The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

have read the note in this evening's Sun upon
the subject of storms, &'3., signed R. J. Morrison, R.N.,
who, in conjunction with Mr. W. H. White, the late
Secretary to the Astrometeorological Society, has paid at-
tention to this important subject for the last quarter of a
century.

It appears to me, although I do not pretend to be an
authority in the matter, that there is much which is worthy
of notice in your correspondent's letter, as wall as in his
recent note also published by you upon the same subject.
That there is much which is valuable in Admiral
Fitzroy's system cannot be denied, but it is equally cer-
tain that although he has the Government to aid him in a
pecuniary sense and otherwise, and which I am glad is
the case—the Admiral, like the rest of us, occasionally
makes grave mistakes ; and therefore he ought not to ob-
ject to receive fair criticism and friendly hints. Ho re-
minds me of a reported speech of Sir J. Reynolda, who
criticising a painting, said, " it is good, very good, but hang
it, it wants that"—snapping his fingers, in an explanatory
manner. So it is with the Admiral—his system is good and
respectable, but requires improvement. 1 do not pretend
to point out the mode of such improvement; but I do ven-
ture to assert positively, after much observation and ex-
perience, that unless he attends to the electricity of the
atmosphere he will always be liable to mistakes in his pr e-
dictions, and this knowledge can only be gained by attend
ing to the position of the heavenly bodies, as they form
certain aspects with the earth. For instance, the astro.
meteorologists proved beyond doubt, and by numerous care-
ful observations, that when the sun comes to an angle of 60
degrees from the planet Mars, there is an increase in the
temperature, with electrical phenomena, according to the
season, which, however, is not the case when these two
bodies are 50 degrees distant. Also, when Saturn is joined
with the sun, the heat is remitted and cold is increased,
owing probably to the different character of the rays of
these planets. I maintain, as I have maintained, that these
are nature's facts, which must not be neglected by the
Admiral if he means, as he deserves, to achieve success.
Yours obediently,
CHRIS. COOKE,
Late member of the Astrometeorological Society.
London, Dec. 15, 1863.

THE LATE GALES.—As an evidence of the disas-
trous effects on shipping by the late gales, there are at
present no less than 17 ships, of various tonnages, in the
docks and alongside the breakwater at Falmouth under
repairs, although the works at that port are yet in an
unfinished state. The brig Chebucto, which had sunk
alongside the breakwater, with part of her cargo on beard,
owing to two planks being lett open in her side, was ex.
peed to be floated on Tuesday evening's tide.
BL
RS.—The commander of a block-
OCICADERUNNE
uuer usually gets £BOO a round trip from Ber-
ade-ru
cotton for ''• - a
Ber-
muda or Nassau ' , and the privilege of purchasing 12 bales of
only
possitli:tobmaalek,ewhich is worth £'7s at Liverpool. It is
but two could be made
eofne trip during a moon from Bermuda,
ad e-runners are to sink their shipse.
ous to encounter. The
, as
than) Nassau. The risk to the com-
mander is fearful
Federal cruisers are most instructionsdanger-
The
steerage
ao f b I opc k -
rather.e low e
lowered
ninlet them be
can,ehb blockade-runner is well
when there is ziogcehga nacre'
captured by the Federate,
proa moment.
Thevsiedebdowatistharbeopatrsev•widheidchw
Jul
rowing
crew
waterlogged
egeheedr
forand thweitehs escape of provisions,apoyto'sst'shiebeahiipn at
th night,
e boats; tf
and escape,ore the Federals
she .8 Very ofte
or sulk.
can board the scuttled ship ;