gniigr, but
CULHAM. . . (J. S. Dawis)
water in tank niiiddy
Wiiidows dirtied . . . .
. . 23
24
BANBURY. . . (Lt.-Col. A. a.
Eiiylaild)
Dust on cucumber flames niorning
o f . . . . . .
.
23
NORTH AMPTONSHIRE.
. (Mi.wH. E. Shumnnit) Yellow haze and very dirty windows
WELLINGBOROURH 22
BEDFORDSHIRE.
HULCOTE . . (Rev. R. C. F. Scott) Windows cleaned day before, dirty ou 22
ESSEX.
ROMFORD . . (0. P. Hope) 21
HAVERINO . . (6'. P. Hope) Grey dust on W.'ikl S.W. side ot'
tkes . , . . . 21
JIILL AND LEMPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 83
DATE
B ~ o w x ~ x o s , near (1Y.1V. Duflerd) ......
CIIELYSFORD .
WITHAM TERLINO . (0.Riehnrhojk) Trees nnd bushcs thick with red
grey dust. . . . . 21
EASTBERGHOLT .
DOVERCOURT . .
...
(.UTS. ~ v a 1 / M t C )
Haze and dust . ,
......
. . 21
SUFFOLK.
.
IIWWII~II .
. (JTrs. WilZimott) Few drops of muddy rain n t 10.35
a.m. . . . . . 22
STANSFIELD . (Rev. J. R. Little ilk
CLARE. Yellow haze 21st, tlrizzle 22nd,
“ Standard ”) arid niud on niorning of . . 23
HIWKEDOXRECTORY(Rev. B. P. O d e s ) Smoky haze . . . . 21
FRI’ITII?~, near YMI- (~fiias
J. E. Citbill) Haze on 9lht, licavysquall lietireen
M(ll.Tl1 . . . 7 nnal 8 ~ I . I I I . , mud on fr.mes on
morniiig of . . . . 82
NORFOLK.
DeRErrAN . . (c’. Ifi8mmkd) Hnsinevs and dust in sliowers
rf. . 21
WRI)EII.\JI . . (IY.F. Green) Dirty winttows . . . . 92
IVI LTSH I HE.

DOSIIEAD ST. ,\d.\I:Y. Sliitltly lain i i n c l milky water-butts 22
SALISBL‘RY. . (If. pe%islon) Dirty windows . . . Uncertain
S WEsTnunY . . (Reu. 8. Dicgdnle) Noticed in r&inpii.qc .
MIIIKET L.\vrxlcToa (Miss U. Borcueric) ......
. Uncertain
22
DORSET.
.
,
. (4ill. Ifetld) Deposited on windnwx during morning ‘32
. ( A . E . Bruiisdcn i 7 ~ Fog anil haw on 22nd, salnioii-
“ B c c n i n ~Netus ”) tlrposit on morning of.
coloi~rc~l 23
. . ( A . If. Bloumfild) Dost fell 1111 'List, intidtly rain . 29
. . ( h v .A‘. E. V.Filleiil) Yellow fog, windows dirty . . 24
. . ......
. . ( J . 8..KitJon) \Vator from N. roofofcr liouse clear,
from S. rnof niuddy . . . 21, 22
. . (J. P. Muss) Also on a X. wiiidow . . . 22
. . ( J h . Croflon) Wintlows reddened with mndlly
rain enrly on . . . . 21
DEVONSHIRE.
S B~rxros . . . (‘Visa F. S.
Co.Uinyla4t)
Probably fell on 2lst, seen on
morning of . . . . 22
PLYMOUTH . . ... biet. Office sunshine card
20, 121, 22, 23, 24
PLYVOCTH .
. ( ” Da2y E.~:press”) .....
Srom DAMEREL,(Miss Metham) ...... 22
DEV0NPoR.P . .
S IVYBRIDCE. .
(JT. A . (flanuille) Fell in a thick yellow fog between
8and9a.m. . . . . 22
PLY>IPTOX .
. (J. walling in Fall in yellow fog between 7 and
“ W estern Morning 8.30 a m . . . . . 22
News)”
s PLY>IPTON , . (J. Cowram) Fell in yellow fog be,tween 7 and
8.30 a.m. . . . . 22
DELAMOHE , . (df* (fzanVillC) ...... 2%
SIXTHRREST . . ( W.L. F m ) ......
BEREFERRERS . (Rev. F. FVintb per Fell in yellow fog between 7 and
Rev. H. A. Bop-) 9 n.m. . . . . . 22
TORQL‘AT. . . (E. F. Bayncs) ...... 12
T O R Q ~ A Y .. . (A. U. Manley in Yellow deposit seen on niorning of 23
‘‘ Westrrn Norning Netus ”)
DATE
STAVERTON , (“ vwteni Noiviiiig News”) ...... 22
BUCKFASTLEI(;H . I. A. Earp iir Between 10 a.m. and noon on . 22
xnture ‘1)
IPPLEPEB near NEW- (per Miss E. H. In fog between 7 and 8 am. . 22

