The New York herald., 1867-11-15

lsft rrsu,sh luu,ue,s track but the majority were Of
an intense WHITE From hafpAss four 70 5. ~ ssS
the ssarry shower gradually diminished 10 sno
brirhlusss ana AZ lie dawn began 10 break lev
agRards only 70 BE- seen lifting In s'ssa' pss
Ic poIut OF numbers at least the display Of this
uornins NAV be npsst that has been seen
IN this country slDce ns famous a. rngss.d isss
year II ig Ia fact tue group OF meeors that Vas
beheid there The earth, however, passed through .
TSs ae.ervasons a. ine United States Naval obssrva-
tory are highly satisfactory and complete Commodore
+ Sands had stationed Professor Harkness. OF the
observatory, a, Richmond, Va, who IN conjunction
NH Professors Nescomb. Eastman. HARRISON Doollte
and Gardner posted Al the Observatory here took note
Of All prominent meteors for the purpose or obtaining
the paraaM Observations were arranged to DO made
the southern heavens from three o'clock iil daylight
for this object, the American Telegraph Company
had consented to the OF their line the exchanging
signals with Professor Hardness the appearance OF
wires communication could not be es,abisned In
pance with the requ 81 OF Professor Newton ooserva
tons 70 se nos.aers heaven. for parAa1 were made
Commodore Sands made The following report 10 the
Secretary OF the Navy this morning
NAVAL OBSERVATORY,
WARRINGTON City, Nov. IA, 1851
SiR--I have the honor - snUmit the following pre-
lmnary report OF the meteorc sno ser Of this ornns
The display OF meteors was the most brilliant seen In
this country since the great shower OF 1888.
In accordance With request OF Professor H. A. Now
ton observations 10 the northern heavens Tor paraax
made between the hours Of eleven and two O'Clock
a. n. Very few however, we're seen ull one O'Clock.
These observations made and the tracks
OF the meteors were drawn upon tho map BY
hessrs. Nam, L,ndenhahi. Lumbrock and Filman,
Q party OF assistants OF tho United Sta 60 Coast
Survey, kindly volunteered thor services Forty
six meteor tracks mapped dowd by them. O0ser-
vations in conjunction with Professor Harknes OF this
observatory. At Richmond, Va. for paraas were COM
menced after three O'Clock by the observatory party,
Mes r. Newcomb, Eastman, Harrison, Doolttle and
Gardner Arrangements had been made by The courtesy
Of American telegraph 10 exchange teesrapbic sg
with Professor Harkness on the appearance OF rae
meteor bat through disarranSement Of The wires
communication could not be established.
One hundred and nty.ive meteor tracks were
mapped baii-past four O'Clock when the meteors
few thick that Identification OF tnnse seen from our
two stations became hopeless. and sinDe counting was
resoed TO- One Thousand meecrs were counted In twen
ty-one minutes
Afterwards successive hundreds counted In tho
following intervals: - milo >, 8 min. 80 c., mia 80
sec., min. Al sec., min sec, MIN. 81 sec, 10
mIn. 81 @. Is min. 20 sec
The FIRST thousand being partly counted while mapping
st II goin on is probable tIat oae half were not
that may be etmated that Two thousand really
fe IN the course OF ,weniy-ooe mnaies Tue time OF
MAXIMUM Thickness OF the alb ,ut lor hours
twenty-five m,nutes Tnis Il two hours later than that
given by the European observations Of last year. showing
slight change 10 tho position OF tne streaa.
Many OF the meeors were remarkable for their bril-
lancy. and for having brilliant greensn tran, which
usually vanished IN few second, bt In one or two
lasted several min hss no radiant point vas
very well denucd. Deng In right ascension Ten hours
minute, declLaiioD twenty-five degrees thirty
MN
Nsxt year the shower 4 there be any, VIII not bagin
until O'CLOCK A., Washing time, and will there
fore be seen only in the Pacific Ocean.
have the honor 20 be, respectfully. your obedient
servant,
b. f. SANDS, Commodore, superintendent.
To Hon GIDEON WALES, Secretary Of tho Navy.
observat ons win 10 continued the Observatory to.
night and for thr-e or 'our nights TO come.
Recent observations upon these meieorc showers have
gone far to~ards ming several points In the theory
Of meteor bodies which have hi,Lerto renamed in
doub and the data obtained by OF science during
the shooting OF the meeors this morning n do much
10 eiucida,e he laws which govern the movements Of
these celestial One point wnich appears to
have been determined by tns observations made this
morning tnat the anniversary Of The app
of this phenomena c"nfueo alone 10 the 14tn Of
1t well established that the manifestation Of tho metc
Phenomena must necessarily be limited to one dis
pav In ths year Ne are believed 10 be the
debris OF comets and supposed 10 be ponderous
bodies soid matter, winch, when within the sphere
Of The eartn's attract drawn toward II, ana In
the rapidy Of their nignt gnited by friction in
passing hrougn III. eartns atmosphere and totally
sumed. OBSERVATIONS made with view TO dc rrmine
the paraax have decided that the body Of these
me,ors irUm sixty 10 one hundred miles above the
earth, although some approach much nearer ADD osca
lily these oodes large that they not fused
In their passage These reach the earth ana penetrate
IL. II - ,ntrnied to compare observations between
Washington, Richmond and New Hav N, and tie de
taied description oi this mornings exhib ton by the
able Of the country will doubtless be
looked with by those nnd pleasure
IN the study OF celestial pyrotechnics