From the Newcastle Journal.
On July 22, between 8 and 9 at night, a strange phaenomenon was seen in the air, it appeared first at a considerable distance in the North, passed this place with great velocity to the South, and seemed to be a body of fire about 20 inches round, and in its motion had a luminous tail about two yards long.
Letter from Wigtoun.
The extraordinary meteor mentioned in the Newcastle paper, &c. appeared over the Solway firth, directing its course South Eastward, the wind W.S.W. passed to the East of Wigton, seemed to be over Carlisle, and passed Newcastle also : but in order to account for its appearing at so many places, near the same time, it must have been kindled in the higher regions of the atmosphere, and been vastly higher than people imagined, whose computation was about 30 yards only, whereas it seems to have been as many miles at least, else it could not have appeared, almost over every place that we yet hear of; its tail and other appearances would vary with the circumstances of its inflammability and motion. Yours, G.S.
[illustration]
(A like meteor was seen at Coventry on the [...] about 8 in the evening, which moved swiftly from westward to eastward.)
Letter from Kelham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, July 27.
On July 21 n1This letter, printed in the papers, says it was Saturday 21, but probably it was Sunday 22. a meteor being seen then at Coventry, Newcastle, Wigton, and seems to be the same at a quarter past 8 in the evening, the atmosphere being perfectly serene and calm, a fiery body of a surprising aspect, passed over the town. The head of it appear'd to me, computing myself at about fifty yards distance from it, to be a globe of about 5 or 6 inches diameter, more sparkling than the morning star. It drew after it a tail of a duller and more blood colour'd flame, seemingly four or five feet in length; broad next to the head, to which it closely join'd, and gradually terminating to a point. It flew about 30 yards from the ground, in a steady, strait course, and with the velocity of a very swift bird. Its motion was nearly from West to East. It was seen at Heiperthorpe, 5 miles West of Kelham, speeding this way; at Gransmire, 5 miles East of us, still pursuing its course; and in all the intermediate villages (that is, for ten miles in a direct line) by numbers of people, who all confes'd that they never beheld such a sight in the heavens before; and in all these places it appeared in every respect as it did here.