TON ABBOT . , POCklillgl~)
ASHI.IVRTON . . (“North D m m Herald”) ......
NEWTONABBOT
NEWTONABROT
.
.
( W.G. Asplantl) A white oln ey powder
(J.€ A.IH. ill
. Rain quite grown . . .
. . 22
22
“Stnndurd ”)
NEWTONABBOT . (D. kv. Crawford) h i i i coloiir of pea soup . 21,. 22
Tsro~nloura . . J. B. B. iir ‘I We&wi ...... 22
Aforning News”)
S TAWSTOCK, WHITCHUllCE ( E . E. G&&?) ...... 22
DAWLISH. . . ( M i a CoUis) Thick foam rain, and yellow light
betweea 8 and 9a.m. . . 22
DAWLISH , . . (E. Cozeas in Colour of white fire-brick . . 22
Stitndard ”)
b1AIlYSTOIVE . . (The Vicar iii ...... 22
‘‘ Weateirc AIoi-tiing News”)
SIDMOUTII . . (Jlrs. Stmford) Winilowv very dirty on two days
18, 19, or 19, 20
S ROUSDOX . . . (C. &wcr) Morniiig of . . . . . 22
TIVEILTON . . (J. W. Wetherell in ......
‘‘ Iycste)r~Daily
Dfernrry”)
TORI:ISGTON . . (l-emimiim“We8teri~hloniiiig of .
Morning News ”)
. . . . 28
TORI~ISGTOX, LIITLE (F. A. Barton i j i Clialky looking . . . 21

