Merseyside UFO Bulletin - Vol 5 No 5 - 1973

Magazine Overview

Title: MUFOB (Merseyside UFO Bulletin)
Issue: Volume 5, Number 5
Date: March 11, 2013
Publisher: Merseyside UFO Bulletin
Content Focus: UFO investigations, historical cases, and cataloguing of reports.

Editorial

The editorial section discusses the possibility of holding a small-scale UFO conference in Liverpool later in the year. The aims of this proposed seminar would be to discuss and compare notes on the cataloguing and publication of UFO data, as well as the investigation of 'high strangeness' UFO reports. Researchers are invited to send comments or suggestions to John Rimmer or Peter Rogerson.

Letter to the Editor

Stephen Smith, from Nottingham, writes to express his continued interest in MUFOB despite his current passive ufological stance due to a recent move. He comments on the ongoing debate between John Keel and Alan Sharp, suggesting that while both have valid points, Alan Sharp's approach is 'righter' but could benefit from being less anti-hypothesis. Smith congratulates Peter Rogerson on advocating and creating an International Catalogue of Type I UFO reports.

Identifying UFOs by Nigel H Watson

This article critically examines several well-known UFO phenomena, aiming to illustrate cases that are of dubious origin. Watson begins by addressing the claims surrounding the Soviet Voskhod missions, where it was alleged that Voskhod I was attacked by flying saucers and Voskhod II was forced to land by a UFO. Soviet Weekly has refuted these allegations, stating they are "utterly false" and that the missions were completed as planned. The article dismisses the idea that space is only interesting for 'hostile flying saucers,' referencing Alexei Leonov's paintings of space.

Next, Watson tackles the report of 1,600 flashing lights seen in the crater Plato on the Moon in 1871. The Librarian of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) states that this report "has no foundation" and likely originates from Charles Fort's books, possibly being a garbled version of Birt's observations. The RAS has no record of this case in its publications between 1869 and 1971.

The article also touches upon speculation regarding a trans-Pluto planet, the celestial body 'Vulcan,' and a second satellite orbiting Earth, noting that findings in these areas have been negative.

Finally, Watson discusses the Tungus meteorite event. According to the most recent expedition to the Siberian forests, the event is now believed to be caused by a small comet, with scientists rejecting earlier hypotheses involving a hard substance or an exploded nuclear-powered spaceship. The catastrophe in 1903, which felled an estimated 60,000 trees, is now attributed to the explosion of a comet nucleus, leaving behind frozen gas and cosmic dust.

International Catalogue of Type I UFO Reports - Part 1

This section marks the beginning of a multi-issue feature, presenting the first part of an International Catalogue of Type I UFO reports. It covers the period from 1368 (the commencement date of the Vallee catalogue) to the end of the nineteenth century, with a focus on the 1397 flap in the midwestern USA.

The editors emphasize the importance of understanding that not all reports are necessarily generated by new, extraordinary stimuli, nor are all cases equally well-authenticated. They appeal to fellow researchers for information regarding hoaxes, misidentifications, additional details, or reports not yet brought to their attention. Feedback is considered crucial.

Approximately 40% of the reports are taken verbatim from Dr. Jacques Vallee's catalogue, published as an appendix to his 'Passport to Hagonia,' denoted by the code 'Mx'. A key to abbreviations for sources is provided, including FSR (Flying Saucer Review), books by John Keel, Coral and Jim Lorenzen, and Jacques Vallee's works.

• Identified Cases (Eliminated from Catalogue):
• M2 (December 7, 1372): Banbury, England - Likely a tornado with electrical discharge, not a "flying haystack."
• M3 (1377): Aldershot, England - A distorted and exaggerated version of other cases.
• M4 (May 15, 1379): Persian Gulf - A distorted account of the "Vulture" case, attributed to bioluminescence.
• M7 (June 11, 1831): Melbourne to Sydney - The account from Fort is incomplete; likely an illumination on a brig with shattered masts and spars, possibly a phosphorescence-covered hulk.

• Comments on cases in this catalogue:
• 13: Suspicious, possibility of a journalistic hoax.
• 15-50: Controversy surrounding Dr. Geoffrey Doel's claim that the famous airship was a terrestrial device by Edward Pennington, with Doel attributing Type I reports fitting his itinerary as journalistic hoaxes.
• 32: Perry Springs listed as Illinois instead of Missouri in some sources.
• 36: Report credited to Reynolds (Michigan) for April 14; caution advised.
• 41: Clark advises treating this report with suspicion.
• 48: Clark and Farish suspect a journalistic hoax.

