Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-06-07

deW.pOint was 900 10" ~ F"''"~N '
all and, third, there may Sometimes be an
upper s.ra,r.n ot air, containing SO much
caorc tia. its sprcitic le:lty would prevent
the u7racv!ng co!amn from rising mo ii far
c..oun,! 10 cause rair.
These ;!nre .linss conceive are ihc only
circumstances which prevent great fires
from rroduciug rain al all times when they
occur. TIE first two can be asccrtai,ed
withou: much difficulty by means Of small
balloons anu the dew-poinl-- the ias IN tn
present s.a;c Of science cannot always be
known, and failure on that account muSt
be riskcd by the eSperimenter. This l'sk
| am willing to run, if Congress or the st nc
Leg stature will promise sufficient reward
in case Of success. =,
Ii has been objected to my project that !
propose 100 much, and that Ii IS utterly al,
surd 10 expect 10 make rain IN tine o.
drought. when there is such scar'''y o.
vapour in ihe air.
Now this objection is founded on an en-.
tire Ignorance cf the factaris ne from want
ordue consideration. For there rs se"e'"'S
| more vapour IN the time of summer ufouoe,'"
than at any other time, as know BY cx"
periments constantly made almos every Gay
! for these last ten years; aud his is reasona'
DE in Itself, for the vapour IS rising Into 'he
air and Increasing every day fdry weather.
prnparing for aro:hcr rain. a quiet s'a'e
oftiIc atmosphere is also more likely 10 oc-
CIR, 10 great heights, in time ct drou9hs
lha1 Il: any other time, for Immediately al.
Ter rains there are sure to be Cross currents
Of air. produced by The inward motion OF the
air at The lower part fihe cloud and an
outward motion in the upper parI, which re
cure some time alier the rain 10 come 10
rest.
III have succeeded in showing 'hattherc
is any the least ground to hope that an al.
tempt to producee rain, might son'rt'm"s
succeed under favorable circumstances
and tha: those favourable circumstances
are likely to occur in time of drought than
at any 9TH tine, then il follows that the
experiment is 4 highly interesting one, and
ouch to b" Immediately tried. lft should
be successful, who can tell the mighty re-
suits which may follow in its train.
have many reasons and facts which IN
ducc me 10 believe that il a very large cloud
is once generated, the rain will her o'nt
general, or at least spread over VIDE ex
tent octcrritory aud who can tell, praori,
that this VII no, be the case. when II is no
known lha, an immense steam power is lei
loose in the formation Of such cloud; d
power which can becslcula'ed wtr as much
accuracy as hat Of The steam engine. iseli
AMI in part on 'e same principles.
Grn,I men have made their puns on tbs
project, and had heir laugh, and I'm SIR!
to see by letter W warch | have received, tina
v frin,s aud relations al distance are
much tro, ID at these innoccn; laughs bu
le them / c consolcd ; hav" laughed TOO,
well knowing. taat those who laughed the
mos, h al,Ily would be the most willing to
encourage the experiment, as soon as they
scovered they had nothing 10 a"gh at.
As proof that was right in this an icIpa'
ton, i NAV be p rmHed TO say that have
Iarcly received il letter from highly d'stln-
suished member of the American l"g'sla'
jure, who lug ed as any one, when my pc.
,ion was presented there, containing many
kind expressions, and promising me ~ way
of amends tor his l"vity. " to avail himself
OF the earliest opportunity Of being better in
formed on the subict OF my new phlIoso,
phy." Such conduct AZ This is all | want;
| fear not the sIricicst scrutiny.
If should be encouraged TO 20 on with
the experiment, mean to have large mass
of combus iblcs prepared ready for use, and
when have found all tie circumstances
mentioned before, favourable in alime OF
drought, | would set fire to the circumt'r-
ence in various places at once. Soon alter
the fire commences, will expect to sce
clouds begin 10 form, about us many hum
drcd yards gh as the T. mperature OF the
air is ;.bove the dew point IN d. gFees OF Fan.
rcnhen. Twill expect TO see this cloud
randy increase in size, if its Top is no.
swep! off BY curr'nt of air at consider
able dis anca abovr the carti--un'll 1t be.
comes so lfy as 10 ram. | shall expect
he cloud to move eastwardly icr aslng IN
width as it advances, an. the Eext day l
shall expect the region to the south OF where
the rain fell, to be visited by rain, for a rea'
son explained in my writings.
But it Is ,n,an to anticipate all the results
which will follow, for nothing but the expe.
rment itself can demonstrate them. 1t Inc
experiments when repeatedly tried should
fail. it oud be in vain for me to say
would not be mortified, but will not incur
any disgrace--unless i, is dssracetuI
to desire to see great experiment
made which all the knowledge we have
on the subjoc, in the present state OF
science, leads US 10 nope will be crown.