SILVEU. . . “Globe”)
S FRtinirsc.ro?t . . (T.JVaiiiiuright) In lurid mi$t between 9 and 9.30
a.m. . . . . . 2’2
A ~ ~ L I S G TCounr
OX . ( L a d j Chichester in Morning of . . . . . 2?
I ‘ Times ”)
S LYNMOUTII . . (J.H. Mead Bi-iggs) Found in gauge on morning of . 23
CORNWALL.
LIZAI~D .
. . North Devon Herald ”)
(I1 ......
PENZANCE . . (a. P. Hope) Yellow mist . . . 21
.
FAI.MOIJTII . ( W . L. Fox) Yollow dust (and worm8 on 25thj 22
FALMOUTK . . ... blot. Officeuunshine card . 21, 22, 23
.
PUNNA>OOCH . (Newspcipe~cutting)
SWHRIER . . (E. H. ll’{llianu) “Hcnvicrand redik than in 1902’’ 22 22
NEWQUAY . . ... Met. Office sunshine card 20 (1) . 21, 22
h1EILILYMEET . . I Mr8. Hni)imonrl) ...... 22
MENHEXIOT . . Yellow fog and red dust at 8.30 a.m. 22
LISKEAKD . . ( L . C.’koslcr) ...... 22
PEXTILLIE
CASTLE . ... Yellow haze betwe.cn 7 and 8 a.m.,
and rain at 9.45, formed red
puddles. . . . . 22
GUNXISLAKE . . (A‘ewspapar cutting) ...... 22
ALTARNON . . (C. K Tripp) ...... 22
TREWINT. . . ...... 22
SOMERSET.
MILVERTON . . (JffssBere) Morning of . . . . . 27
BELMONT,near BRISTOL(iuzss A. Fty) ...... Date uncertain
CLOUCESTERSHIRE.
AVONMOUTE. . ( W. W . Squire) Dust deposited on lighthouse 22 .
.
CIRENCESTER . (MiasStanlon) Between Q a n d noon . , 22 .
CIRENCICSTER . . ((7. 9.L. Mildmay) Date uncertain
.
CIRENCLSTER . (0.P. Hooker) Rain-water triiks’seen turbid on . 23
CIRENCESTER . . ( W.J. Stantmi) About 9 a.m. . . . . 22
LYDNEY. . . ( W . AT Meredith) ...... 22
MILL AND LEMPFEHT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 85
LYDNEY
QTONEHOUHE
. ,
. (E. Jackson)
.
. (Dr. H. Cook)
In raingauge on morning of
All rain-water s oilt . . .
. DATE
23
21
FOREST OF DEAN . ( p . BUYltk) Water-buttsmii$dy over a large area 23
CRANIiAM . . (AlfGS &gal&) Rain-water muddy . . . 22
UHEATWITCOYBE. . . * 2 2
GLOUCESTER,
KUARDEAN
BROCKWOHTH
,I
. . (E. T.%UrlO?L)
9,
Dust on windows
Rain a reddish-brown colour
,
,
. . 22
22
LANOLEAYES,NEAll (Hy. T.P8diS) Trees clusty on 21st ; muddy rain,
GLoucEsrER 2’2ntl . 21, . . . . 22
GLOUCESTER . .
(a. H. Wiitlaker) Muddy rain night of 20tl1, morn-
ingof . . . , . 21
CHRLTENHAM , .
(Mrs. ?V. Uri@hs) Mutldy windows , . . . 21
BECKFORDTEWKES- (F.Sladc) Discoloured rain on Snnday after-
BunY noon . , . . . 21
HEREFO I{ DYBIRE.
. . .
DILWYN
KiN(;Tox . . .
(2’. L. Hull)
(S. Kobinson)
Dirty rain-water morning of
Xludtly rain-water . . .. 22
22
SHROPSHIHE.
LUDLUW . . . (Rcu. R P. Dailscy) Discoloiued raiu . . . . 22
NANTYAWR . . (“Daily Telegraph ”) Hain like lime-water.
PIITON . . . (Newspapercutliq) ......
OSWESTRY . . (C. Kempnter in Mntldy raiii, morning . , . 22
“ Uloh ”)
WORCESTERSHI RE.
MALVERN . , (1’. Shcl~~iardii~e) ...... Date uncertain.
LEICESTERSH I RE.
LEICESTER . . (11. Ellis) Dirty wilidows.
CHESHIRE.
D~DDLESTONRECI*ORY
(Leu. A. C! Codoii) Dirty raiii . . . . . 27
YOHIISHIHE.
.
BHIDLINUTON . (iVrs. G.n,ttoti) Dust on railings . . , , 25
BLONJIOUTH.
CARRLEON . . (P.J. Mitchell) Thick rain.
WsNTwooD WATER WORKS(T.D. Evans) Rain-wnter, milky
8 LLANFRECHFAGKANOE (F.J. Mitchell)
,
Thick water, like lime-water
. . 22-24
22-24
USK. .
. . (Itev. R. P. Dnasey) 22
ABE~SYCHAN . .
(A. J. Cookc)
.
Kind of red graiei
ABERTILLERY . (“ We-slem Mail ”) Deep clay colour.
. . . 22
MONMOuTH .
LLANVIHANGEL
.
(Jr&stt‘rt)
Whitish-yellow sand
......
, . , 22
a3
COURT
LLAwrILxo COURT . (E: Allaker, at request Cloudy water -butts, colour of
of Sir H . d% Jackson) soapy water , . . . 22
GLAbIORGAN.
BARRY
LLANTWIT
.
, (A. Mee i n “Weskrn Mail”)
MAJOR .
( I ‘ Wcstcm Mail ”)
......
......
22
22
PORTHCAWL.
.
DINAS POWIS (“ S. Wales Daily News ”) Pink raiii
.
(“Western ilrail”)
.
......
. . . , 22
22
PENCOED . .
( ‘ I S. W d e s Daily News ”) ...... 24
PORTTALBOT. . ... Met. Otfice sunshine card . . 22
88 bl1ILL AND LEYPFERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903
DATE
TREHAKKIS
SWANSEA
.
.
.. (B. S. Etatrs) Coloured raiii, 9.30 a.m. .
(“WCBlCrn N a i l ” ) M u d d y rain; 80 dark lights re-
22
uired till 10 am. . . . 22
NEATH . . , (Major Green) Blu!rly rain, 11 a.m. . . . 22
PONTARDULAIH . (E. Daviea) Muddy rain-water and dirty windows 22
AMMANFORD . . (“W’eslcm N u i l ” ) ...... 23, 24
CARMA RTH EN.

