The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-28 00:00:00

THE LATE GALES.

The equinoctial gales sot in last week with
more than their wonted seVerity, and details of
shipwrecks, with extensive loss of life, have day
after day filled the columns of the daily prom.
The list of disasters equals in tragic interest the
record of some terrible earthquake or sanguinary
battle. Upwards of 100 wrecks and casualties
were posted on the loss book at Lloyd's in the
course of Monday and Tuesday, and the daily
telegrams since that period, from the vatioes
outposts, furnish a sad additiOn to the already
long catalogue of disasters. It is a remarkable
fact that when these visitations afflict us, they
almost always coma unexpectedly. It is fine to-
day, the sea is still, the winds are hushed, the
sky is without menacing clouds, the mariner
sails on his course with a light heart and a cheer-
ful voice, his mind full of joyous anticipations,
undisturbed by any thought or trouble. Sud-
denly be sees indieations of a change. There is
a small speck in the sky, scarcely discernible to
the unpractised gaze, and which, if seen, is un-
recognized as an evil portent. But the speck
grows apace ; a while ago it seemed no bigger
than a man's hand, now it is spreading along
the horizon, and mounting upwards till it takes
the dimensions of a huge and threatening cloud.
I Then there is anxioty where before there was
confidence, The waves are motionless, and the
brceze scarcely fills the flapping sails. But in a
'short time the sea is moved as by a strange
agitation, the air is filled with the scat sullen
murmuring of commotion, and anon the storm
comes in all its raging fury to sport with the
handiwork of man, and to mock at his puny
strength. The gallant ship, which birt a few
hours before sailed proudly on her course, skim-
ming the surface of the leaping waves, and
obedient to the slightest motion of the helms-
man's will, is now like a log upon the ocean,
tossed to and fro at the tempest's will ; her masts
gone, her bulwarks swept away, her crew terror-
stricken and powerless. She drifts towards the
shore, she strikes the beach, the waters dash
over her, and, when help comes, there is noth-
ing but a wreck to preserve, none but the dead
to rescue. Scarcely any portion of the coast
seems to have escaped the fury of the gales be-
ginning on Sunday week, and continuing with
greater or lose force for several successive days.
Some of the scenes which occurred were so
terrible that fancy instinctively refuses to dwell
upon the pictures it conjures up. Much of the
damage done to the coasting vessels, it may be
said, might have been avoided, had the seamen
regarded the storm signals of Admiral Fitzroy.
The fact is, the gallant Admiral did predict this
storm, but he had predicted so Many others that
never made their appearance, that, when he did
prophesy correctly no one believed him, and in
spite of his "cone" being hoisted apex down-
wards, the Shields colliers put out to sea 88
coolly as though the finest weather was certain.
More than once have we heard the captains of
coasting vessels declare that the storm signals
are worse than useless, as the wind often comes
from the north when it is promised from the
south, and vice versa; while often it does not
come on till their voyage could le made, and
frequently not at aIL No doubt that unfore-
seen circumstances may often upset the Admiral's
calculations ; nevertheless, it is well to re-
member that the principles upon which the
calculations are made are correct, and we have
no doubt that when the field of meteorology has
been widened, and its deductions fortified, a
very high degree of certainty may be obtained.
In the meantime would it not be far better to
miss a voyage occasionally than venture out to
seo, when a storm is predicted, and risk the
lose of both property and life?