WCP2192

[1]¹

South Laund

Chislehurst

July 21. 86

Dear Sir,

Your letter² was forwarded to me but I have no means at present to give you the required information; as I have not my references at hand. I am very busy just now as I am leaving next week for an the West Indies on an eclipse expedition. But on my return in October I shall be very glad to look up my [2] notes and if possible send you some of the Himalaya dust. I do not know however whether they have been carried distances greater than say ten or twenty miles. A geologist might be able to tell ^{by the nature of this dust} as I have the exact locality. –

It may interest you in connexion with this question that Prof. Helmholtz³ told me in conversation some time ago [3] that according to some calculations he had made, dust of the size of the Krakatao dust & projected originally with a force like that of the Krakatao eruption, would might take three or four years before it has settled dow[n] again. During that time it could of course be carried any distance.

yours truly | Arthur Schuster⁴ [signature]

I shall stay here till next Wednesday I shall be glad to give you whatever [4] information I can, without my books. It might be worth while to write to John Murray,⁵Challenger Office, Edinburgh, who has I believe mo a great deal of information on dust. –