KIDWELLY , (“ S. Wales Dctil~Xews ”) hlf-coloured rain . . . 22
. . (“S. Wales Daily Yellowish-hrown sky at sunrise,
LAUGHAILNE
n’ews ”) niutldy rain i n morning . . 22
ST. CLEARS . .
(E. Hotcell) Slight dust nioming 21st, rain-water salt 22
S WHITLAW . .
(L’.A. ~fipgiiiholtom) Srtliment in rain. . . . 22
.
LLANDILO (“A’. IciiZe~Dtcily News”) Yellow rain between 9 and 10 a.m. 22
14 iM1i.w N. O F Nr.Ari-II(dlnjor Gwen) Rool-water too rnudd~for horses to drink 22
.
LLANDOVEILY (J. H. Pcrkiws) Heavy shower 9 a.m. yielding mnddg rnin 22
PEBIBROKESHIRE.
T~nns . . .
(23.Ellis) ...... 22
S r . ASN’S HEAD .
... Met. Offiicc sunsliine cnrtl . 21, 22
PoiiwiELD, near HAVEIL(J.H. Z’hii/ips) Muddy rain b e t w e n 6 and 9 a.m. 22
FO 1:IIlVEST
HAVEIIFORDWllh’P
Cl.YSDP:lllVKN . ..
( ‘ I IrtStf‘T71 j f d ” )
,,
,, 7 nntl 8 a m .
22
22
TI I KFFGAI~NE HAi.1.. (Col. Lloyd) Retl colour in rain . . . 07
NEwPoirr , (“5‘. I1hle.v Dnily A’i.irs”) Yellowish mist tint1 thick rain . 22
CAHDIGANSHIRE.
S S r . I)oI:~I.~E:LP
, . @ (Dnritl J ~ P I c . ~ )
Sctliment ill rain-water. . . 22
I~KPCONSHIRE.
.
C1:iixiiowveLI, . ( “ 1Vesto.u d k d ” ) Yellow miti, nrorniiig uf . . ‘22‘
D~cvrsoc~ . . (&3. Dtrvies) Miitltly rain afternorm of 21st, a i d
yellow dust niorning of Y!nd . 21, ’12
RADNORSIIIRE.
WRLLS(Dr. I f - . B. Dctvics) hItidily rniri .
LLASDRINDOU , . , . 22
MON‘I’GOJIERYRHIRE.
K L A S Y AI:,I near (Capt. A . B. Drum- bluddy rain . . . . . 22
w ELSII POOL ?)lolid)
LLASFYLLYX. . ,, . . . . . 22
LLASSAYTFIiAID,
. . (J. 111. ijlcgdnle)
Ileal’ (Ctrpt. 11. &. DlX911-
,)
,,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. .
.
22
22
Osl\.ESrRY ntollli)
LLASOYSOC . . ,I . . . . . 22
DENBIGHSHIRE.
LLANGEUWYN,
.
(Capt. A. B. Dricnisioiul) Muddy rain. . . . . 22
LLASIltfAIADH 8, , , . . . * . 22
MERIONETH.
15 MILES
CORRIS, S. (H. ff. HoIli71g- Black dust . . . . . 22
OF LLANDEDR
8 DISASB I A ~ I J D Y . ZUOrtlL)
(E.D. Joires i ~ ~ “ d f a Discoloured
dLEster Gmrdina ”)
n- rain . . , . 22
LLASDEDR . (H.0.Hollinpicorth) ......

MILL AND LEhIl'k'ERT-GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1003 87
DATE
CARNARVON.
BELANFORT . . (Hon. F. G. JVyiine) ...... Date uncertain.
ISLES OF SCILLY.
ST. MARY'S . . ... Mot. ORice sunshine card . 20, 21, 22
JERSEY.
ST. HELIER . . (Rev. dl. Dcchevrciu) Coloured fog on 21st and 22nd, but
no dust . . . . . 21, 22
GUERNSEY.
Sr. BIAKI'IS'S . (B. 3: Rowswell) Middy raiii morning of . . 22
Sr. PIERRE
DU Bois (J.J. C ~ T C Y ) Muddy rain. . . . . 22
CAVAN.
CAVAS . .
(R.C. E. Flower) Fcw dropr of niuddy rain . . 22
(Where no dato is mentioned there is reasoii to boliovo that the fall occurred between
thc 20th aiitl 29rd.)
Observcltions from the Atlantic O(*eiinand Ajrica.

