Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

FROM THE RHODE ISLAND AMERICAN.

Messrs. Dunham and Harkins,

On the 17th of June last I took my departure from Block-Island, bound to St. Barts. We were steering E. S. E. and a southerly wind was blowing very brisk; the sky was cloudy and squally, accompanied with rain, sharp lightning, loud thunder, and a rough sea. At three days sail from Block-Island, in lat. 30. 58. N. long. 70, 25, W. at 11 o'clock at night, a sharp and uncommon noise was heard astern of the vessel, resembling somewhat the report of a pistol, at two distinct and different times. A few minutes after this noise, the clouds separated over head in the form of a fog rainbow. and at that moment a stone fell on our deck, and at the same time a large quantity fell in the water under our lee, at the distance I should judge of about 12 feet.

in about five or six seconds afterwards the fog-rainbow descended to the horizon. I suppose, from the quantity that fell in the water, that had they fallen on board, we should have suffered material injury. The stone that fell upon the deck I have preserved, it weighs about six ounces, is of the color of iron, and appears to be impregnated with copper. Whether this stone was drawn up by a water spout, which broke a little astern of us, I leave for others to judge. The weather still continued very thick and cloudy attended with rain, sharp lightning, heavy thunder and a rough sea.

This stone may be seen and examined by any person who wishes to gratify his curiosity, by calling at the residence of the subscriber, in Westminster-street.

BENNETT P. Gatewood.

The Connecticut meteor that terminated in a stone, has excited much discussion amongst learned philosophers, both in our country and in Europe.

We embrace the earliest opportunity to communicate any facts to the public which may throw light on this interesting question. Substances of phenomena of this kind. both ancient and modern times have been witnesses of, and the cause still remains unexplained. We have examined the stone, and it appears to be composed of iron, with spots of a substance resembling verdigris interspersed, which leads to the supposition that it is impregnated with copper.