Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-04-30
>r,..,oe. from this pert, arrived At
Norfolk.
RICHMOND, April q.
Sbsotfxg Sfars.

.,s,nes. many, and altoniihsu ese' ''el
as''l hsbsd i. From one until three IN
- ~ morning, tho6e FAIRY meteors ieemsd
SO ,,ll from every poiot in the heavens,
y e'eb numbers as TO refssa5le ihower OF
.as,ockets. The inhabitants happened
- :. came hour TO be called from their
,ouls, By the FIRE bell, which was runs
:. -. ,ccouot OF fire that broke OUT ie one
IN. rooms of rae Afmoury, bu, which
:, lDesdily extinguiihsd. Every one,
,h,,eforc, had 40 opportunity OF witnei-
Gao alcenc OF nature, which never before
=. .,s Displayed in this part of the globe,
scd which, probably, will never appear
.a,;n Several oflbofe lhooIing meteors
y.r. accompanied with train OF fire,
ia, Illuminated the Ky for confderabie
d;aance. One in particular appeared to
al from the Zenith, of the apparent flze
Ia ball Of eighteen inches diameter, that
lighted for lsvera! feconts the whole ne
uitphere. During The continuance Of this
remarkable phenomenon, a hitting noic
d the air was plainly heard, and ieyeral
,.oorss, relembllrg the difeharge Of a pd-
,ol. Had The city bell not been ringing
theft. reports would probably have fesmed
much louder. The Ky was remarkably
dear and ierene, and the yiiibie fixed itars
numerous the whole night. We are anx-
ious 10 know at whar diifance from Rich.
nond this phenomenon has extended. Il
j, hoped that perfons who have remarked
il in other places, will not neglect 10 in.
form the public Of the particulars as fuch
information NAV add, ia a great degree,
70 tbe knowledge Of Meteorology.
Since writing the above, we have been
informed thatieveral os,he largea of Shefs
hootine meteors, were obferyed todefcend
sImos 10 che ground before they exploded.
Indeed, many Of thofe which we Jaw, ap.
scared to approach within few yards of
the houfe tops, and then fuddenly TO va
piih. Some perfors, we arc told, were
3 alarmed, that they imagined the fire in
the Armoury was occaloned by one of
thele msteors, and in place of repairing
10 extinguilh the earthly flames, they bu-
fed th-mfelves in contriv,ng TO protet
the roofs of their houfes from the fire of
Heaven.
The circumGance of the ihoosing fsrs
defending within mort diifsnce of the
ground, is however, faa highly impor-
.ant to be known as i, has been generally
fppoisd, that metcors only proceed in a
horizontal direction, and never fly perpen-
iicularly upwards or downwards. Thoie
which we particularly remarked, ap9ear-
ed TO defend in an angle of Gxty degrees
with the horizon; hut as the Gmailer ones
were e numerous, and crofcd each other
indifferent directions it was only poili-
bic to afccrtain with any precifon, The
paths of,he Target and mott brilliant.
WASHINGTON CITY, April 20.
We underf.nd that in The courfe Of
the enfaing wear line of STAGES will
Be eaablifhed from RICHMOND TO
FRANKFORT in KENTUCKY, by
which the mail will be carried.
The political and commercial, advan-
'aees Of this arrangement will be equally
f'tby thofe who relde on the Atlantic,
and the wsfern waters, Integral parts
Of one common emp;rc the prevalent OPT
Mons and feelings of the one will be ca
MY and promptly communicated 70 tie O.
Tier; and more fequert intercourse
c'thccitizens Of each will add a new tie
TO thar connection which we truf time
will only render mere indiiIoluhle.
Not9ce