1:roni the Monthly Pilot Chovts of the North Atluntic, for April and May 1903.
S.S. Bontii. 27" N., 15O.fW. February 19. Heavy sand-storm (Nature,
vol. lxvii. p. 420).
S.S. Sekodi. During a voyage from tlie Canaries to tlie Gulf of Guinea ;ind
lxick, between December 28, 1902, anal Febrwry 27, 1903. Experienced
repeated lhllv ot' sand.
S.Y.I\)ii$iiLi~x Cmtle. From Go N., 14" W. to 18" N., 18" W. February
27 to March 1. Falls of fine red sand.
S.S. ilfatntzm. 4' N., 2S"J W. to 12" N., 23" W. Felmiary 12-14. Con-
siderable said haze. 2.5' N., 19" W. to Grand Canary. Dense sand-
storm.
S.S. Abertuy. 40" K., 23"4 W. Februnry 21. Fine light-reddish dust
(bhipping Gazette for March 13).
S.S. Pembroke Castle. 36" N., 13" W. to 3" N., 14" W. February 18-26.
Continual sand-stornis.
R.M.S. Briton. 48 niiles S., 25" W. of Tenerife. February 18, 10 8.111.
S.S. Kirkby. 33"3 N., 28" w. to 30" W. February 20-22.
R.3l.S. Tu~pis. Left Southampton for 13;irb:idos on February 18, and '' for
three days whilst in niitl-Atlantic" fell in with a quantity of red dust.
Position and dates nut given.
S.S. Dunolly Custle. 13" N. to Las Palnms. Sand-storm of three days'
duration.
S.S. Sokoto. Tremendous sand-storins for eight days off the West Coast of
Africa.
From Correspondence.
H.M.S. Prometheiur. 469" N., 12" W. Night of February 20.
Steam-dredger M&o. 200 miles W. of Madeira. Afternoon of February 20.
From the Compteu Rendus.

S.S. I-& tle Sat, iVicolas. 1 1 " N., 27" W. to 12' N., 26' W. February
21, 23.
S.S. .La Cordillhe. 13" N., 21" W. to 14" N., 20" W. February 21.
S.S. Carnvellas, 22" N., 21" W. to 26" N., 19" W. February 19, 3 am.,
and subsequent days.
Information supplied by thc courtesy of thc Deutschc Smuarte, Hamburg (received

through the bleteorologicnl Office).
S.S. Nuniidia. 23" N., 21.g W. to 24") N., 21" W. February 20.
S.S.Roland. 25" N., 16" W. February 19.
5.8.Tijuca. 8" N., 27' W. February 23.
S.S. Wittekiird. 4" N., 27' W.to 15' N., 21" W. February 23-26.
S.S. Erlnngen. 7' N., 28' W. to 18" N. 25O W. February 23-25.
Potosi. 6" N., 29" W., and 9' N., 32" W . February 22, 23.
Carl. 39" N., 26" W. to 42" N., 22" W. February 19-21.
S.S. Mnrkomannia. 22" N., 22" W. to 24' N., 21' W. Februaxy 20, 21.
S.S. Hohtia. 28" N., 19" W. to 20" N., 28" W. February 19-23.
S.S. Spartn. 25"9 N., 23") W. to 28" N., 21.9 W. February 20, 21.
S.S. Nuhia. Between aibrultar and Algiers. Febrnary 21.
S.S. Crefeltl. 31" N., 18" W. February 19.
Froiii Annctlen der Hydrograplrie iind Mardimen Meteoroloyie, October 1903.

S.S.Frkia. 36" N., 26'4 W. February 20.
S. Pampcc. 48" N., 13" W. February 22.
Froiii the Algm'nn Weather Report for February 18.
Said-storm at Laghoiiat and Ouarqla.
AZORES.
From Monthly Pilot Churt for May 1903.
Poiita Delgada. February 20. A heavy fog appeared in the morning, and
fine yellow dust fell, covering walls, vegetation, and animals. On
February 2 2 the snow on Mount Pic0 (7467 feet), was found to have a
yellowish tinge.
From Annalen dm Hydrographie und Naritimen Meteorologic, October 1903.

