The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-04-24

Y drought, wnen thefe 10 suc" sSa'e"y y
J. lyapor in the AIR.
"a Nav this objection is founded on an en-
d lire ignorance of the fact arising from
;. want Of due consideration. For there i
s generally more vapor in the time Of sumtne
g drought, than Ht any other time, as know
by experimenls constantly made almost ev
;. ery day for these last tes years; and this il
i reasonable in itself, for the vspnr is rising
: into the air and increasing every day o
e dry weather, preparing for another rain. A
, quiet state Of the atmosphere is also more
likely to occsr, to great heights, in time oI
: drou .hts thas al any other time, for imme-
dlately after rains there are sure to be cross
|, currents OF air, produced by the inward mo-
f tion Of the air at the lowest part Of the
cloud and an outward motion in the upper
part, which require some time after The rain
To come 10 rest.
, III hare succeeded in showing that there
is the least ground to hope that an attempt
To produce rain, mig Int sometimes succeed
under favorable circumstances, snd that
those favorable circumstances are more like
lIy to occur ia time of drought than at any
other time, then it follows that the expert
meut is n highly interesting one, md ought
to be Immediately tried. If it should be
successful, who can tell the mighty result,
which may follow in its train.
have many reasons aud facts which in
duce me to believe that if very large cloud
is once generated, the rain will brcome gem
eral, or at least spread over a wide extent sf
territory and who can tell, p,iori, that
this will not be the case, when it is now
known that an immense steam pswer ID let
loose in the formation of such cloud u
power that can be calculated with as much
accuracy MS that of The steam engine itself,
aud in part on the same principles.
Gentlemen have made their puns ON this
project, and had their laugh, and am sor-
ry to see by letters which | have received,
that my friends and relations at y distance
are much troubled at these innocent laughs
but let them be consoled ! have laughed
too, well knowing, that those who laughed
the most heartily would be the most willing
to encourage the experiment, Ms soon ns
they discovered they had nothing to laugh
at. As proof that was right in this an
tlcipnton, | may be permitted to sny that
have lately received letter, from N highly
distinguished member Of the American Leg
islaiure, who laughed as heartily ms any ore,
when my petition was presented there, con
tainIng many kind expressions and promis-
ing me by way Of amends for his levity, " to
avail himself Of the earliest opportunity Of
being better informed on the subjee, Of my
new philosophy" Such conduct as this is
all | want; | fear not the strictest scrutiny.
If should be encouraged to go on with
the experiment, | mean to have n large mass
Of combustibes prepared ready for use, aud
when have found all the circumsts noes
mentioned before, favorable 10 n time of
drought, would set fire to the ercumfer-
ence in various places at once. Soon after
the fire commences, l will expect to see
clouds beg IN to form, about rs many yards
high as the temperature Of The air is above
he dew point in degrees of Farenheii.
will expect To see this cloud rapidly increase
n size if It's top is not swept on by II cur
ent of air at n considerable distance sbove I
he earth-untll II becomes so lofty as to I
ain. shall expect the cloud to move enst-
sardly, increasing in width ms it advances,
md the next day shall expect the region
o The south of where the rain fell, 10 be Wis.,
ted by rain for a reassn explained in my
yritings. d
But it is in vain to anticipate all the re- n
Ills which will follow, for nothing but the c
experiment. itself can demonstrate them. II 90
'e experiments when repeatedly tried should s.
ii, it would be in vain for me to say | 81
ouId not be mortified, but l will not incur D.
" disgrace-unless it is disgraceful to de- F,
re to see great experiment made which
! the knowledge we have on the subject,
the present state of science, lends US to
,pe will be crowned with success. W
have made this very brief though ncces- r.
'riy imperfect statement of my reasons for g.
ishlng To see the experiment tried, which
IN alone decide the question, to comply
ith The earnest and repeated solicitations
my friends; | will now in conclusion N
~ a word for myself 5.
The present state Of the science Of Me- ~ ~
orolney renders it highly important to F,
now IN what direction and with what velo- r
ty summer rains travel over the surface Of "
. earth. What is their shape-round or
'long-in what direction their transverse
ameter lies, and whether they move side u
remost or end foremost or obliuuely. N
ow ] request gentlemen throughout the B
uited States who feel Interested in this
Inject, to keep n.journal of oil raiu., from
e beginning Of June till the end Of Sep
mber; noting their beginnings and end :, y
gs, the farce and direction Of the winds, p
I'd also Of the clouds, ana send the ac- l.
'onts, published in some paper as early T
October as convenient, to William Ham -
on, Esq. Ac,uary Of the Franklin Insli-
tie, Philadelphia
Finally, if any gentlemsn intends to
eur from twenty To fifty acres Of woodland
is spring or early in the summer, in the p,
rstern or northwestern parts Of Pcnnsyl. X,
mia, will he please to inform me Of the W
CT as sosu as convenient. \,
Journals Of the weather alse f"r the 10Th,