• International Catalogue - Part 1 (Selected Entries):
• 1 (July 1368): Cofíago (Chile) - Strange aerial construction with lights and engine noises, described as a giant bird with scales.
• 2 (November 10, 1872): Peckham (England) - Figure seen in a drive, white, with outstretched arms, moving in leaps.
• 3 (April 1377): Aldershot (England) - Two figures, "glowing with phosphorous," appeared suddenly with leaps.
• 4 (First week September 1377): Aldershot (England) - Figure made prodigious leaps and touched sentries' faces.
• 5 (September 18, 1877): Brooklyn (New York) - Winged human form seen in the sky.
• 6 (October 1877): Newport, Near Lincoln (England) - Strange being resembling a sheepskin, made prodigious leaps, immune to bullets.
• 7 (1880): Eastern Venezuela - Luminous ball descended from the sky, hovering near a boy who felt "drawn" to it.
• 8 (March 26, 1380): Lamy (New Mexico) - Voices heard from a "strange balloon" shaped like a fish, with figures aboard, flying over.
• 9 (September 11, 1880): Coney Island (New York) - "Man with bat's wings and improved frog's legs" seen "swimming in the air."
• 10 (November 2, 1835): Scutari (Turkey) - Blue-green flame object circled the harbour, then plunged into the sea.
• 11 (November 12, 1887): Cape Race (Atlantic Ocean) - Huge sphere of light rose from the ocean, flew against the wind, and dashed off.
• 12 (1890): South Boisdale, Outer Hebrides (Scotland) - Object like a "railway engine" approached, dismounted by witness.
• 13 (July 2, 1393): Henderson Isle, Fuget Sound (Washington) - Oval object with "electric" feeling, "water spray," and propeller-like rear.
• 14 (1396): Arclla, Near Zermatt (Switzerland) - Two little men seen by Aleister Crowley.
• 15 (November 6, 1396): Camptonville (California) - Object like an "airship" landed, piloted by a bearded man.
• 16 (November 17, 1896): Sacramento (California) - Egg-shaped object with fan-like wheels, voices heard, men pushing it.
• 17 (March 26, 1897): Sioux City (Iowa) - Anchor from a flying machine dragged a man over 10m.
• 18 (March 23, 1397): Omaha (Nebraska) - Object like a huge light arrived from SE, flew northwestward, came to low altitude.
• 19 (April 1, 1897): Everest (Kansas) - Object flew under cloud ceiling, swept ground with light, rose at fantastic speed.
• 20 (April 7, 1397): Wolf Creek Township (Iowa) - Light in a field, cylindrical object with a cigar-shaped "bag" above it.
• 21 (April 8, 1397): West Liberty (Iowa) - Object at low altitude paced a train, metallic appearance with flimsy wings.
• 22 (April 11, 1897): Milwaukee (Wisconsin) - Oval-shaped object with suspended light, 4 occupants seen through telescope.
• 23 (April 12, 1397): Burlington (Iowa) - Aerial object paced and overtook a train at high speed.
• 24 (April 12, 1397): Nilwood (Illinois) - Cigar-shaped craft with a dome landed and rose slowly.
• 25 (April 12, 1397): Girard, Near Green Ridge (Illinois) - Large crowd saw an object land, a man emerged to repair machinery.
• 26 (April 13, 1397): Pennfield, Near Battle Creek (Michigan) - Brilliant object approached swiftly, a wheel of aluminium fell to the ground.
• 27 (April 14, 1397): Gas City (Indiana) - Object landed, six occupants emerged, made repairs, then rose rapidly.
• 28 (April 14, 1397): Cleveland (Ohio) - Fishing boat saw a ship-like object with a canopy, a man, woman, and child aboard; a balloon rose from it.
• 29 (April 15, 1397): Linn Grove (Iowa) - Large object flew north, seemed ready to land, spread "four giant wings" and rose.
• 30 (April 15, 1397): Springfield (Illinois) - Craft in a field, occupants discussed electrical repairs.
• 31 (April 15, 1397): Howard-Artesian (South Dakota) - Flying object followed a train, coming closer to the ground.
• 32 (April 15, 1397): Perry Springs (Missouri) - Passenger train followed by a low-flying object with red and white light.
• 33 (April 15, 1397): Pine Lake (Michigan) - Gigantic object with blinding light, crew requested egg sandwiches and coffee.
• 34 (April 16, 1397): Downs Township (Illinois) - Aerial craft landed, six people emerged and spoke to witness.
• 35 (April 16, 1397): Mount Vernon (Illinois) - "Body of a huge man, swimming through the air with an electric light on his back."
• 36 (April 16-17, 1897): Williamston (Michigan) - "Man" c. 3m tall piloted a landed object, struck a farmer.
• 37 (April 19, 1397): Leroy (Kansas) - Elongated cigar-shaped object hovered above ground, contained "six of the strangest beings," dragged a cow.
• 38 (April 19, 1397): Beaumont (Texas) - Large dark object, manned by four men who claimed it was one of five airships built in Iowa.
• 39 (April 20, 1397): Homan (Arkansas) - Cylinder-shaped object with pointed ends, lateral wheels, and horizontal blades, used compressed air for propulsion.
• 40 (April 20, 1397): Uvalde (Texas) - Object with "great wings and fins," manned by three men who procured water.
• 41 (April 21, 1397): Harrisburg (Arkansas) - Object descended to just above ground, manned by an elderly man, woman, and two young men; airship worked on anti-gravity.
• 42 (April 22, 1397): Rockland (Texas) - Flying object circling above ground, landed, requested hardware items for repair.
• 43 (April 22, 1397): Josserand (Texas) - Heavy, lighted object landed in a wheat field, manned by crew who discussed its workings.
• 44 (April 23, 1397): McKinney Bayou (Arkansas) - Peculiar object anchored on the ground, manned by three men speaking a foreign language.
• 45 (April 25, 1397): Merkel (Texas) - Heavy object dragged along the ground by a rope attached to a flying craft.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to adopt a critical yet open-minded stance towards UFO phenomena. While debunking specific sensational claims (like the Voskhod incidents and the Plato lights), it actively engages in cataloguing and investigating historical reports. The emphasis on rigorous investigation, source verification, and the appeal for researcher input suggests a commitment to a more scientific and evidence-based approach to ufology. The recurring theme is the careful examination of evidence to distinguish between genuine anomalies and misidentifications, hoaxes, or folklore.