Santa Maria. February 20, 21.
Terceira. February 2 1.
Graciosa. 11
S. Jorge. 1,
Pico. 1,
Fayal. 99
Tenerife (LMetemdogkche Zeitsclr?$t, 1903, page 134). February 19.
DISCUSSION.
Mr. R. H. CURTISsaid he had observed in London on Saturday, February 21,
from about midday, a thick haze, which waa the more remarkable because of
the strong Westerly wind which waa blowing a t the same time. The hare
continued for mme hours, and was an denee in the neighbourliood of Leatlier-
liead in Surrey, where he went in the course of the afternoon, iu it had been
in London ; before 0 p.m, however, it had quite vanished, and the evening was
very clear. When at a later date he waa examining some eunshine cards for
DISCUSSION-THE GREAT DUST-PALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 89
February received from various parts of the country, lie was struck by the fact
that many of thein were stained, and had a yellowish-brown deposit upon them.
That cards from places so widely separated as the Scilly Ialantls and Dungeness
slioolcl be similarly stained was in itself remarkable ; but the coincidence of the
date of its occurrence with that on which the haze had been observed in London
suggested some possible connection between the latter phenomenon and the
cause of the staining on tlie cards, and led hini to look carefully for all cards
which were similarly discoloured, and to examine them with a fairly powerful
lens. In many cases, where the staining had been niost considerable, the
observer, regarding it as a disfigurement of the card, had tried to remove i t ;
but although this hall no doubt been tlie means of renioviug frorii the card a
good deal of the solid matter, it fortunately had not done so altogether, i d had
seldom got rid of much, or any, of the stain the deposit had rnacle. One
noticeable feature was that the deposit had generally been made on the'eastern
side of the bowl which held the card, a result of tlie Westerly wind with
which tlie depoait had arrived. At nearly every place along the southern
counties of England from which cards were receivetl and examined, as well as
a t Jersey, the evidence of its tleposit was unmistakable, and in several instarices
it was shown up011 the carilla for niore than one day. At Scilly, and at a few
other places in the extreme west, there was evidence of i t on the cards for
February 20, but this might possibly have heen deposited during tlie iiight of
20-21 ; i d also it is just possible that tlie stains on the cards for days
subsequent to 2 1 iiiiiy have been causetl by a residue of the deposit having
been !eft in the bowl after the card for 2 1 liad been withdrawn. North of
Leicestershire the evidence of the dust-fall, although not entirely absent, was
less freqwnt ant1 also less absolute, partly because the cards available are frorii
places more widely separated ; partly also because niost of them are more or less
in the Iieighboarliood of large towns, and evidence of the presence of the dust in
questioii would be very likely to become obscured by stains made by matter
produced much iiearer home; Iiut also without doubt becniise, as has been
pointed out in the paper, the course of the main stream of air carrying the dust
did not traverse tliat region. But Mr. Curtis thought there was conclusive
evidence that sowe of the dust did fall, perhaps sporadically, at certain places
much further north. A t hIarchmont in Berwicksliire, it was unmistakable, as
i t was also at Stornonay. I n the Isle of Man there were faint indications of it ;
but at one or two places on the north-west coast of England froni which cards
had been received and examined no trace of the deposit had been left. A t
Kingstown, and at Parsonstown, in Ireland, there were slight but apparently
real traces shown; and the letter from Cavan which Th.Mill had read was
corroborative that tlie deposit had fallen in parts of Ireland.
Although attention had only recently been called to the fall of these deposits
of sand, Mr. Curtis thought it probable that they were really of niore frequent
occurrence than had been supposed, and that it had been due to lack of
combined observation that the phenomenon had generally passed unrecorded.
I t was not improbable that a new function awaited the sunshine recorder in
recording also falls of dust when these occurred under conditions which would
enable the dust to adhere to the cards. In the gale of wind which occurred on
February 27 last the card which was exposed in the recorder at Blackpool, a
mile or more from the sea, behind the town, was found to be thickly encrusted
with both sand and salt, carried there by the wind, tlie deposit being again on
the eastern half of the card and the wind Westerly. The lens of tlie instru-
ment was also so thickly encrusted with salt and grit that although the sun
shone brightly for four-aid-a-half hours, not the fttintest trace of a burn was
made on the card.
90 DISCUSYIOS-THE GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903
THE PRESIDENT(Capt. D. WILYON-BAI~KER) remarked that Ur. Mill liad
followed up previous investigations in dust-(all phenomenn, and with the aid of
hlr. Lenlpfert’s wind iiiaps and trajectories, had read a most interesting and
valuable paper. I t was certain that our knowledge of the rnovementa of the
air in cyclonic disturbances would be much increaaed by such inveetigations.
At a foriiier meeting Dr. Shew had denlt very lucidly nnd thoroughly with tlie
subject, and in the United States it was receiving consideruble attentitln.
Observere would do well to mike sure tliat they were not misled aa to the
nirture of the dust observed. Tlie wind liad remarkable power of transporting
diist of consitlerable density to grent distnnces, but a purely local dust might easily
be confused with another sort. At Qreenliithe, for instance, in certuin rare
coiiditions of the wind, liis ship would Le covered with extrrniely fine clinkers
of burnt coal dust, whicli undoubtedly came from the furnaces of cement works
in tlie neighbourliood. I t often happened at aea that a layer of dust aplienrecl
to cover tlie surface of the ocean, but on examination this dust proved to be a
niinute sea-weed instend of the coal dust it resenibled. The very cordial thanks
of the Society were due to the autlionr of this niobt interesting paper.
hlr. F. DRUCEsiiicl that it niixht possibly be of inter& to know that Ilia
