30th.  A London paper of Sept. 4th notices a brilliant display of the aurora borealis and falling stars, on the same day of the extraordinary display of the same kind, witnessed on this island.  The first impression in that city, was of a great fire in some distant part of the city, there being, at first, a dense red light.  The difference between the two places is about 25 deg. of latitude.  Its commencement was about half, or three quarters of an hour later.  The editor says:—­

“Between the hours of ten last night and three this morning in the heavens were observed one of the most magnificent specimens of that extraordinary phenomena—­the falling stars and northern lights—­ever witnessed for many years past.  The first indication of this singular phenomenon was about ten minutes before ten, when a light crimson, apparently vapor, rose from the northern portion of the hemisphere, and gradually extended to the centre of the heavens, and by ten o’clock, or a quarter past, the whole, from east to west, was in one vast sheet of light.  It had a most alarming appearance, and was exactly like that occasioned by a terrific fire.  The light varied considerably; at one time it seemed to fall, and directly after rose with intense brightness.  There were to be seen mingled with it volumes of smoke, which rolled over and over, and every beholder seemed convinced that it was ’a tremendous conflagration.’  The consternation in the metropolis was very great; thousands of persons were running in the direction of the supposed catastrophe.  The engines belonging to the fire brigade stations in Baker Street, Farringdon Street, Wattling Street, Waterloo Road, and likewise those belonging to the West of England station; in fact, every fire-engine in London was horsed, and galloped after the supposed ’scene of destruction’ with more than ordinary energy, followed by carriages, horsemen, and vast mobs.  Some of the engines proceeded as far as Highgate and Holloway before the error was discovered.

“These appearances lasted for upwards of two hours, and towards morning the spectacle became one of more grandeur.  At two o’clock this morning, the phenomenon presented a most gorgeous scene, and one very difficult to describe.  The whole of London was illuminated as light as noonday, and the atmosphere was remarkably clear.  The southern hemisphere, at the time mentioned, although unclouded, was very dark, but the stars, which were innumerable, shone beautifully.  The opposite side of the heavens presented a singular but magnificent contrast; it was clear to the extreme, and the light was very vivid; there was a continual succession of meteors, which varied in splendor.  They apparently formed in the centre of the heavens, and spread till they seemed to burst; the effect was electrical; myriads of small stars shot out over the horizon, and darted with that swiftness towards the earth that the eye scarcely could follow the track; they seemed to burst also and throw