ents. The
extent of their "scientific" knowledge may be judged by the fact that
they expected to produce (I give their own words) "a little blue sky" if
"they went on long enough." This in the heart of the Doldrums at 450
feet! I have no objection to any amount of blue sky in its proper place
(it can be found at the 2,000 level for practically twelve months out of
the year), but I submit, with all deference to the educational needs of
Transylvania, that "sky-larking" in the centre of a main-travelled road
where, at the best of times, electricity literally drips off one's
stanchions and screw blades, is unnecessary. When my friends had
finished, the road was seared, and blown, and pitted with unequal
pressure-layers, spirals, vortices, and readjustments for at least an
hour. I pitched badly twice in an upward rush--solely due to these
diabolical throw-downs--that came near to wrecking my propeller.
Equatorial work at low levels is trying enough in all conscience without
the added terrors of scientific hooliganism in the Doldrums.

Rhyl. J. VINCENT MATHEWS.

[We entirely sympathize with Professor Mathews's views, but unluckily
till the Board sees fit to further regulate the Southern areas in which
scientific experiments may be conducted, we shall always be exposed to
the risk which our correspondent describes. Unfortunately, a chimera
bombinating in a vacuum is, nowadays, only too capable of producing
secondary causes.--_Editor_.]

Answers to Correspondents

VIGILANS--The Laws of Auroral Derangements are still imperfectly
understood. Any overheated motor may of course "seize" without warning;
but so many complaints have reached us of accidents similar to yours
while shooting the Aurora that we are inclined to believe with Lavalle
that the upper strata of the Aurora Borealis are practically one big
electric "leak," and that the paralysis of your engines was due to
complete magnetization of all metallic parts. Low-flying planes often
"glue up" when near the Magnetic Pole, and there is no reason in science
why the same disability should not be experienced at higher levels when
the Auroras are "delivering" strongly.

INDIGNANT--On your own showing, you were not under control. That you
could not hoist the necessary N. U. C. lights on approaching a
traffic-lane because your electrics had short-circuited is a misfortune
which might befall any one. The A. B. C., being responsible for t