observer in the Surrey Hills reported a fall of deposit on Friday, Fellruary 20,
nnd that upon furtlier enquiry this was found to be correct, nnd that certainly
R full hat1 occurred either ou the evening of tile 20th or niorning of the 21st-
nn earlier dute than tliu one under discussion. There was, however, no dis-
colouration of the wnter in the rain-gauge mi the 2194 but on the 221111
discdourntion had tuken place. Donbtiess a dill’erent current of uir itlight have
depo*itetl the dust a duy or two earlier in this part of the country.
hlr. F. J. BRODIE fully concurred in the reirinrks of previous spealtera ne to
tlie value und interest of the paper. Dr. Mill hiid given an excellent account
of the nature and extent of the deposit, and 1\11.. Lempfert liail clearly showii
that tlie air currents prevailing at the time were fuvourable for tlie transniission
of dust particles froni a region as distant a8 tlie Yalinra desert. With regard to
the origin of tlie fall tliere coiilil, in fact, be very little doubt. “Origin ” and
“ cause ’’ were, however, by no nieiins synonymous terms. Tlie phenomenon
itself was udniitteclly very uniisuol, but could ns much be said with regard to
the utmusphericnl conditions under which it liad occurred, so fur as tliey were
presented by hIr. Lernpfert’s cliartn 1 He ( A h . Broclie) would venture to say
that it would not be difficiilt to find dozens, or even scores, IJf cases in which
tlie pressure distribution over Europe and the Atlantic \\‘aspracticnlly identical
with that observed in February last, but in which no record of any dust-fiill was
obtainable in these islands. One coiild only suriiiise that in tlie case under
discussion the African deserts were visited by a cyclonic storm of iiiore tliaii
ordinary intensity, and tliat unusually large quailtities of dnat were whirled up
into the higher regions of the atmosphere. I n the central parta of Northern
Africa meteorological observations are, however, extremely scarce, so that the
existence of such a storm could not be clearly proved.
blr. C. HARDINQreniarked that the chnrta of February 17-18 pointed to
low pressure and decided disturbance over the north-western part of Africa, and
that it was well known that great quantities of dust were whipped up and
carried great distances during cyclonic disturbances. Thnt this had happened
in the present inetance is proved, aa it was easily traceable by the vessels to our
ow11shores. The Pembroks Castle, mentioned by Mr. Lempfrrt for one : ‘‘ And
the hazy etfect produced by this dust, had caused many vessels to be delayed in
their course.” This would tend to show that a lnrge proportion of it must have
been due to the low temperature a t the time. Mr. Lempfert had perhaps only
started his trajectories a little too late-they should possibly have started about
the lYth or 19th. Xr. Harding’s daughter, living in a quiet part of Sussex,
DISCUSSION-THE GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRUARY 1903 91
had told hini that on Sunday, February 22, the windows of lier house were
covered so thickly with a fine deposit as to obscure the light. He w u l d suggest
that the etnphasised influence of the Polar Current on the north produced
the low temperature in the north of the British Isles, and the Gulf Streiirii
produced warnith on the southern side.
Dr. H. R. MILL agreed with BIr. Brodie that it would be very satisfactory to
discover the causes of these phenonimn, atid thought that the only way to do
fio was by obtaining successive approximations, by iiiaking the most of all the
evidence that could be brought forward from time to time, i!nil this was what
was being done. I t was, however, difficult to obtain information on tlie suhject,
as u t present no recognised methods for tlealiny with such falls existed. Three
siiccessive Springs h;td brought dustfalls with them to Europe, and it might be
that the phenomenon was a very conitnon one, perhiips even of annual occurrence.
The occurrence of wind-borne dust off the Sahara const was so coiiiiiion that the
naiiie of “ Sea of Diwkness ” had been given to tliiit part of the ocean froni the
frequent dust-fogs. The whole subject had been Iiiintlled cotiiprehensivcly by
Elireriberg in his I’ctsscttstnzrb und Ulutregen (“ Trade-wind Dust a i d Blood-rain ”)
ns long ago as 1847. Last year Capt. Hepwortli had Iiublislietl a warning to
iiiariiiers against these dust-stornis. The stornis carried froni the Sahara at least
as far as Tenerife were oiily noriiial, Init were abnormal when carrid as far ns
in the cme now under discussion. The wider exteiisioii was probably due to
uiiusual barometric movements.
Tliiit the dnst was sottietitnes blowii over to our isliincls, an11 soiiietiniev not,
was probably due to the distrilmtion of pressure ; :ind in all ewes of :in aiiti-
cyclone resting over the sootli-west portion of Europe, lie woulJ like to see
whetlier snnie evideiico of dust-fill was not fortlicoiiiing. 111 conclusion, lie
woulcl like to say that lie thouglit hIr. 1,enipfert’s lurt in thc prepar:ttion of the
paper was by far the niore inlportnnt, for it :ipplie(l tlic nirthotl of air-trajectories
to the elucitlatioii of it pwticnlar problciii with a very satisfactory r e d t .
hlr. R. G. I<. L E M W C Iin~ T ilircnsaing
, the question of the dust clepusits on
the cards of sonshine-recorders, observed that Dr. Nett’s inrestig;rtions lint1
shown that the deposit invariably contained niucli iiiattcr of u n d o u b t d y local
origin, and therefore it must be regarded as possible that in some cases tlie
deposit might be entirely of local origin. I t was therefore necessary to regard
reports froni isolated pliices, fiir reitloveil froiii the ninin area of cleposit, with
much scepticism, nnlesa indeed niicroscopic exaiiiination by an expert placed it
beyond doubt that the extremely tine red clay, recoynised by Dr. Flett as the
part of all the deposits which was probihly of foreign origin, was present.
I n answer to Jlr. Brodie’s query as to the priniary cause which raised such
vast quantities of dust into the atmosphere, he pointed (but that the Algerinn
Daily Weather Report for February 18 records strong winds nnil gales in the
north of Africa, which seem to show a cyclonic circulation round a centre of low
pressure situnted south-east of Algeria. Dr. Herrmann had so interpreted them
on the niaps published in his paper.
Climatology of St. Helena.--The only meteorological station in St. Helena