MUFOB, Issue 5, March 1973, is a publication from the Merseyside UFO Bulletin, an informal, restricted circulation periodical devoted to ufology. The editorial panel includes John Harney, John A. Rimer, Peter Rogerson, and Alan W. Sharp. The magazine covers a range of topics related to UFO sightings, unexplained phenomena, and speculative theories.

UFO Sightings and Reports

The issue details several UFO sightings, presented chronologically with approximate dates and locations:

• April 26, 1997 (Approx.): Aquila-Hillsboro, Texas: A lawyer observed a lighted object with smaller lights on its underside. His horse was scared, and the object ascended and flew to the northeast at high speed.
• April 27, 1997 (Approx. 0200): Dayton, Ohio: Two individuals saw a huge cigar-shaped object with a lighted basket underneath, containing three human-looking occupants.
• April 29, 1997 (2330): Holton, Ohio: An object approximately 100 meters long with a 12-meter tail arrived from the north and hovered over a bridge for 55 minutes. Revelry was heard from the object, and it departed with a man who had been on the ground after dropping a hook.
• May 6, 1997 (2230): Matteawan, New York: An object illuminated the sky with brilliant white and green flashes. Two or three occupants were seen, one of whom threw hot ashes over the side. The object did not appear to cast a shadow when illuminated.
• May 6, 1997: Hot Springs, Arkansas: Two policemen observed a bright light and later a machine approximately 20 meters long. They encountered two men carrying lights, who claimed to have crossed the country in a flying craft and invited the policemen to join them.
• March 3, 1973: Lake Victoria, Uganda: President Amin reported seeing a spectacular object, covered in smoke, descend into Lake Victoria and then ascend rapidly. He described it as having 'great significance' and a 'sign of good luck' for Uganda.

Identifying UFOs and Philosophical Reflections

The section "Identifying UFOs" continues from a previous page, featuring a quote from Benedict Spinoza: "He who would distinguish the true from the false must have an adequate idea of what is true and false." This quote is attributed to "Ethics" and suggests a philosophical approach to evaluating UFO evidence.

Notes and References

A list of references is provided, citing articles from "Flying Saucer Review" and other publications, including works by Paul Davies, W. J. Swindall, Arthur Bray, and G. Wilder. It is noted that Dr. Davies will reply to letters in a future issue.

BUFORA Northern Conference, 1973

Details are given for the BUFORA Northern Regional Conference to be held on Saturday, May 12, at the Wakefield Albany Inn. The conference is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with further details available by mail.

"Alien Space Probe?" and Editorial Commentary

The editors express skepticism regarding press reports of alleged radio signals from an alien space probe orbiting Earth, finding the published details vague but looking forward to further investigations.

Public Communiques and Personal Quests

Two quotes from Arthur Shuttlewood are included. In the first, he states that his article will be his last on UFOs and that there will be no more public communiques from his team in Warminster. The second quote, from November 1972, indicates that his "questing for truth has ended" after eight years of reporting on Warminster phenomena and that his fourth book, 'Stairway to the Stars', gives his final conclusions.

Unconventional Meteorological Theories from Aquarius Viewpoint

The magazine discusses an article from "Aquarius Viewpoint," a UFO magazine edited by Rex Dutta. The article presents "rather unconventional meteorological theories," suggesting that weather changes are caused by rockets puncturing the earth's "etheric web," creating two holes and a third magnetic pole. This phenomenon is claimed to induce magnetic anomalies that can lead to sudden holes in roads, collapse of walls, or explosions. The theories also link collective human thought, particularly selfish thought, to thickening the earth's aura, adversely affecting weather, and causing the earth's rotation to wobble.

Delays and Editorial Information

Apologies are offered for increasing delays in publication and distribution due to other commitments. The Merseyside UFO Bulletin is described as an informal, restricted circulation periodical, and the views expressed by contributors are not necessarily shared by the editors.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, the investigation of unexplained phenomena, and the presentation of speculative or unconventional theories. The editorial stance appears to be one of cautious skepticism towards sensational claims (as seen in the commentary on the alien space probe) while remaining open to reporting diverse accounts and theories within the ufology community. The inclusion of philosophical quotes and detailed references suggests an effort to provide a more analytical and well-documented approach to the subject matter.