Page:Jstraitsrsa31-33.pdf/712

 in front of them; to the latter two a bright hight seemed to be thrown in their faces and the loud report was instantaneous. These two afterwards detected a sulphurous smell, and all felt a sensation like an electric shock. There had been some distant thunder an rain shortly after noon. It had afterwards been bright but stormy looking; and though clouds were gathering in the evening, there was at that time no thunder or lightning, Shortly afterwards there was heavy thunder near, followed by a copious shower. A. K."

Mr. Knight's second account also describes a form of discharge about which very little is known. It is unfortunate that no photograph was obtained, as it would seem from comments in a recent electrical journal that no photograph ever has been obtained of this phenomenon, and it has been customary to discredit statements as to its appearance. Mr. Knight's note differs from the more usual accounts, in which the ball of fire is said to run about before bursting, but is closely analogous to a case quoted by Dr. Oliver Lodge, in which however the ball is described as of a reddish yellow colour, changing to vivid white. Mr. Knight's account is as follows:—"On the 14th October, 1898, there was a very severe thunder squall—strong wind, violent rain and much thunder, not very distant. It came on suddenly, about 7 p.m., as we were going down to dinner; and as I was about to take my seat at the end of the table, facing the back of the house, I saw an explosion in the air, like that of a fireball or bomb, probably four or five feet above the ground, and there was a loud bang. The light appeared greenish white. There is no doubt that it was in the back garden, as it was located there by some neighbours whose line of sight was at right angles with mine."

Mr. Ridley reports also the two following cases of globular lightning, differing from that of Mr. Knight in that the phenomena occurred outside the storm. "Some few years ago, I was sitting in my verandah, about 7 p.m; it was quite dark, and there was a thunderstorm going on over the Economic Garden. Suddenly there was an intensely brilliant flash and instantaneous explosion close to the house. My back was towards the garden,