is placed about 1900 feet above sea-level, and records are taken only once a day.
The total rainfall for the year past nns 34.74 ins.-nearly 4 ins. below that
of the previous year. Rain fell on 254 days, but the greatest fall in one day
did not exceed 1.41 ins. June, July, and A u p s t are the wettest months. The
prevailing wind ranges froni East-south-east to South-east, and on only seven
days was it recorded as calin. The highest niaxiniuiii shade temperature was
78“, on February 6 ; the lowest mininium 62”, on September l . - G e o p p h i c n l
Jotimal, November 1903.

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MILL AND LEAIPFEK'I'---GREAT DUST-FAIAL O F FEI3RUAHY 1903 57

THE GREAT DUST-FALL OF FEBRU.IRY 1903,

REMARKABLE falls of dust from the atmosphere were observed in various

be found in Dr. Herrmann’s paper ; as his information is, in the main,

parried by temperatures considerably above the average, and by remark-

doubtedly experienced in several places on the 21st. The reports of

the south-west. This riiinfall day was charncterised by high temperatiire

While the list of observations summarises the facts as to the dis-

be fired. Turning to the individual maps, we find that there is cvideiicc

consequently Westerly to South-westerly or Southerly throughout. On

The temperatiire obscrvations, ns given in the Daily Eeports of tho

Fro. 11.-Weather over Western Europe, February 21 and 22.

valley of the Po caused Northerly to North-easterly winds a t many of the

hornblende, chlorite, tourmaline (S), zircon, muscovite, cherty silica,

For purposes of comparison the second analysis hns been recalculated

IVI LTSH I HE.

IPPLEPEB near NEW- (per Miss E. H. In fog between 7 and 8 am. . 22

TORI~ISGTOX, LIITLE (F. A. Barton i j i Clialky looking . . . 21

S LYNMOUTII . . (J.H. Mead Bi-iggs) Found in gauge on morning of . 23

CARMA RTH EN.

LLASDEDR . (H.0.Hollinpicorth) ......

Observcltions from the Atlantic O(*eiinand Ajrica.

From the Compteu Rendus.

Information supplied by thc courtesy of thc Deutschc Smuarte, Hamburg (received

Froiii Annctlen der Hydrograplrie iind Mardimen Meteoroloyie, October 1903.

From Annalen dm Hydrographie und Naritimen Meteorologic, October 1903.

Tenerife (LMetemdogkche Zeitsclr?$t, 1903, page 134). February 19.

Climatology of St. Helena.--The only meteorological station in St. Helena

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